Follow that virus! in Business Ideas
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2025 9:38 am
Hi Enrique, I think a viral marketing campaign for a large company is easy to implement. The problem I see is that in small internet companies, it can be easy to run these campaigns, but the result to be achieved requires a certain amount of effort, which is not necessary in a large company, to achieve similar results.
Greetings Enrique
Obviously, a large company can more easily "seed" the virus, since its name alone can get it talked about in the media.
However, viral marketing is most useful for small companies, as these campaigns require little money, which is the only thing they lack.
They'll have to rack their brains to come up with something email database striking and ingenious enough to "light a fire" on its own. It's difficult but not impossible. For example, Greenpeace organizes campaigns based on chaining themselves to factory chimneys or harassing whale fishermen with a zodiac boat, which generates huge media and social impact at very low cost.
Do you remember Atletico Madrid's campaign when they were relegated to the second division? They attracted more fans than they had in the first division. A good example of viral marketing. Not being a fan of the public, I received the message about the footballer emerging from a sewer.
I'm a regular reader of your blog, but I was a little disappointed by your PDF article. I think it's missing a bit of "meat," as the Americans say.
I don't think Gladwell's "mavens" have anything to do with the spread of marketing "viruses," because by definition, a "virus" spreads itself; whoever chooses to be its carrier has the power within themselves to get people talking about it. That is, without having the good fortune to pass for a "maven." As in your Hotmail example, there was no "maven" involved.
Greetings Enrique
Obviously, a large company can more easily "seed" the virus, since its name alone can get it talked about in the media.
However, viral marketing is most useful for small companies, as these campaigns require little money, which is the only thing they lack.
They'll have to rack their brains to come up with something email database striking and ingenious enough to "light a fire" on its own. It's difficult but not impossible. For example, Greenpeace organizes campaigns based on chaining themselves to factory chimneys or harassing whale fishermen with a zodiac boat, which generates huge media and social impact at very low cost.
Do you remember Atletico Madrid's campaign when they were relegated to the second division? They attracted more fans than they had in the first division. A good example of viral marketing. Not being a fan of the public, I received the message about the footballer emerging from a sewer.
I'm a regular reader of your blog, but I was a little disappointed by your PDF article. I think it's missing a bit of "meat," as the Americans say.
I don't think Gladwell's "mavens" have anything to do with the spread of marketing "viruses," because by definition, a "virus" spreads itself; whoever chooses to be its carrier has the power within themselves to get people talking about it. That is, without having the good fortune to pass for a "maven." As in your Hotmail example, there was no "maven" involved.