Jim,

Thank you for the smart post. I would add that your thinking refers to all marketing and sales efforts. Authenticity and understanding our audiences are the foundation to all levels of success.

Jim,
In keeping with the tone of your article, I would like to point out that the Fonz hasnt been cool in 20+ years.

Brian, are you kidding me? The Fonz will always be cool.

Lewis, yes, you're right, it applies across the board.

Great post but left me wanting more. What is niche-level viral marketing?

Peter, I'll have to write about that next.

First off, I totally agree that Fonz is cool and will always be cool.

This post is so refreshing. There is no 'secret success recipe' to viral marketing and frankly I never think there will be. Viral success relies on spontaneity and not knowing how people will react is part of the process. And sometimes viral videos take off because it is really really bad--can you anticipate that?

But I also totally agree with your point and Lewis' comment that if you truly understand your consumer and know how they tick you can succeed [in viral marketing or traditional marketing]. To expand on the Fonz analogy, the 'coolest' people in high school [cool is open to interpretation] knew themselves and had confidence. Trying too hard is just so very 'uncool.'

The Fonz was cool because he was authentic. So right, Jim...you're either cool, or you're not. And you're either real, or you're not.

p.s. to Brian -- way to make me feel old..sheesh!

Our only experience of viral marketing was when our office cat had kittens.

I posted some pictures of the kittens development on a sub folder of purple13.co.uk and emailed everyone at my office.

A couple of unobtrusive links back to Mandy's artworks on the main URL didn't deter most visitors.

They told their family and friends who in turn told theirs and so the URL spread like , well, a virus.

Cute kitten pictures - how can you go wrong. Now the Cat's had another litter and we're repeating the exercise.

You can see the kittens at http://www.purple13.co.uk/kitten2

It doesn't have to be big or grand to generate traffic and hopefully sales.

Jonathan

I've found in my experience the key to sparking a viral effect in any capacity - whether it begin and remain on the niche-level or explode to a super-viral epidemic - is what I call the Smirk-Effect. Quite literally I could not and would not choose a more well-thought out or "intelligent" term for the name because it crisply simply-puts the essence of its own meaning.

You think what was the first reaction you had to Fonzie's "Heeeeeyyyyyyyy". You probably didn't laugh outright, but I can almost guarantee it brought a genuine smirk to your lips... You thought: "If I were to repeat this catchy line to my friends the next time an apt opportunity arises, it would probably be met with a positive reaction from them." And that's it. The message has achieved the voluntary pass-along factor and it begins to spread with viral legerity.

The next time you observe something that you react to and can consciously identify as smirk-worthy - it has the Smirk-Effect on you - and you feel anxious for the next opportunity where you can mention it or pass it along for others enjoyment, take a simple mental note. Try applying the event, quote, whatever, to your business and split-test it in your next ad campaign. Cleverly convey the same message with a seamless link to your companies identity for your target audience, and you might just have it hitch. Heeeeeyyyyyyy!

I would love it if 20 years from now someone could walk up to a stranger on the street and make a gutteral sound and the person would immediately recognize my brand.

I am sure that if you walked into a room of middle age people and said, "Who is this" and simply went "HHHeeeeeyyyyy" with a thumbs up, they would know.

Not only was Fonize cool, but he stood out from traditional thinking--he made you do a double-take. Leather jacket = hoodlum, but not in this case. He actually was a positive role model that simply challenged the "norm". Who says that the "norm" is right.

What is it that will make your customers do a double-take when they think about your industry norms which don't apply to you--hey check this out!

"I would love it if 20 years from now someone could walk up to a stranger on the street and make a gutteral sound and the person would immediately recognize my brand."

YES! Great brand goal.

Here's a test for you. Have someone stick 20 soda cans of different varities sitting on a fence 100 yards away.

Now, which one is the Coke can?

The bright red one, right? I betcha 10 out of 10 get that one right. That's a brand.