Akpinar and Berger, Valuable virality
Emotional appeals in advertisements are more likely to be shared than informative appeals.
True - Emotional appeals evoke stronger emotional responses (e.g., joy, surprise), which increases social transmission, leading to higher shares.
Viral marketing relies heavily on social media platforms to spread content rapidly.
True - Viral marketing is closely linked to electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) and uses social media platforms to achieve rapid and exponential content sharing.
Ads with emotional appeals always lead to better brand evaluations than informative appeals.
False - Emotional appeals often generate shares but do not necessarily improve brand evaluation unless the brand is integral to the narrative. Informative appeals tend to boost brand-related outcomes.
A viral marketing campaign's success depends only on the message being interesting and memorable.
False - While the message is critical, success also depends on finding the right messengers (e.g., social hubs and market mavens) and launching it in a suitable environment.
Emotional appeals with the brand integrated into the narrative achieve both higher shares and improved brand outcomes.
True - Emotional integral ads [...] blend the benefits of both types of appeals. [...] They had a similar effect in boosting shares as emotional nonintegral ads while also creating similar positive effects on brand evaluation and purchase as informative ads
The concept of "Dunbar's Number" refers to the maximum number of social connections an individual can maintain, often limiting viral marketing reach.
True - Dunbar’s Number is the theoretical cognitive limit to the number of people with whom one can maintain stable relationships, which can restrict the spread of viral messages
The inclusion of celebrities in ads reduces their shareability compared to emotional content.
False - Field Observation of Viral Ads: The inclusion of celebrities was found to be a positive influence on sharing. However, the study also highlights that emotional content generally performs strongly, showing that both factors can coexist
A viral marketing message's success is guaranteed as long as it spreads quickly through social hubs and market mavens.
False - While these elements are important, the environment and timing also play significant roles. Unfavorable circumstances or backlash (e.g., public criticism) can hinder success.
Informative appeals perform better in brand evaluation and purchase intent but are less effective in generating shares compared to emotional appeals.
True - Informative appeals provide more detailed product information, which improves brand evaluation and purchase intent. However, they lack the emotional triggers that drive high levels of social sharing
Viral marketing campaigns can backfire, resulting in negative outcomes, as illustrated by Sony’s fake PSP blog.
True - Sony’s attempt to create a fake blog for the PSP led to public outrage and damage to its reputation. This case illustrates how dishonest or poorly executed campaigns can have negative consequences