Is it impossible and viral marketing doesn’t actually exist?, or can it still be viral, can a company set the conditions as favourably as possible and also seed it in a way that causes viral spread?

I believe the second option is true, but I would love more explanation on why it’s possibly not.

Yes, Susan Boyle was an example of an organic meme.

I believe your description of a ’sustainable waves of sharing between people equates to virality’ to be very accurate, so perhaps I was innaccurate and undermined my own concept of vm when I said ‘continue seeding.’ But I do believe it is possible to have an idea (or cynically, steal someone elses), develop it with the express purpose of having it turn viral, and then seed it and watch the waves come and go.

If you believe ‘viral’ can ONLY apply to an original meme, then that’s the difference between us. I would classify ‘viral’ as the means of information spread, and the contents (the payload of the virus) to be capable of being an original meme or orchestrated viral marketing.

“If something was truly viral, it shouldn’t need to be pushed by a company, Martin? ” – Well yes. You are correct. The company designs the campaign to be vm, they seed it, and thats what I would see as constituting the ‘push.’ Everything needs a push.

“I have no direct control over the spread, but I can set the conditions for it to spread, and also help it to spread by continued seeding at opportune times.”

Real viral memes don’t require occasional grooming (or seeding) do they? Out of the 34 million views that Susan Boyle’s Britain’s Got Talent video on Youtube got in the first week, I wonder how much grooming the producers did.. Hmm..

A good idea, well implemented, regardless of originality, can be tipped. If you believe it’s not possible, I have no idea what to say to you apart from, what I said before, it’s harder to be successful than not, but T-Mobile were successful.

I think there’s a distinction to be drawn between a truly original meme spawning and then evolving as it spreads virally and orchestrated viral marketing. (oh hell, I love stupid acronyms, so lets call that OVM.)

Are you saying that a piece of media pushed by a company that then spreads via forwarding on networks(email, fb, twit blah blah) is not a viral spread?

If that does not constitute a viral spread, what does?

I fail to understand the flu analogy Damien. It of course could be orchestrated. I could seed a highly infectious variant in a population, and then let the infection spread. I have no direct control over the spread, but I can set the conditions for it to spread, and also help it to spread by continued seeding at opportune times.

Viral is not an adjective. It’s a verb. The kind of virality we’re talking about is about ideas, not about fucking marketing. Pervasive ideas spread, others die on the vine. It’s natural.

If viral marketing can be orchestrated, show us your formula. Like Damien said, T-Mobile jumped on the concept. They took an idea and ran with it.

The success of ILOVEBEES is over-stated, page-views did run in the hundreds of thousands, but only a couple of thousand gamers used it. A smaller group again on a dedicated repeat basis.

My point is, that not that many people need to participate in something to make it appear to be viral. And the nature of virality is based on waves of sustainable infection (or spread) in the populace. Again, following the classical model of a virus. A good idea still needs an element of luck to go viral.

Was that luck? They did a cool video, and then it spread virally.

What about ILOVEBEES? Or the dark night ARG ?

“Look at the percentage that fail” – what? Same issue with any other advertising attempt. Viral marketing is real, and it is possible to orchestrate. Obviously it’s harder to be successful than to fail. It’s harder to make good films than bad films etc.