When Cats Play, Marketers Keep Silent
Posted on May 4, 2007
Filed Under Internet Marketing
Over the past few weeks viral marketing has enjoyed a good flourish with the video of the piano playing cat Nora spreading at the speed of light in the web territory. In a snap the wide audience got a clear view what was, indeed, in its action, a virus powered with a marketing function. To define it very briefly aˆ“ the term “viral marketing” refers to a range of marketing techniques aimed at a significant brand awareness increase through the spread of a “virus” attractive text, funny videos, interactive flash games, eye-catching images - to the whole list of existing web marketing channels aˆ“ pretending-to-be amateur websites, blogs, social networks, video directories, etc. If marketers have invested enough skills and imagination in their viral project, normally the virus will start a self-replicating process through a word of mouth and will get more and more infected users, i.e. it will grow extremely popular in a very short time. Viruses, however, don’t live forever aˆ“ with days and weeks passing by, their effect subsides.
The very beginning of viral marketing is believed to be Hotmail’s 1997 campaign with the popular mail adding their advertisement (and a registration link, of course) in every single mail sent by Hotmail. What is so loved about viral marketing are two basic features aˆ“ it is cheap and effective. The downsides? The inescapable need to find that team or smart specialist who will think of an idea with a strong viral potential, i.e. exclusively intriguing content. The example? Tim Nolan’s 1996 Spent2000.com campaign aˆ“ very smart of Tim to demonstrate an original online installation of attractive phrases going like “This city isn’t safe” with a link to Nolan’s URL address. The second best example to pinpoint? Raven’s Wing Studio YouTube Video with the kitty Nora starring as a leading piano performer. But what is so noteworthy about this virus, after all?
Published on YouTube on Jan 28, 2007 until the beginning of May the video, showing cute kitty Nora playing the piano and coming with a very catchy slogan “Practice makes purr-fect”, has been watched more than 3 million times, commented by more than 3000 people and favorited by more than 12 thousand YouTube lovers. The kitty itself is owned by the artists Burnell Youw! And his partner Betsy Alexander aˆ“ proud establishers of the Raven’s Wing Art Studio advertised in the beginning and the end of Nora’s video. In about three months Youw and Alexander’s online project turned into one of America’s top visited websites with the artists, as predicted, monetizing their popularity by selling signed photos, fringe magnets, and “Practice makes Purr-fect” sweatshirts. Nora created an unthought-of buzz effect aˆ“ unstoppable discussions in YouTube and various social networks, forums, attracted even CNN’s attention, in other words aˆ“ won the hearts (and attention) of innumerable fans. But let’s put it straight? Does Nora really play that well to provoke so many people watching the video over and over again? Probably no. Indeed, Raven’s Studio didn’t need a brilliant piano player at all aˆ“ they needed a kitty piano player pretender to show the world something unusual and never seen before which can attract flows of visitors to see what their cat and studio can do. In Daily Mail’s words:”Her musical stylings probably won’t impress true aficionados of classical music. Aficionados of cats, however, will want to watch her over and over again.” Well, not only cat aficionados. Marketers, we have to add, definitely need to watch her over and over again to see how brilliant some viral campaigns might be with the main ingredient aˆ“ pure creativity in store. When cats play, marketers keep silent aˆ“ and, hopelessly, wait for their smart viral idea to come.
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