Viral Marketing is somewhat of a new strategy, being coined within the last 12 years. The interesting thing about viral marketing is that it uses people as a medium to pass on a certain message. The strategies come into play when people are being engaged through the message. A good example of for viral marketing is the forward messages you get in the form of text messages and email. One day someone thought of the idea to attach a meaning to the context, forward it to all of his or her contacts, and request that they forward it as well. Eventually this message reached thousands of people.

We practice viral marketing in our daily lives. Every time that we tell people about a cool product or service that we have used, every time that we click the share button to share desired content on our social networking sites, even when we tell people about our favorite television shows or movies, these are all examples of viral marketing. Viral marketing, when successful, results in exponential growth. As with all marketing, the key is the content and with viral marketing the key is the “buzz potential.” Successful viral marketing creates that buzz because the content is uniquely engaging and causes the urge of individuals to share with their friends, family and colleagues.

You can look at Twitter as a strong tool for viral marketing. When you tweet something, in the hope that it gets retweeted, several times, your tweet has the opportunity to grow exponentially and reach a large number of people. The Obama presidential campaign is one of the better and most effective examples of viral marketing we have ever seen. He reached out to the masses via Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and other social networking sites by adding friends, followers, and frequently updating his content. Not only did he reach the masses, but it made followers feel that their voice was being heard and accounted for.

Viral marketing definitely has a place in the business world today. In fact, it may be one of the more effective ways to market on the Internet. It is cheap, and with a few clever ideas you can really take advantage of the viral characteristics and potential of social media and the search engines. People are constantly searching, following, and networking; make this clear trend work for you.

Some examples of companies that use viral marketing in their online video marketing campaigns would be Audi, Nike, Coca Cola and many companies.

So if you want a perfect example of what companies use viral marketing, look them up on youtube or just look into your Facebook. Chances are you’ve seen them being passed around from friend to friend on Facebook, Twitter and even through your email. We will focus on Nike company and we will see how it use viral marketing and why ?

Nike, Inc. is engaged in the design, development and worldwide marketing of footwear, apparel, equipment and accessory products. It sells its products to approximately 18,000 retail accounts in the United States and through a mix of independent distributors, licensees and subsidiaries in nearly 200 countries.

Nike's athletic footwear products are designed for specific athletic use, although some of its products are worn for casual or leisure purposes. The company creates designs for men, women and children. Running, basketball, children's, cross-training and women's shoes are the Company's top-selling product categories.

Nike also markets shoes designed for outdoor activities, tennis, golf, soccer, baseball, football, bicycling, volleyball, wrestling, cheerleading, aquatic activities, hiking and other athletic and recreational uses. It sells active sports apparel that covers most of these categories, athletically inspired lifestyle apparel and others.

Aruvian's R'search presents Analysis of Nike Inc. A complete and comprehensive analysis of Nike Inc, the world's leading computer software company, includes an overview of the sporting goods & equipments industry in the United States, a PEST Framework Analysis of the US Sports Goods & Equipments Industry, and then moves on to analyzing the company itself.

Company analysis from Aruvian includes a history of Nike Inc, a business segment analysis of the segments Nike Inc operates through, a look at the organization structure of the company, a geographical operating segments analysis, an analysis of the company's major competitors namely Adidas AG and Reebok International Ltd.

A financial analysis of Nike Inc is presented in the report which includes a ratio analysis, basic profit and loss analysis, presentation of the company balance sheet, and much more.

How Nike use social media

There is an explosion of products in the new media age. Product must have a strong brand if it is going to be selected by consumers. A marketer must create a strong brand for it. (Hambleton, 2011). Nike use social marketing to understand and connect with audience by addressing the values, needs and desires that motivate them. Nike boost the effectiveness of programs and activities that are the reason organization exists in the first place to make a

Difference. (Nedra Kline Weinreich, 2007)Nike of course is a legendary product; their advertising is continuously on target for their market. Nike has successfully created their own group of runners. This integration between social media and their product has created a wildly successful ROI.

Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, you tube have drastically changed the way we use the Internet.

Combination of Facebook, twitter and you tube simply give us some hard statistics to the amount of people who are using or aware of product line. Nike uses social media as a powerful form of advertising to their consumer base.

Just by looking at the numbers of “likes” which range in the excess of 4.5 million and over 100,000 followers on twitter and up to 5 million views in you tube can see potential market numbers are very high. Nike has at least 27 official company Facebook pages for different countries alone. It also boasts numerous department level pages, including Soccer, Running, Nike, Golf, extreme sports (Nike 6.0), and others. Much like Facebook, Nike's Twitter pages are unique to country, sport and even gender. (Yopp, 2010)

These numbers are just a simple indication how many people use social media in relationship to products they use or are interested in.

In the end, the Nike has a great message and a wonderful argument for their product line. Along with the fact that Nike integrates social media not only into the advertisement plan but also create their own social media, creates an opportunity for consumers to develop a high level emotional attachment and brand loyalty via online social networking. (Greene, 2008)This integration between social media and their product has created a wildly successful ROI.

References:

1. Greene, 2008, How Nike's Social Network Sells to Runners,boomberg businessweek

2. Hambleton.D, (2011), how did Nike use four tires to create a brand, Social media strategy and branding

3. Yopp. J, Dorf. D (2010), Retailer Social Media Review, Retailer Social Media Review

U.S.A. Page 9

4. Weinreich N.k, (2007), Social Marketing

At Your Fingertips, a Quick Guide to Changing the World, MarketingProfs Book Club Edition, and Weinreich Communications

Apparently Nike has yet to claim responsibility for this nice little piece of viral marketing, but it is quite obvious. Gossip Girl actress Taylor Momsen runs down stairs, jumps over a car and climbs a building wall to evade the paparazzi whilst taking some time out to look at her Nike trainers and flashing her Nike training top.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kHdNkAPBdw&feature=player_embedded.

As we will see in next video, several players such as Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wesley Sneijder, Cesc Fabregas, William Gallas, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo, Marco Materazzi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Nani and Arsene Wenger, they used by Nike to pass it message through viral marketing.

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

Arsenal and England Theo Walcott is the next star to step up and Make The Difference.

The super-quick attacker wears the Nike Superfly football boots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=WB3TLFyLgcQ

So, How Does Viral Marketing Work then?

In general, for a video to go viral it has to be:

1. Original

2. Strange

3. Funny