How To Create Viral Marketing Campaigns

When markets get crowded, most brands get desperate. They shout louder, cut deeper, claim bigger. But Dos Equis? They told stories instead. 🎩 Dos Equis did the opposite. Instead of screaming, "We're the best beer!" they told stories. About beer? No. About "The Most Interesting Man in the World." 💰 The result? • Sales tripled (2006-2016) • 600% social media growth • 15.4% growth in 2009 (when beer sales declined globally) • Generated 1B+ social impressions • 22% US growth while competitors fell 4% • Tripled Canadian market share in under 2 years The secret? They understood something most brands forget: In saturated markets, people don't buy better products. They buy better stories. ⚡️ 5 Power Moves you can make: 1. Use wit over volume Instead of shouting features, they whispered intrigue. "I don't always drink beer, but when I do..." became cultural gold. → Action Step: Replace one product claim with an intriguing story that makes people lean in and ask "tell me more..." 2. Sell the dream, not the drink They didn't compete on taste or price. They sold the aspiration of being interesting. → Action Step: List your customers' secret aspirations. Build your story around who they want to become, not what they want to buy. 3. Own an emotion, not a category While others fought over "Best Tasting" or "Most Refreshing," they owned "Most Interesting." → Action Step: Define one emotion you want to own. Make every touchpoint reinforce that feeling. 4. Make them laugh, make them think Smart humor builds both brand value and viral reach. Never underestimate the power of making people smile. → Action Step: Test your content on 5 people. If they don't smile or raise an eyebrow, keep refining. 5. Stay consistent, stay patient This wasn't a campaign. It was a 12-year story that kept building momentum. → Action Step: Create a 12-month storytelling calendar. Consistency beats intensity. The biggest lesson? When markets get noisy, don't shout louder. Tell the better story. THAT is what people will remember and support. P.S.: What brand tells your favorite story? Follow David Brier for "the most interesting branding insights on LinkedIn"

106,000,000 impressions for $12K. Here's how Frost Buddy broke every rule with their UGC campaign. (Quick caveat: you shouldn't expect the same results unless you do these things first.)   Frost Buddy had been building their ambassador program for a year, and they had an authentic community that rallied around a shared mission. That's why 120 participants generated 1400 pieces of UGC, and it blew up (and got them $105,000 in direct GMV).   If you want to try to launch a campaign as viral as they did, here's the playbook:   1) Build something amazing and stay close to it   No amount of money or hype is going to combat a problematic product, so you have to start with something amazing.   Frost Buddy's product had immediate PMF, and the founder stayed close to the customer experience. This led to a bunch of genuine, die-hard fans.   That sort of thing is hard to fake.   2) Find your fans first   Before you ever hope to "go viral" you need to build up your ambassador program by identifying and supporting raving fans.   The signals differ across verticals, but a quick way to identify them is to scan your reviews, current UGC portfolio, and customer sentiment. If people post about your product unprompted, share raving reviews, or feel excited about the product, you have a good place to start.   3) Treat those fans like VIPs   Once you find your fans, you have to treat them like royalty.   Frost Buddy connected with their fans in Discord, via an exclusive affiliate newsletter, and over intimate Zoom calls. Ambassadors also received early access to new products.   When your customers feel like they're part of the inside team, they'll be more likely to stay loyal, give feedback, and promote your product.   If you were to try this with paid ads, the math would kill you. It would cost at least $120,000 to get 106M impressions.   We did it with $12,000 (and got better quality engagement).   So remember, creating a dedicated, long-term ambassador program won't happen overnight. It's a long-term strategy that compounds over time.   But when it works, the results speak for themself.

Viral content isn’t magic. It’s math—and I’ve got the formula. Let’s debunk the myth: viral content isn’t a happy accident. It’s built on strategy, timing, and understanding your audience. Here’s my ultimate checklist for creating content people can’t help but share: 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: It all starts here. Understand what excites, entertains, or educates them. Content that feels custom-made gets shared. 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗜𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲: People love sharing things that make them think, “This is SO me.” Dig into universal truths, shared experiences, or niche topics your audience loves. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲: Ask yourself: what will my audience gain from this? It could be a laugh, an aha moment, or a life hack. If it’s useful, it’ll travel. 𝗕𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲-𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘆: Content spreads when it sparks a reaction: surprise, curiosity, nostalgia, or inspiration. Think about what will make someone say, “You HAVE to see this.” 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: The scroll is real, so make your visuals count. A striking image, engaging video, or clean design stops thumbs in their tracks. 𝗛𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗙𝗮𝘀𝘁: You’ve got 3 seconds (if that). Start strong with a bold headline, a juicy stat, or an irresistible question. 𝗧𝗮𝗽 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 (𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗹𝘆): Trending topics can skyrocket your reach; but only if they align with your brand and audience. Be timely without being try-hard. 𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Content that invites comments, debates, or even a quick share does better. Ask for feedback, pose questions, or use CTAs that actually work. 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁, 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲, 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲: Not every post will go viral. And that’s okay. Learn from the ones that resonate, tweak your approach, and keep experimenting. 𝗕𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰: Virality is fleeting, but trust is lasting. If your audience knows you’re real and consistent, they’ll stick around for the long haul. Remember: going viral isn’t the goal. Building connection, trust, and a loyal community is. Virality is just the cherry on top of great content. --- Follow Jeff Gapinski for more content like this. ♻️ Share this to help someone else out with their content today. #marketing #viral #b2b

Here's what I learned from getting 1M+ impressions & getting swamped with leads in the past 90 days And here's how to copy my method But First let's get one thing out of the way Attention = Leads if you have a relevant offer/service/product for your audience Going viral for the sake of going viral is a waste of time. For me, having a few posts go viral beat out our efforts of sending over 100k cold emails, so it was well worth figuring this out. Anyone who says virality doesn't work usually doesn't want to put in the effort or the brain power needed to make it work. So, let’s break this down. → Attention converts to leads when you have: • Relevant offer • Product-content fit • Clear value prop for the services you offer → The Skill That Drives Virality: •             Consuming complex info •             Finding hidden patterns •             Building narratives •             Making bold claims •             Backing with data Let’s use one of my examples. → Example from My Spotify's remote work stance post that got close to 500k impressions: •             Bold claim: "Adults don't need office babysitting" •             Data proof: 15% lower attrition •             Contrarian view: When others force RTO •             Perfect timing: Mass tech layoffs •             Clear narrative: Trust = Results → Why It Went Viral: •             Challenges status quo •             Backed by numbers •             Leader's direct quote •             Current hot topic •             Tells a story •             Easy to understand •             Highly shareable → The Key Elements: •             CHRO's memorable quote •             Specific metrics shared •             Market context given •             Clear business impact •             Discussion prompt → Content Structure: 1.           Hook with controversy (RTO debate) 2.           Support with authority (CHRO) 3.           Back with data (15% retention) 4.           Show timing (layoff market) 5.           Spark discussion So, to sum it up: Attention is only valuable if you can retain and convert it. We targeted both job candidates and hiring managers. Our virality from just 4 posts brought more leads than sending tens of thousands of cold emails. Learn to consume content to reframe & share with your point of view, not just to consume. It might be simpler said than done, but with a little effort,t you can do it (English is my 5th language, so this stuff doesn't come easy to me)

What if I told you viral ads aren’t about luck... they’re about leverage. The best ads don’t just grab your attention. They trap you. They pull you in, string you along, and before you even realize it, you’re hooked. It's some creativity, but really it’s engineering. It's science. A truly viral ad isn’t just “engaging.” It’s a psychological mousetrap designed to exploit curiosity, emotion, and social proof at every second. Here’s how the best do it: 1. Curiosity Is the Bait 🎣 Humans hate unresolved tension. Viral ads use open loops, cliffhangers, and pattern breaks to make your brain itch for resolution. It’s why we stop mid-scroll to watch a prank unfold or a story get revealed. Great ads don’t just show. They hint, they tease, they withhold. And that’s what makes people lean in. 2. Emotion Is the Hook 🔥 Nobody shares an ad because it’s clever. They share because it hits them—laughter, nostalgia, outrage, triumph. High-arousal emotions (joy, awe, anger) make people act. Low-arousal emotions (meh, nice) make people scroll past. If your ad doesn’t make people feel, it doesn’t deserve to be seen. 3. Sludge Keeps Them Stuck 🕸️ Great ads are frictionless. Bad ads make you work to understand them. Every second of sludge like confusing visuals, slow pacing, and weak storytelling kills momentum. Viral ads smooth the ride so your brain can’t escape the grip. They feel effortless, but they’re engineered with zero wasted motion. 4. Social Proof Is the Fuel 🚀 People don’t just share ads... they share identity. “Look at this, it’s so me.” “You have to see this.” Every share is a form of self-expression. If your ad gives people something to align with – humor, insight, rebellion, nostalgia – they’ll push it for you. 5. Payoff Is the Release 🎇 Every great ad builds tension, but tension without payoff is a scam. Viral ads reward attention with an “aha” moment: a punchline, an emotional release, a satisfying twist. This is the dopamine hit that makes people want to watch again… and show someone else.. The Bottom Line? Viral ads don’t sell... they seduce. They lead with curiosity, hook with emotion, remove friction, and make people need to share. When done right, virality isn’t magic. It’s a predictable formula executed with precision. 💡 Next time you make an ad, ask yourself: Does this trap attention? Or let it escape?