A Whole New Approach to Advertising

As I was watching this spectacular show presented on the side of a building in Berlin, I initially thought about it as just that, a show. There was a sizable local crowd that was obviously engaged and entertained as the show progressed.

But then I remembered that this YouTube video link was forwarded to me. And, I'm quite sure, it has also been shared by many other viewers, including myself, since. Ultimately, this was not about the show or the local crowd that gathered to see it. From the very beginning, this was about viral marketing.

The objective was to create a video of something interesting enough so that people would be compelled to share it with their family and friends. The more novel and interesting the visual content of the video, the more viral sharing it will enjoy.

In this particular case, the cost of production must have been substantial. However, this approach has a couple significant advantages over traditional media. First, there are no media distribution costs, since the YouTube video is freely accessible over the web.  Additionally, the recommendation for viewing by a trusted individual, which is implied in the sharing by family and friends, gives the message significantly greater potency as compared with the same message being viewed in a TV commercial break.

This makes me wonder about the long term viability of traditional advertising media.