Viral marketing should be taken seriously because of its extensive engagement of customers. It goes beyond traditional film marketing and its campaigns open up interactive communication lines with customers where there exists a platform for engaging the needs of customers (Scott & Scott, 2011). Through viral marketing, people get to discuss issues regarding films with their online friends and acquaintances. It gives ease of information sharing through initiation of quick spreading of film messages quickly. However, not many people take advantage of viral marketing to promote their films. This goes way ahead of the traditional placement of generic trailers in theatres and simply displaying adverts online, which does little in informing people regarding the content of the movie.
Viral marketing goes beyond the creation of campaigns focusing on effects of movies and people’s reactions after watching the movie. Instead, it targets the market and presents the film straight to them through creation of excitement in the customers that spread fast and wide within a short duration. It utilizes the strategy of compliance gaining through choice information. Viral marketing allows studios to realize their strong holds and places with the most customers so they can delve in even more screenings and captivation of the hype and excitement in such areas. In the production of ‘The Dark Knight’, discretion took center stage so that information only gets out at the appropriate time in relevance to the release of the film. Its release followed the creation of viral sites for its distribution where there was slight revelation of characters and other relevant information about the upcoming film.
The discussion of such aspects takes place on YouTube and social media websites such as twitter and facebook. These platforms create a sense of compliance through their compelling of connections to like and respond to requests in a sense of abiding to nature. Through such gesture, information turns viral and present a chance for continued circulation towide networks accepting, forwarding and liking requests out of compliance (Kalpaklioglu & Toros, 2011). The official site of the film had the main character released after the production of the film. The release of Bane the villain in the film was for the captivation of the interest of the movie fans keeping them excited about the movie and giving fans a chance for demanding its playing in their hometowns. It also allows for discussion among fans online on the areas they would like to have the film staged focusing mainly on the mysteries and intrigues of the characterization of joker. The strategic positioning of the viral campaign was for leaking of pictures, footage and websites portraying as a formidably experienced movie character and villain.
Through viral campaigns, there is the captivation of both hardcore and casual movie lovers. It helps in the creation of awareness and excitement opening doors to greater success of films. Studios focus on engaging the interests of their target audiences in spreading information about movies for success. However, every marketing campaign requires careful execution for attainment of desired results (Scott, 2010). The blitz of viral marketing is that it entices consumers into taking up the initiative of spreading the information. It must be cool and with an interesting pitch for consumption by the viral social attachment in the internet. Marketers use blending strategies that allow them to use platforms with easy sharing like YouTube videos and sending of links to facebook and twitter.
Through the influences of compliance gaining, marketers make efforts for intentionally influencing the actions of their potential customers by influencing their behaviors. This comes through influences of negative or positive expertise, threats, promises, debt, moral appeal, negative or positive esteem influences, negative or positive alter casting, altruism, pre-giving, aversive stimulation and liking among others. Through reciprocity, there is creation of indebtedness and obligation, which creates a trigger for unfair exchanges. There is also the use of commitment, that becomes extremely binding in a social setting where people desire to remain consistent in their commitments for the continuity of their inter-social existences, and marketers use this to initiate consistency attitude especially if information passes through acquaintances. Other than the influences of peer pressure, there is also the use of cognitive dissonance where there comes the liking strategy for influencing and persuading friends and strangers pervasively. Liking works through the influences of attractiveness, similarity, immediacy, ingratiation, humor and favors. Celebrity endorsers also promote the performances of adverts with through the influence of ethos and the power of authority (Gass & Seiter, 2011).
It is a sort of blind obedience to authorities in a manner that persons involuntarily comply with adverts endorsed by celebrities. That can be a strategy for use to produce compliance from customers and trigger a viral effect on adverts through the internet and word of mouth. Viral advertising focuses on the use of behavior altering in an appealing manner seeking commitment. However, there are occasions when compliance does not achieve the desired results and people end up saying no out of personal inclining reasons such as to identity protection. Some are non-negotiators and just say no out rightly while on other occasions there could be negotiation and justification of reasons for defying compliance to a given advert or advertising strategy (Gass & Seiter, 2011). Therefore, in the utilization of the power of social media in promotion of films, the marketing strategy must incorporate all necessary processes that take into account attitude, interests and perceptions of customers.
Viral marketing depends much on the strategies employed by marketers to meet their desired targets. For example, in ‘The Blair Witch Project’, the release of the project took place in an incredible manner that produced profits for the company in comparison to their production costs (Hantke, 2009). The major attribute for this success was the use of a unique website blurring the line between fiction and reality. These intrigues brought about the excitement using realistic photos of the stars in the film and a captivating caption claiming that the photograph was taken shortly before the disappearance of the stars. The creation of the website went ahead into creating a gimmick of generic photos looking real that created authenticity in the minds of those who watched the slideshow. Such was the attraction of millions of viewers and the presence of the website to date makes it a major strategy and landmark in the employment of viral marketing in promotion of films through the internet. It worked well through the strategy of creation of a back-story to accompany the film and the interviews with police and locals to make the movie seem real that by the time of its release, everyone had the craze to watch it (Hantke, 2009).
Conclusion
There have been tremendous developments in Viral marketing over the years that every marketer desires to grasp the latest ideas that can create craze in the minds of their customers. This is because It goes beyond traditional film marketing and its campaigns open up interactive communication lines with customers where there exists a platform for engaging the needs of customers (Scott & Scott, 2011). The evidence of this is through the initial attempts of ‘The Blair Witch Project,’ which took the world by storm as an initiator of viral marketing to the latest successes of viral marketing of films like ‘The Dark Knight.’ Viral marketing campaigns however, has an attachment to customer compliance by influencing the behavior of online viewers to like and share the viral information. It entices them into talking about it and opens discussion points for requesting of their friends who also act through compliance. By this, and with the advances in options of viral marketing such as facebook, blogs, and YouTube, viral marketing is yet to continue advancing and transforming marketing strategies.
Bibliography
Allen, K. (2008). Viral marketing 100 success secrets. S.l: s.n.
This book focuses on the creation of better understanding of the use of viral marketing as the newest attraction of online marketing. He explores it as an area with several challenges even to professionals given the multiple options it presents leaving questions of the position of starting the venture. Some of the areas evaluated are such as podcasts, blogs, SEO, Public relations, paid searches and much more. The book further explores the new development of new search tools resulting from advanced technologies giving the available options for online marketing showing their development, importance how and why they work as well as the manner of using the available tools and programs.
Dăniasă, C. I., Tomiţă, V., Stuparu, D., & Stanciu, M. (2010). The Mechanisms Of The Influence Of Viral Marketing In Social Media. Economics, Management & Financial Markets, 5(3), 278.
This journal has a major objective, which is the emphasis on the increasing of social media usage in promotion of online visibility as a marketing strategy. It looks at optimization of social marketing, web marketing and the importance of investing in viral marketing efforts by stating the changes in marketing strategies through the emergence of online marketing. The authors study the opportunities and challenges created by new media, metrics and models. The assertion of its findings is that word of mouth is effective in sharing and spreading information at a low cost.
Fox, S. C. (2009). E-riches 2.0: Next-generation marketing strategies for making millions online. New York: American Management Association.
This is a useful book for every businessperson looking for expansion strategies that can improve online presence and visibility. It gives necessary techniques for attracting of customers and gaining of desired success and profit. It focuses on how to propel businesses to greater heights through use of powerful marketing strategies through evaluation of success stories and instructional advices. It is a great means of collecting of funs support and attention through development of email lists and fan base around products and services using latest marketing tools such as blogs, social media, websites, RSS feeds and many more.
Hinz, O., Skiera, B., Barrot, C., & Becker, J. U. (2011). Seeding Strategies for Viral Marketing: An Empirical Comparison. Journal Of Marketing, 75(6), 55.
The success of viral marketing depends on Seeding strategies as much as there is conflicting presentation on the level of influence of seeding strategies on the performance of viral marketing. Through comparison of popular seeding strategies and real life viral marketing strategies, the results show that effective use of seeding strategies can produce positive results for a marketing campaign. Targeting places with dense connections for seeding presents a channel for promotion of viral results of information. However, as evaluated in the study, without effective evaluation of strategies of seeding used in a campaign the advantage of connection may not have effective results. Therefore, it is important for marketers to employ the best seeding strategies for their campaigns.
Hosea, M. (2011). Spread the word — viral is catching on. Marketing Week (01419285), 34(29), 53.
In this article, there is information regarding the characteristics of viral marketing. In the perspective of the journal, viral marketing depends on the reliance of information among people. Therefore, it stands out that the marketer must find means of encouraging their customers to keep spreading the word about their products and services. Viral marketing also holds the appeal of reduction of costs and overheads otherwise incurred through traditional marketing. It is an affordable marketing strategy for targeting young customer niches and hopes of profitability.
Kalpaklioglu, N. & Toros, N. (2011). Viral Marketing Tecniques Within Online Social Network. Journal Of Yasar University, 6(24), 4112-4129.
This article explores the influences of globalization the invention of new marketing strategies. The change of lifestyles, social, political and economical conversions as well as technological developments are some of the influences of marketing strategies, which have to conform to the new marketing needs. New media has created effectiveness for relaying of information and interactively communicating with customers. Marketers can engage the imagination of customers through viral marketing using the available advanced techniques and strategies within the many available channels for a fast passing of information and messages to many people.
Mourdoukoutas, P., & Siomkos, G. J. (2009). The seven principles of WOM and Buzz marketing: Crossing the tipping point. Berlin [etc.: Springer.
The authors of this book delve in the reasons of business success through word of mouth while it fails to execute an effective promotion in some instances. It categorizes the use of viral marketing to an advantage by selection of appropriate market niches. It has seven steps of turning a product viral by reaching mass potential customers and achieving the dream of becoming successful marketers. It puts viral marketing as simply engaging consumers, targeting the right people, creating the correct messages and presenting information through the right environment.
Scott, D. M., & Scott, D. M. (2011). The new rules of marketing & PR: How to use social media, online video, mobile applications, blogs, news releases, & viral marketing to reach buyers directly. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.
In this book, there is tutorial on the best ways of making use of social media for viral marketing. It introduces marketers to new marketing strategies other than traditional creative adverts. It is a guide to all marketers looking for a one-on-one guide for promoting their products and services digitally. It highlights the power of communicating with clients and the importance of their input through direct engagement in the raising of online visibility for sales increase. The book discuses the cost effectiveness of real time online advertising as opposed to old high budget strategies.
Scott, D. M. (2010). The new rules of marketing and PR: How to use social media, blogs, news releases, online video, & viral marketing to reach buyers directly. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.
This book furthers the idea of online marketing through blogs, mobiles and internet as part of modern marketing. It evaluates a number of unique success cases of companies that have succeeded in the use of online marketing. It presents the advantages online marketing provides to businesses helping marketers to develop personal affiliation and interactions with customers. The book has information on the processes of constructing of captivating messages for the attraction of the interest of customers. The author confirms that viral marketing costs just a fraction of old forms of advertising and attracts a significant pool of customers.
References
Allen, K. (2008). Viral marketing 100 success secrets. S.l: s.n.
Dăniasă, C. I., Tomiţă, V., Stuparu, D., & Stanciu, M. (2010). The Mechanisms Of The Influence Of Viral Marketing In Social Media. Economics, Management & Financial Markets, 5(3), 278.
Fox, S. C. (2009). E-riches 2.0: Next-generation marketing strategies for making millions online. New York: American Management Association.
Gass, R.H., & Seiter, J.S. (2011). Persuasion, social influence, and compliance gaining. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Hantke, S. (2009). Horror film: Creating and marketing fear. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.
Hinz, O., Skiera, B., Barrot, C., & Becker, J. U. (2011). Seeding Strategies for Viral Marketing: An Empirical Comparison. Journal Of Marketing, 75(6), 55.
Hosea, M. (2011). Spread the word — viral is catching on. Marketing Week (01419285), 34(29), 53.
Kalpaklioglu, N., & Toros, N. (2011). Viral Marketing Techniques Within Online Social Network. Journal Of Yasar University, 6(24), 4112-4129.
Mourdoukoutas, P., & Siomkos, G. J. (2009). The seven principles of WOM and Buzz marketing: Crossing the tipping point. Berlin [etc.: Springer.
Scott, D. M., & Scott, D. M. (2011). The new rules of marketing & PR: How to use social media, online video, mobile applications, blogs, news releases, & viral marketing to reach buyers directly. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.
Scott, D. M. (2010). The new rules of marketing and PR: How to use social media, blogs, news releases, online video, & viral marketing to reach buyers directly. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.
