CC01 - Group 04 - Viral Marketing Report - May 2023 | Môn: Tiếp thị căn bản - Trường: Đại học Bách khoa Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh

Instructor: MSc. Bùi Huy Hải Bích Course: Marketing Course ID: IM1019 Class: CC01 Group: 04 Group members: Student’s name Student’s ID 1. Trần Thị Vân Anh 1952182 2. Võ Ngọc Mai Anh 1952016 3. Nguyễn Nhật Vân Khanh 1952285
4. Nguyễn Thuý Hồng Nhung 1952381
5. Nguyễn Huỳnh Minh Phú 2252619
6. Huỳnh Trọng Tín 2213487 Ho Chi Minh City, May 2023 TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1. VIRAL MARKETING ................................................................................ 1
1.1. The introduction of viral marketing ........................................................................ 1
1.1.1. Definition of viral marketing ............................................................................. 1
1.1.2. Brief history and evolution of viral marketing .................................................. 1
1.1.3. Importance of viral marketing in today’s digital landscape .............................. 1
1.2. Some common types of viral marketing ................................................................. 2
1.2.1. Video viral marketing ........................................................................................ 2
1.2.2. Social media viral marketing ............................................................................. 4
1.2.3. Interactive viral marketing ................................................................................. 6
1.2.4. Email viral marketing ........................................................................................ 8
1.2.5. Guerrilla viral marketing.................................................................................... 8
1.3. The workflow of viral marketing .......................................................................... 10
1.3.1. Creating shareable content ............................................................................... 10
1.3.2. Utilizing social media and other distribution channels .................................... 11
1.3.3. User Engagement ............................................................................................. 11
1.3.4. Tracking and analysis performance ................................................................. 12
1.3.5. Converting users to customers ......................................................................... 13
CHAPTER 2. CASE STUDY OF VIRAL MARKETING ............................................... 14
2.1. “Đi để trở về” campaign of Biti’s ......................................................................... 14 2.1.1. Introduction
...................................................................................................... 14 2.1.2. Situation
........................................................................................................... 14 2.1.3. Purpose
............................................................................................................. 15 2.1.4. Actions
............................................................................................................. 15 2.1.5. Results
.............................................................................................................. 19
2.2. Challenges and risks of Viral Marketing .............................................................. 21
2.2.1. Risk of negative backlash or unintended consequences .................................. 21
2.2.2. Difficulty in predicting what will go viral ....................................................... 22
2.3. Balancing creativity with brand messaging .......................................................... 23
CHAPTER 3. CONCLUSION .......................................................................................... 25 REFERENCES
.................................................................................................................. 27 LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1.1. “Range Rover Evoque Speed Bump Stunt” video ........................................... 3
Figure 1. 2. The “Ice Bucket” challenge launched by ALS Association ............................ 5
Figure 1. 3. The campaign “Europe. It's Just Next Door" of SNCF – a French train
company .............................................................................................................................. 7
Figure 1. 4. “Be safe around trains. Dumb ways to die.” campaign on the Metro Trains
Melbourne network ............................................................................................................. 9
Figure 1.5. “Shopee giới thiệu bạn mới nhận 20k xu” event ............................................ 12
Figure 1.6. Minigame of Dh Foods ................................................................................... 13
Figure 1.7. Vouchers for new buyers from Tiktok Shop .................................................. 13
Figure 2.1. Biti’s create a debate and discussion by utilizing KOL .................................. 16
Figure 2.2. MV “Đi để trở về” by Soobin Hoang Son ...................................................... 17
Figure 2.3. The music video of “Lạc trôi” by Son Tung MTP ......................................... 18
Figure 2.4. PR and media efforts on Kenh14 .................................................................... 18
Figure 2.5. Music video of “Đi để trở về 2” by Soobin Hoang Son ................................. 19
Figure 2.6. Biti’s organized a contest on Facebook .......................................................... 20
CHAPTER 1. VIRAL MARKETING
1.1. The introduction of viral marketing
1.1.1. Definition of viral marketing
Viral marketing is a business tactic that primarily leverages social media platforms to
advertise a product on already – existing social networks (Soroka et al., 2019). Its name
alludes to how customers share information about a product with others. It can spread
through word of mouth or be boosted through the Internet and mobile networks’ network effects.
1.1.2. Brief history and evolution of viral marketing
The beginnings of viral marketing can be traced back to 1996, when a small startup
business called Hotline was looking for a cost-effective strategy to promote its brand-new
email service, Hotmail. The staff at Hotline decided to include the phrase “Get your own
free Hotmail at www.hotmail.com” in every email. The outcome? Within a year, Hotmail's
customer base increased from 20,000 to 1 million. In 2001, Hotmail had 86 million active
users and possessed 30% of the email industry. This is an illustration of one of the key
components of viral marketing: every user of a service unintentionally supports it by using it.
The precise root of the expression is unknown. The phrase “viral marketing” first
appeared in an article written by Harvard Business School professor Jeffrey Rayport for
Fast Company in 1996 titled “The Virus of Marketing”. While Hotmail's marketing
approach served as inspiration, venture capital company Draper Fisher Jurvetson asserts
that it first used the term in a 1997 Netscape newsletter. “Unleash Your Ideavirus”, an
article about the idea economy and how the “ideas that spread the fastest win”, was
published by Fast Company in 2000.
1.1.3. Importance of viral marketing in today’s digital landscape
Regardless of where it came from, viral marketing today would not be possible
without social networking. The biggest social networks debuted in the 2000s. YouTube
and Twitter were introduced in 2005 and 2006, while Facebook was founded in the year
2000. By reaching customers who would not typically be the target of their traditional
marketing campaigns, viral marketing enables businesses to better market their goods. With
a wider audience, the business can access new marketplaces and possibly gain more clients.
1.2. Some common types of viral marketing
1.2.1. Video viral marketing
Definition of video viral marketing
Viral video marketing is a marketing technique that involves creating and distributing
videos that are designed to be widely shared through social media, email, or other online
platforms. The goal of viral video marketing is to create a video that is so engaging,
entertaining, or informative that people will feel compelled to share it with their friends,
family, and social networks. The ultimate aim of viral video marketing is to increase brand
awareness, drive website traffic, and ultimately generate leads or sales for a product or
service. Successful viral video campaigns often rely on humor, emotional appeals, or clever
storytelling to capture the attention of viewers and encourage them to share the video with others.
Advantages of video viral marketing
In today’s digital age, video viral marketing has become an increasingly popular and
effective way for brands to promote their products and services. With the rise of social
media platforms, it's easier than ever for a video to go viral, reaching millions of people
around the world in a matter of hours. The advantages of video viral marketing are numerous, including:
Increased Brand Awareness: One of the primary advantages of viral video marketing
is that it can significantly increase brand awareness. If a video goes viral, it can reach
millions of people, which can help to create greater brand recognition and familiarity.
Cost-effectiveness: Compared to traditional advertising methods, viral video
marketing can be relatively cost-effective. With the rise of social media platforms, it's
possible to create and distribute a video without spending a lot of money on production or distribution.
Engaging and shareable content: Video content is generally more engaging than text
or image-based content, making it more likely to be shared and liked by viewers. Video
viral marketing allows brands to create content that resonates with their target audience,
making it more likely that people will share it with others.
Positive user engagement: Viral videos can create a positive relationship between the
brand and the viewer. If the video is entertaining or informative, the viewer may have a
positive association with the brand, which can lead to increased customer loyalty and
advocacy (Kartoffel Films, n.d.). For example, in 2018, Range Rover – a British
multinational automobile manufacturer made the “Range Rover Evoque Speed Bump
Stunt” video (Figure 1.1) to promote the semi-autonomous “All Terrain Progress Control”
(ATPC) applied in its new car – Evoque that effortlessly climbs and descends the obstacle.
The footage revealed how a Range Rover could get over the bump when no other car could.
The production crew used the emerging story arc, starting the video with suspense and
maintaining that suspense through to the end.
Figure 1.1. “Range Rover Evoque Speed Bump Stunt” video (Kartoffel Films, n.d.)
Disadvantages of video viral marketing
Unpredictable: Viral video marketing is inherently unpredictable, meaning that
there’s no guarantee that a video will go viral. Even with a well-crafted strategy and
highquality content, there's no guarantee that the video will generate the desired level of engagement or shares.
Difficult to Measure ROI: Measuring the return on investment (ROI) 1 of viral video
marketing campaigns can be challenging. While increased brand awareness is a clear
benefit, it can be difficult to quantify the impact on sales or revenue.
Requires Significant Resources: While viral video marketing can be cost-effective
compared to traditional advertising methods, it still requires significant resources in terms
of time, talent, and budget. Creating a high-quality video that resonates with the target
audience takes a lot of effort and planning.
Short Lifespan: Viral videos tend to have a short lifespan, meaning that the impact on
brand awareness may be relatively short-lived. After the initial surge in engagement, the
video may quickly become irrelevant, and the brand may need to create new content to maintain momentum.
1.2.2. Social media viral marketing
Definition of social media viral marketing
Social media viral marketing is a marketing strategy that uses social media platforms
to promote a product or service by creating content that is designed to be shared widely
and rapidly by users. This strategy aims to generate a buzz around the product or service
and increase brand awareness, customer engagement, and ultimately drive sales. The
content can be in the form of videos, images, memes, or any other type of media that is
easily shareable and engaging. The success of viral marketing campaigns relies heavily on
the creativity and appeal of the content, as well as the ability to target the right audience
and create a sense of urgency or excitement around the product or service.
Advantages of social media viral marketing
Besides these advantages such as increasing brand awareness and cost-effectiveness
that are the same as video viral marketing, however, social media also has some other advantages including:
Targeted audience: Social media platforms allow for targeted marketing based on
demographics, interests, and other factors, which can help to ensure that the content is reaching the right audience.
Higher engagement: Viral marketing campaigns often generate higher levels of
engagement than traditional advertising, as users are more likely to interact with and share
content that they find interesting or entertaining.
Increased credibility: When content is shared widely by users, it can increase the
credibility of the brand and the message it is trying to convey. In 2014, the ALS Association
launched the Ice Bucket Challenge (Figure 1.2), which involved people dumping a bucket
of ice water over their heads and then challenging others to do the same (7 Marketing
Lessons From The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, n.d.). The campaign quickly went viral,
with millions of people participating and sharing their videos on social media. The
campaign not only raised credibility for ALS but also raised over $220 million for the charity.
Figure 1. 2. The “Ice Bucket” challenge launched by ALS Association (7 Marketing
Lessons From The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, n.d.)
Greater reach: Social media platforms have a vast user base, which means that viral
marketing has the potential to reach a large and diverse audience.
Disadvantages of social media viral marketing
Lack of control: Once the content is released into the social media sphere, it can be
difficult to control how it is shared, who sees it, and how it is perceived by the audience.
Negative feedback: Viral content can sometimes generate negative feedback or
backlash from certain segments of the audience, which can damage the brand’s reputation.
Ethical concerns: Some viral marketing campaigns may rely on deceptive or unethical
tactics to generate buzz, which can be harmful to the brand's reputation and lead to legal or regulatory issues.
1.2.3. Interactive viral marketing
Definition of interactive viral marketing
Interactive viral marketing is a type of marketing strategy that aims to engage
customers by encouraging them to participate in an interactive experience or activity. The
goal of interactive viral marketing is to create content that is not only shareable but also
encourages users to actively engage with the brand and share their experiences with others.
This type of marketing may involve online games, quizzes, surveys, or other interactive
content that encourages users to spend time with the brand and share their experiences with
others. The ultimate aim of interactive viral marketing is to increase brand awareness, drive
engagement, and ultimately lead to increased sales or customer loyalty. For instance, the
advertising campaign is run by SNCF (the French train company) by TBWA Paris. [3]
With the idea of “Europe. It's Just Next Door”, this campaign has created an interactive
door, helping customers experience and connect from Paris to major cities in Europe, and
all will be displayed in just 1 second.
A door in the middle of the square welcomes passers-by, and when it’s opened, great
things happen. Viewers can play with a mime artist in Milan, which is played by a mime
artist in Milan. Paint a portrait in Brussels, dance with a hip-hop group in Barcelona, enjoy
a romantic boat ride on Lake Geneva, or ride a bike with a group of young Germans through
Stuttgart. Exciting interactive experiences not only create cross-cultural links between
European countries but also express the message “Europe is just next door” (RGB, n.d.).
Figure 1. 3. The campaign “Europe. It's Just Next Door" of SNCF – a French train company (RGB, n.d.)
Advantages and disadvantages of interactive viral marketing
The main advantage of interactive viral marketing is enhancing customer experience
because this type of viral marketing can provide a unique and memorable experience for
customers, which can improve their perception of the brand. However, developing and
executing interactive viral marketing campaigns can be challenging and requires careful
planning and execution. Additionally, interactive viral marketing campaigns rely heavily
on social media platforms, which can limit their reach and effectiveness if the campaign
fails to go viral or is not shared widely.
1.2.4. Email viral marketing
Definition of email viral marketing
Email viral marketing is a marketing strategy that uses email messages to spread a
promotional message or content to a large audience. The goal of email viral marketing is
to encourage recipients to forward the email to others in their network, thus increasing the
reach and impact of the campaign. This can be achieved by creating compelling and
shareable content, such as videos, images, or articles, and incentivizing recipients to share
the message with their contacts. One example of email viral marketing is Dropbox’s
referral program. Dropbox offered free storage space to users who referred friends to their
service. When users referred friends, Dropbox would send an email to the friend inviting
them to sign up for the service. If the friend signed up, both the referring user and the new
user would receive free storage space. This incentivized existing users to refer their friends
and helped Dropbox rapidly grow its user base through viral marketing. The referral
program was successful in part due to the simplicity of the email message and the clear
value proposition for both the referrer and the new user. The program was also easy to
share through email and social media, which helped to increase its reach and impact.
Advantages and disadvantages of email viral marketing
Email viral marketing has the potential to reach a large audience quickly and
efficiently and viral emails that contain compelling content can increase engagement with
the brand and drive traffic to the brand's website or social media pages. On the contrary,
viral emails may be perceived as spam by some recipients, which can lead to negative
feedback or legal issues. Moreover, it relies heavily on user sharing, which can limit its
reach and effectiveness if the campaign fails to go viral or is not shared widely.
1.2.5. Guerrilla viral marketing
Definition of Guerrilla viral marketing
Guerrilla viral marketing is a marketing strategy that uses unconventional and creative
tactics to promote a product, service, or brand. The goal of guerrilla viral marketing is to
generate buzz and create a memorable experience for consumers, often through surprise,
humor, or shock value. This type of marketing is often characterized by low-cost or no-
cost tactics that rely on creativity, word-of-mouth, and social media sharing to reach a
larger audience. Guerrilla viral marketing campaigns may involve stunts, flash mobs,
public installations, or other attention-grabbing activities that are designed to go viral and
generate social media buzz. One example of successful guerrilla viral marketing was the
"Dumb Ways to Die" campaign by Metro Trains Melbourne in 2012 (Figure 1.4). The
campaign was created to promote rail safety and reduce accidents on the rail network. The
campaign featured a catchy song and video that showed cute animated characters engaging
in risky behavior, followed by the message "Be safe around trains (Giải Cannes Grand Prix
2013, n.d.). Dumb ways to die." The video was designed to be shared on social media and
quickly went viral, reaching millions of viewers worldwide. The campaign was highly
successful in raising awareness about rail safety and reducing accidents on the Metro Trains Melbourne network.
Figure 1. 4. “Be safe around trains. Dumb ways to die.” campaign on the Metro Trains
Melbourne network (Giải Cannes Grand Prix 2013, n.d.)
Advantages and disadvantages of Guerrilla viral marketing
As can be seen from the example above, guerrilla viral marketing can create a
memorable experience for consumers, generating a strong emotional connection to the
brand and increasing the chances that the message will be shared on social media. It can be
tailored to specific target audiences, increasing the chances of success and engagement.
However, it may involve stunts or activities that could be considered illegal or dangerous,
potentially leading to legal or reputational issues for the brand.
1.3. The workflow of viral marketing
Viral marketing works by creating and distributing content that is highly shareable
and encourages users to spread the message to their friends, family, and social networks.
Here are the basic steps involved in a viral marketing campaign:
1.3.1. Creating shareable content
The first step in viral marketing is to create content that is entertaining, informative,
or emotionally compelling(Shareable Content: 13 Ways To Create It That Succeeds on Social
Media, n.d.). The content should be designed to appeal to the target audience and encourage them to share it with others.
Do competitive research: Make a list of your top five competitors and the social media
channels you both are on. After that, take a look at the last six months of content they’ve
published. Then, note content that has gotten high engagement on each channel. Finally,
use their high-engagement content to inspire your content.
Tell a story with your content: So, how can you make your content show your
audience a story? Make sure your content has a clear beginning, middle, and conclusion.
You should be able to answer the question, "Did my content relate to my audience and get
them from point A to point B clearly?" at the end of it.
Useful content: People share material that they find useful with their friends and family.
Entertaining or amusing content: If you can make the people you're targeting laugh,
they will tell others about it.
1.3.2. Utilizing social media and other distribution channels
Once the content is created, it is distributed through various channels, such as social
media, email, or websites. The goal is to get as many people as possible to see and engage with the content.
Social media: Content can be viral through social media by an influencer who shared
it at first and then it is shared by many other people to their friends, family, etc. For
example, in a review video about a new arrival eye shadow palette made by a KOL, she
said that this eye shadow palette is very pigmented, stays for a long time, waterproof, and
a lot of girls like that KOL watched it, and shared it through their social relationship.
Other distribution channels (email, websites): When you are surfing Facebook, you
can easily see advertisements about things that you search on the internet, or talk with other
people. Those ads are shown as a link such as Shopee or Lazada link, or an official website
link to the things that you want to buy.
1.3.3. User Engagement
As users engage with the content, they may share it with their social networks,
increasing the reach of the campaign. This can create a snowball effect, as more and more
people share the content with their networks. For example, Shopee wants to get more users,
so they offer the current users a discount of 20,000 coins if they can introduce this app to
their friends. In addition, customers can also be attracted by the majority mentality. An app
that is used by many people such as chat GPT, others will wonder what it is and they may give it a try.
Figure 1.5. “Shopee giới thiệu bạn mới nhận 20k xu” event (Giới Thiệu Bạn Shopee Quà
Tặng Lên Đến 200.000 Xu, n.d.)
1.3.4. Tracking and analysis of performance
It is critical to monitor and analyze the performance of the content throughout the
campaign. Likes, shares, comments, and website visits are examples of such metrics. The
data can be used to optimize and improve the campaign’s efficiency. For example, the
minigame “Đầu năm mua muối” of Dh Foods required the customers to take a selfie with
products, like fanpage, and share on a Facebook wall in public mode with a hashtag to
receive a voucher of 200.000 VND.
Figure 1.6. Minigame of Dh Foods (Thể Lệ Minigame “Đầu Năm Mua Muối,” n.d.)
1.3.5. Converting users to customers
Figure 1.7. Vouchers for new buyers from Tiktok Shop (Mã Giảm Giá TikTok Shop
11.11: Voucher 100K, FreeShip 70K, n.d.)
A viral marketing campaign's final aim is to convert users into customers. This can be
accomplished by providing a discount code or sending users to a landing page with a call
to action. For example, Tik Tok shop has very good vouchers such as freeship, 80k
discount, etc for new customers who has an account of Tik Tok for their first buy.
In summary, viral marketing works by creating shareable content that engages users
and encourages them to spread the message to their networks. Through user engagement
and data analysis, the campaign can be optimized to improve its effectiveness and drive conversions.
CHAPTER 2. CASE STUDY OF VIRAL MARKETING
2.1. “Đi để trở về” campaign of Biti’s
2.1.1. Introduction
In 2016, Biti's faced numerous obstacles as a newcomer in the Tet holiday
marketing market, including budget limitations. However, they partnered with Dentsu
Redder, one of Dentsu's brand agencies in Vietnam, to develop a Tet communication
campaign that would revolutionize the brand and raise awareness of Biti’s Hunter subbrand.
With a specific focus on their sports shoes, the campaign aimed to convey the
powerful message of "Đi để trải nghiệm" ("Go to experience"). It went beyond mere
product experiences and emphasized the significance of external encounters, new lessons,
and personal growth. The central concept of the campaign revolved around showcasing the
transformation that occurs after a journey through the imagery of worn-out shoes. These
images symbolized the multitude of experiences gained while wearing Biti's Hunter shoes
and conveyed the message of exploration and maturity (YouNet Media, n.d.).
By collaborating with Dentsu Redder, Biti's aimed to overcome the challenges they
faced as a newcomer in the Tet holiday marketing scene. Through a campaign that
emphasized the broader concept of experiences and personal development, Biti's sought to
differentiate themselves from competitors and increase awareness of the Biti’s Hunter
subbrand during the Tet holiday season.
2.1.2. Situation
Biti’s conducted a survey that revealed that there were over 87,000 conversations on
social networks related to the topic of “Đi hay Về” (“Go or Return”). Notably, during the
Tet holidays, the subject of traveling or returning to family garnered even more interest and
generated debates among young people.
Despite being a domestic brand with limited financial resources and having remained
relatively quiet for many years, Biti’s Hunter managed to capture the essence of the youth’s
“Đi để trải nghiệm” (“Go to experience”) spirit. It successfully overcame numerous
challenges to effectively listen to and amplify the thoughts and aspirations of many young
individuals who resonated with the idea of “Đi để trở về” (“Go to come back”). 2.1.3. Purpose
Season 1 serves as Biti’s initial foray into Tet media participation, and its primary
objective is to garner significant attention from the community and generate a strong brand
push. Additionally, since Biti’s Hunter sub-brand has only been on the market for a few
months and lacks widespread awareness, Biti’s aims to increase consumer recognition of the brand.
Moving into Season 2, Biti’s continues to reinforce the position of Biti’s Hunter in
the market while further solidifying the message of “Đi để trở về” as an integral part of
the brand’s identity. Building on the success of Season 1, Biti’s endeavors to make “Đi để
trở về” an iconic message associated with every Tet holiday in the minds and hearts of consumers.