Elements of a Viral Marketing Campaign and How to Create One

Viral marketing campaigns can catapult brands into the spotlight, fuel massive engagement, and turn casual viewers into loyal customers. Here, we’ll break down what makes a campaign go viral, highlight some standout examples, and share tips on how to up the odds of viral success.

What is viral marketing?

A viral marketing campaign is one that spreads quickly and widely on the internet, relying on the audience to promote the brand over paid advertising.

While there is no step-by-step formula to make content go viral, it often involves leveraging existing social media trends and offering content that is attention-grabbing, stimulating, and unexpected. Consumers naturally want to share this type of content, racking up millions of views and shares and making the brand recognizable among the general public.

There are some obvious benefits of going viral, including increased visibility and brand awareness. This often translates into greater audience reach and media exposure in trade publications and national media outlets. Viral marketing costs are also a fraction of those of traditional advertising. When consumers are organically sharing your content in a positive fashion, the advertising is nearly free and the potential for increased sales is high.

However, creating viral content presents some challenges as well. While going viral certainly provides more brand exposure, there is no guarantee that those viewers will buy your product or service. Content that misses the mark might also garner a negative reaction online. This effect can be detrimental to businesses and decrease the likelihood of going viral in the future.

The elements of a viral marketing campaign

According to Paula Mantle, VP of Marketing at Branch, there’s no silver bullet to going viral: “Virality is part strategy, part timing, and a whole lot of luck.”

However, there are some ways you can sway the odds in your favor. Every successful viral marketing campaign uses some combination of the following six tactics and techniques to capture the attention of a broad and varied audience.

Timeliness

It is important to optimize the times you post to ensure the widest possible audience sees your content. It’s also vital to stay current with industry and pop cultural trends to know what your target audience is gravitating toward. You can use Google Trends to see what’s trending online so you can make informed, tailored decisions about your content strategy.

Visual appeal

Viral campaigns need a strong visual component to resonate with audiences. Consumers respond to eye-catching visuals that tell a story and allow them to better understand your brand.

“To stop the scroll, your creative has to stand out,” said Mantle. “Video is performing well these days but must also work with or without sound."

Creativity

While there are always exceptions, campaigns are much more likely to go viral when there is an innovative, original idea guiding the marketing campaign. The content has to feel creative and fresh for people to want to organically share it among their networks.

Shareability

Viral content should be easy for consumers to share on social media. The impetus to share could stem from a hashtag, imagery that consumers can easily replicate, or giveaways. The goal is to create buzz about your brand that people will see others interact with and want for themselves.

Emotional resonance

Viral campaigns often elicit a strong reaction, connecting with consumers on an emotional level.

“The best viral campaigns use humor, nostalgia, or shock value to hit a nerve,” said Mantle. “And you only have a couple seconds to compel audiences to feel so strongly about your topic that they must share it.”

Relevance to your target audience

Marketing campaigns should resonate with your target audience so they will feel inclined to share. As you create your content, ask yourself the following questions: What platforms do my target audience use most regularly? What do they feel passionate about? What are their values? Use the answers to guide your content strategy and encourage organic shares.

Examples of viral marketing campaigns that worked

These viral marketing campaigns didn’t just sell products—they sparked conversations, drove engagement, and captured users’ imagination.

The ‘Barbie’ movie

Warner Bros.’ robust marketing campaign for Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” colored by partnerships and pink-themed branding, resonated globally. The campaign’s breadcrumb strategy kept audiences engaged, generating well-deserved media attention and reflecting a broader movement well before the movie’s July 2023 release. The color pink, which was the center of the film’s marketing strategy, symbolized girl power and flourished in fashion. The marketing campaign even harnessed Google, which turned the search engine pink when interested parties searched for “Barbie” or “Barbie movie.”

Additionally, the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, celebrating the simultaneous theatrical release of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” emerged organically, creating even more traction. “Barbie” earned $155 million in the United States during its opening weekend alone, showcasing the success of a robust marketing campaign. Moviegoers wore costumes and pink outfits to showings, amplifying the collective experience.

McDonald’s Grimace shake

McDonald’s celebrated the birthday of Grimace—the large purple creature featured in McDonaldland commercials—with a limited-time purple milkshake promotion that turned into a viral campaign. Fueled by TikTok videos showing creative consumption experiences, major brands joined in on the viral campaign. Individuals on TikTok were seen drinking the Grimace shake and then the video would cut to them on the ground in the spilled purple shake or having a paranormal-type experience. The campaign’s second-quarter success was attributed to trend creation, major brand collaborations, and character-driven engagement.

‘Smile’

Paramount’s horror movie “Smile” dominated the box office through an innovative viral marketing campaign. The campaign involved placing actors with eerie-looking smiles in the background of live events—Major League Baseball games in particular. The film’s plot involved a supernatural force compelling people to commit terrible acts with unsettling grins, which echoed the real-life actors’ appearances at live events.

The campaign understandably went viral on social media, including Twitter and TikTok, and caught the attention of both younger and older audiences. During opening weekend, “Smile” earned $22 million and garnered over 160 million organic social media views, proving the power of implementing inventive marketing in the age of social media.

‘Severance’

The marketing campaign for Apple TV+’s “Severance” blurred the line between fiction and reality to generate buzz for the beloved show. The most notable stunt featured a faux Lumon Industries “orientation” pop-up in New York’s Grand Central Station, where actors—playing eerily cheerful employees—handed out branded materials and invited passersby to “sever the line” between their work and personal lives. The campaign’s immersive experience, unsettling tone, and viral-worthy visuals sparked widespread attention online. It worked because it mirrored the show’s premise, making fans feel part of its world.

Spotify Wrapped

Spotify’s annual “Wrapped” campaign transforms user listening data into personalized, shareable year-in-review experiences. Each December, users receive customized playlists and infographics highlighting their top songs, artists, and genres, encouraging them to share these insights with their followers on social media. This approach taps into personalization and the desire for self-expression, fostering widespread user engagement. The campaign’s success is evident, with over 90 million users sharing their Wrapped results on social media in 2020, along with a 21% increase in downloads that December.

How to measure the success of a viral marketing campaign

To ensure your viral marketing campaign is both popular and effective, make sure you’re tracking the right metrics, including:

• Reach and impressions: Gauges how many users saw your content and how often it appeared.
• Engagement rate: Tracks likes, shares, comments, and clicks.
• Referral traffic: Measures how many users visit your site via shared links.
• Conversion rate: Shows how many viewers take action (buy, sign up, etc.).
• Viral coefficient: Indicates how many new users each existing user brings in.
• Viral cycle time: Measures how fast your campaign spreads from user to user.

Mistakes to avoid when trying to go viral

Going viral can skyrocket a brand, but missteps might make your campaign fall flat or attract the wrong kind of attention. Here are key mistakes to avoid:

• Lack of sensitivity: Offending audiences through tone-deaf or alienating messaging can lead to backlash. Always try to create content with diverse perspectives.
• Poor timing: Stay aware of current events, as launching lighthearted content during serious events may seem insensitive.
• Clickbait headlines: Ensure your headline accurately represents your content; misleading titles damage customer trust.
• Unclear branding: Viral content without brand association is a missed opportunity, so make sure your brand is visible and relevant.
• Bandwagoning without context: Following trends blindly can backfire. Align with trends that match your values and make sense with your brand.
• Overly commercial content: Audiences often skip traditional ads, so focus on storytelling or entertainment.

How to capitalize on viral success

“Virality is a flash, but you need a way to keep the lights on,” said Mantle. “Sustained growth comes from what you do after the hype, so have a plan in place to reinforce your message beyond the moment.”

Here are some key ways to turn viral success into long-term impact:

• Respond to comments and messages to build trust and loyalty, and continue the conversation to turn the commenters into long-term users.
• Ensure your website and social media platforms are ready for increased traffic.
• Communicate clearly to manage expectations and maintain credibility.
• Adjust operations to meet demand without sacrificing quality.
• Analyze metrics to understand what’s driving success.
• Use the spotlight to introduce new offerings or reinforce your brand’s mission.

“The goal is to be the brand with a steady stream of interesting, valuable, and creative content—not just the brand with ‘that one campaign, that one time,’” Mantle told CO—.

Danielle Fallon-O’Leary and Lauren Kubiak contributed to this article.

CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.

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