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KONY 2012: An Unprecedented Phenomenon…

Posted April 2, 2012

Digest this: one single YouTube video, 6 days, over 100 Million views.  Pretty staggering, huh?

Which virally-charged video might we be talking about?  KONY 2012, of course.  We’re betting that, based solely upon the stats listed above, you’ve heard about it.  If not, watch it below.  Remember, it’s 30 minutes long.  But the first few minutes will give you a strong impression of the campaign.  And we strongly suggest you watch the rest when you have some down time…

 

 

KONY 2012, according to Mashable.com, is the most viral video of all time.  The previous title-holder was Susan Boyle’s performance on Britain’s Got Talent.  It took that video 9 days to reach 100 Million views on YouTube; KONY got there in 6.

Viewers rallied so quickly behind the mission that this campaign represents a truly unprecedented phenomenon.  Views continue to rise, and more videos around the social issue sprout up each day, not just on YouTube, but all across the internet.

What’s the lesson here?  That social media has real power.  These days in the marketing trades, we hear a lot about CMOs venturing to understand just how to measure success of a social media initiative.  The term “ROI” peppers almost every article.  How do you turn a “Like” into a sale?

Although, is this really what social media is all about?  Sure, at the end of the day, when you invest in any marketing initiative, the ultimate goal is to drive revenue.  But KONY 2012 teaches us that social media is the playground for a runner who gains speed, momentum and inertia as minutes turn into days.

The key is to make your message that runner.  Do the research, listen to the dialogue, and blast a marketing message in the right medium to resonate with people.  It then becomes less about making money, and more about creating something that consumers wholeheartedly get behind, whether it be humorous or serious.  These consumers start, in this very way, to engage with your brand on a deeper level, which will translate into brand equity.

And messaging is key.  The reason KONY 2012 blew up the way it did, was because the message has a clear purpose with meaning and a call to action.  It resonated, inspired, and left viewers with an urge to actually do something.

Brands can do this too.  But it takes creative thinking and careful planning.

Social media is a sensitive space.  And, it’s next to impossible to simply prearrange viral content.  But there are experts out there in the space who can assist.  PromoAid’s recommendation is to seek out these partners so your social media efforts don’t become a lost cause.

This is clear: the opportunity is there for the taking.  And if you score, you score big.