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Social Media Case Study – Mayo Clinic Video Goes Viral
We all know “viral videos” are rarely the result of a a crafted creative plan. It’s not to say that it can’t happen as we see big brands rolling out new videos every week that garner hundreds of thousands of views. The recent Snuggie phenomenon is a perfect example.
However, I’ve found that the viral videos that stick in my mind usually result from some form of surprise activity that catches people offguard or in the case of today’s post subject, immediately uses pathos to drive viewer attention.
Over the past month, I’ve been tracking the video below posted by Lee Aase, social media manager up at Mayo Clinic, that shows an older couple playing a song in the Mayo atrium. Lee posted the video on April 7, 2009 on their Sharing Mayo Clinic blog after the video had been viewed 1,005 times on YouTube during the six months prior. Since posting the video and using Mayo’s various social media outlets to spread the word, the video has tracked as follows:
April 7 – 1,005 views
April 13 – 26,973 views
May 3 – 187,956 views
May 4 – 228,055
May 10 – 555,675
May 11 – 608,141
May 13 – 776,352
May 17 – 1,170,609
May 19 – 1,352,890
Wow. This is the content marketers dream about.
David Mullen and I have both shared similar thoughts about how PR and marketing firms need to relinquish the notion that firms can create viral videos on a whim for clients. This is a perfect example of how outside elements and timing typically work together to cause videos to become “viral” in an organic fashion. This is not a video concept Lee or someone else sat around trying to drum up to leverage attention around Mayo. Rather, Lee was smart about quickly identifying solid content and finding the right channels to tell as many people as possible about the video.
Let’s break down a few other elements that have made this video go viral.
1) It’s Heartwarming. In digging deeper into the backstory behind this video, we come to learn about Sharon, her reconstructed jaw and extremely positive experience as a patient at Mayo. Sharon was on cloud nine that special day and stumbled upon Fran and Marlow Cowan churning up some tunes on the piano. The Cowans have been married for 62 years (Marlow is 90, Frances is almost 84). The couple grew up entertaining crowds together.
Despite your age or how much bad news is being thrown your way about the economy, crime, etc. you can’t help but smile after watching the Cowans remind us all how important it is to embrace the day.
2) It’s Raw. No special effects or creative video work here, just a good capture of a very special moment that adds to the honest, personable nature of the video. In watching, you feel as if you’re part of “the moment.”
3) It’s Short. Clocking in at 1:14, it’s a quick view which is critical to engaging new viewers who come across the video via email links from friends, coworkers, etc. A small psychological factor but one that plays heavily into the decisions we make in consuming online video.
4) Social Savvy. Lee is one smart man. I’m going to bargain to say that he immediately dispersed this video to the entire Mayo staff after posting on Sharing Mayo as well as took advantage of using their social media platform to spread the word through Facebook, Twitter, Mayo’s own YouTube channel and other outlets. And then he told them again.
5) Bridged Online With Offline. Lee also knows media relations and there’s no better way to spread the word about a good story than by letting as many people as possible know about it. The Des Register Star recently ran a story about the Cowans and bloggers (count me in) have run with sharing the video as well. UPDATE: The Cowans were also featured on Good Morning America!
I’m quite excited to continue to watch the views shoot upward. Given the significant proportion of people that choose to go to Mayo as a result of word-of-mouth, this video will continue to be a huge marketing tool. Just take a quick glance at the feedback comments on the original blog post as a great example of where to find Mayo’s biggest advocates and supporters. I would also imagine Lee is working with closely with Sharon to track YouTube Insight info on the video to analyze trends around who is viewing the video and how they are discovering the spot.
Congrats to Sharon on her new health and capturing this great video and congrats to Lee and Mayo for smartly pushing things along to help tell the Mayo story.
-Scott
UPDATE: Also see Lee Aase’s post providing a full internal case study analysis.
Seek Inspiration to Overcome the Creative Roadblock
By: Rob Watkins
Creativity doubles as both one of my favorite and one of the most challenging parts of my job.
Whether it’s planning a new social media strategy, developing a grassroots campaign or thinking up a new punchline for an ad, I’ve always appreciated the creative demands of my job. However, we all hit a creative wall at one point or another. I’d like to blame it on the lull of five months of brutal Chicago winter weather, but the reality of the matter is that you’ve got to hit a wall before you find the guiding light to the other side.
When looking for inspiration to spark new ideas, I’ll often turn to YouTube or FunnyOrDie.com for some quick visual inspiration. A second step usually entails conducting a series of general searches around keywords to dig up past case studies.
This last go around of planning, one of my savvy coworkers pulled together a few different links to help spark some new ideas. If you’re looking for some fun, attention-grabbing visual campaign examples, be sure to check out these sites:
We Love Viral
Guerrilla Marketing Examples – Part 1
Guerrilla Marketing Examples – Part 2
Top 10 Guerrilla Marketing Tips
What resources, sites or techniques do you use to spark creativity?
-Scott
*Back next week. Moving apartments. Yea! and Blah! all at once. Please be nice with my new internet setup Comcast.
Infomercials – The Epitome of Word-of-Mouth
Infomercials. We all know they are the most ridiculous commercials on TV. Poor production, “celebrity” endorsements, pointless products that solve a problem none of us knew we had…the list goes on. YET, they still exist and not only exist, but are thriving.
I had all but forgotten about infomercials the past couple years (I don’t watch too much TV and am cableless) until late last year when I subconsciously was drawn in to learn about the Sham-Wow.
Vince, the headset, a product called “Sham-Wow,” what’s not to love? As much as I knew I should peel my eyes away, I couldn’t help but watch this entire spot. One time. That’s all it took for the product name to be embedded in my head and asking friends if they had seen the commercial and also shared a laugh.
Sidenote – the best part has got to be this line:
“Olympic divers, they use it as a towel.”
I can see it…”Michael Phelps, congrats on your 8 Olympic gold medals…wait…is that a SHAM-WOW?!”
Following my obsession with the Sham-Wow (no, I didn’t actually purchase one), a co-worker tipped me off to the Snuggie. That’s right, the blanket with sleeves. Seriously?
What I’m most mesmerized by is the cult status of this product. Not only has this spot garnered millions of views on YouTube, but the USA Today reports nearly 250 Facebook groups (one page has over 8,500 fans) and almost 300 parody videos about the Snuggie as well. There is even a Web site called Snuggie Sightings.
Results?
Over 4 million Snuggies have been sold in just over 3 months. Wow.
Lessons?
Successful infomercials have tapped pop culture and capitalize on some basic word-of-mouth fundamentals. Sure, there is subtle humor, cheesy scripts, overt drama along with utter simplicity and practical application to everyday life. But these are interesting products that give people a reason to talk to one another.
In addition, in the case of the Snuggie, they have allowed the conversation to explode by accepting rather than trying to fight off spin-off spots that mock their product. They’re using content creators to their advantage to naturally help drive word-of-mouth in a very honest, open manner. In other words, it’s marketing genius and a testament to the power of the social Web in it’s ability to propel a “viral” (like David Mullen, I’m tentative to ever use that word, but this is an exception) campaign.
Go ahead, get ya Snuggie on.
-Scott
