What happens when your viral campaign becomes an online greatest hit? It sounds like one of those good problems to have, but in an article for the Boston Globe, Brian Steinberg touches on what could become a legacy of the craze for viral campaigns — unwanted permanency.
One example — Burger King’s Subservient Chicken, online since 2006, still jumps, boogies and sits on command. Reebok’s Run Easy has transformed from a shoe promo to a place for members to swap running tips and routes.
These are both great success stories, but what happens when a viral offering means more to users than to its sponsor? Social media evangelists say it’s critical to cede control to users — but does that entail continuing to support content that has outlived its utility as a marketing tool? Or does continuing consumer interest guarantee marketing utility?
Photo Credit, Dave McClure