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Personally, I think Hip-hop and viral marketing have a lot in common. They’re both engaging, creative, and unfortunately largely misunderstood. Like hip-hop, the vast majority of us have a very narrow view of what viral marketing is really about.

I’ve recently had an opportunity to elaborate on this topic in an article I wrote for an online marketing magazine called One Degree. Check it out.

Photo credit: Scott Eric Williams

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At the risk of sounding like a gullible lad, I want to share with all my Canadian readers a recent identity theft story.

Last week I received a phone message from “Revenue Canada”. The man on the phone, said that I needed to call them back urgently at 1-800-959-2250 (all RC numbers start with 1-800-959). He added that they are open till 11pm and that I should have my SIN number ready for verification.

I know, I know…but I was tired.

When I dialed the number, I was instantly put on hold. The entire process was very professional. Their on-hold message even said they they might record this for quality assurance.

In the end, I gave them some of my personal information. For some reason after they asked me for my birth date, I got suspecious and told them that I’d call them back. At that point the guy even gave me some sites I should visit to verify the legitimacy of this number! After Googling the number, I found these two sites.

If something similar happens to you, Transunion.ca has some excellent information on how to protect yourself after identity theft. You should also visit consumerinformation.ca and phonebusters.com.

One thing that’s important to realize about viral marketing is that it’s about energy.

A good viral campaign should create a spark of energy every time someone is exposed to it. This energy is important because it powers the desire to share. Often, it is the discovery of something interesting and new that creates this urge to share.

So what does this energy look like? Remember Tom Cruise and Oprah’s couch? That’s it. You’re next viral campaign should try to aim for this level of excitement.

Photo credit: Montara Mike©

These days, GPS technology isn’t limited to cars and military equipment. New cell phones can now guide you through unfamiliar cities, find the nearest cafe, or create art…yes art.

Nokia has recently launched a viral microsite about a fictional artist called Stavros and his “position art“. This pretentious yet engaging character uses his Nokia GPS system to create art.

I love this idea. Not only does it demonstrate the phone’s GPS system but it also encourages people to use it and share the art they’ve created with friend.

In addition to the blog and Stavros art, you can view art created by site visitors. Unfortunately, the visitors are encouraged to created these images using a mouse rather than a GPS system. This is a bit of a letdown and perhaps a missed opportunity. Sure it’s easier to use a mouse; however, it’s not satisfying and definitely not worth sharing. Why would I want to see pictures that people scribbled on their computer?

Nokia should have stayed true to their concept. Perhaps they could have held GPS contests or recruited art students to create real position art. On the website they could have also provided city maps with street-by-street directions to recreate Stavros’s art.

With that said, it’s still worth a click.

You’ve heard the buzz. You’ve seen the videos. Now it’s time to create your own YouTube masterpiece. The marketing potential is huge. As you’ve seen in my other posts, a good viral marketing video can generate millions of eyeballs.

For the past couple of days I’ve been doing a lot of research on this subject. I’ve summarized my findings on Whamwiki.com. On the wiki, you’ll also be able to add your own tips, tricks, and secrets to the list I’ve just created. That’s the beauty of a wiki.

View list

Is it just me or has the British accent jumped the shark when it comes to commercials? The Geico Gecko and the annoying AT&T guy who’s looking for an internet connection are fine examples of the gratuities use of the British accent.

Personally I’m done with the accent.

Not only is this an example of a great viral marketing video, but it’s also a clever way of demonstrating how difficult it can be for marketers to achieve awareness.

I recently received an email from Cake Group, about a new viral video that they produced. This is one of the few instances where I think the spoof is better than the original.

My only complaint about this video is the product placement. Can you tell what product this video is for? Does it make you want to buy the product?

Here is the original Guinness video.

A while back, Axe launched the “Naughty to Nice” campaign. The premise is that Axe Vice products are turning nice girls into naughty vixens. As part of the campaign, Axe launched a slick viral microsite consisting of a funny video and a mystery for visitors to solve.

The problem I have with the mystery is that there is no mystery. The answer is plastered all over the site and the clues are spoon feed to you.

Painfully Obvious Tip: If you’re going to create a challenge for your visitors, make sure that it’s somewhat challenging. Otherwise, visitors are not going to feel rewarded for their effort. Don’t spoon feed the clues. Make them earn it. People who participate in mysteries want to be challenged.

Perhaps the true mystery involves figuring out who Axe is actually marketing to? After viewing the Naughty To Nice video (well worth a click), you are asked to report any naughty girls in your life. Once you report a naughty girl, Axe sends that girl an email to inform her of the video.

This “report a naughty girl” feature brings up some interesting questions. Are they hoping that this will spread to teenage girls who will buy it for their smelly boyfriends? Are these naughty girls going to send it to their naughty friends who will send it to their boyfriends? Is Axe going outside their direct target market so that they can jump between different male social clicks? Are naughty girls the common thread that binds all men together?

To promote the new Xeon microchip, Intel has created an amazing microsite for geeks. Robo Brawl allows you to build a robot and enter it into battle against other robots. The best part is that you can challenge your friend to a match.

The website is well thought out. The longer you play the game the more you learn about the Xeon chip. What I love about it is that they don’t jam it down your throat. It’s definitely worth a click…especially if you’re a geek like me.