CaLondra YarbroughMCCNM336

September 25, 2008

AKA “Viral Marketing” Like word of mouth advertising An advertising technique that uses

social networks to create brand awareness and/or advertise a product.

Users pass along messages to other users which spreads information about the brand

“The assumption is that if such an advertisement reaches a "susceptible" user, that user will become "infected" (i.e., sign up for an account) and can then go on to infect other susceptible users”

Wikepedia 2008

The term “viral advertisements” was coined in 1996 by Jeffrey Rayport, a Harvard Business School professor

Hotmail started viral ad’s by attaching their own ads to each email their users sent out.

Viral ads are placed on such things as emails, blogs and websites.

Each viral ad starts off on one email or page and is then passed to hundreds or millions of people or pages.

The only way to stop the advertisement officially is if the creator stops it.

Like the “Pay it Forward” method

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U

*This advertisement was put on YouTube 2 years ago. It has been viewed over 7 million times and has 5 websites that link to the video.

Unlike a computer virus, viral ads are not meant to hurt or ruin your computer.

Though annoying at times they are as harmless as any other internet advertisement.

Messages and links on the bottoms of emails, websites and blogs.

YouTube videos Websites such as MySpace and Facebook

have become a major source for advertisers Text messages

Websites Brand name products or services Movies, videogames Artists and album releases

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viral_marketing

http://www.wilsonweb.com/wmt5/viral-principles.htm

http://www.marketingterms.com/dictionary/viral_marketing/