Nightmares
Scenario: Pepsi released an ad featuring Kendall Jenner, attempting to address social justice movements by depicting Jenner handing a Pepsi to a police officer as a symbol of unity. However, the ad trivialized serious social justice issues and sparked outrage.
Which piece of advice they didn't followed?
a) Viral marketing is only as good as the remaining marketing mix.
b) Viral marketing needs to be backed up by traditional forms of communication.
c) Avoid overly provocative or edgy messages.
d) Successful viral marketing requires a little bit of luck and gut feeling.
Correct Answer: c) Pepsi failed to avoid overly provocative or edgy messaging. While the ad tried to tap into cultural movements, it misjudged the tone, resulting in widespread backlash.
Scenario: A beverage company launches a fake Instagram account pretending to be an ordinary customer raving about their product. Users quickly discover the account is tied to the company, leading to backlash over the lack of authenticity.
What went wrong?
Which piece of advice did the company fail to follow?
a) Highly provocative and edgy messages are a tricky business.
b) Avoid excessive planning and intervention.
c) Viral marketing is only as good as the remaining marketing mix.
d) Be authentic and transparent.
Answer: d) The company’s failure to be transparent undermined trust and turned the campaign into a viral backlash.
Scenario: A kid posts a video of their grandfather accidentally using a VR headset, leading to a humorous and heartwarming reaction. The video goes viral, and the VR company behind the headset sees a significant boost in sales despite not initiating the campaign.
Which piece of advice was unintentionally followed?
a) Avoid overly provocative or edgy messages.
b) Viral marketing needs to be backed up by traditional forms of communication.
c) Avoid excessive planning and intervention.
d) Viral marketing is only as good as the remaining marketing mix.
Answer: c) The VR company benefited from letting the campaign evolve organically without trying to control or steer it.
Scenario: A tech company creates a campaign showing robots replacing workers in factories. The ad aims to showcase the efficiency of their products but instead draws criticism for being insensitive to workers losing their jobs to automation.
Which piece of advice did the company fail to follow?
a) Highly provocative and edgy messages are a tricky business.
b) Avoid excessive planning and intervention.
c) Viral marketing needs to be backed up by traditional forms of communication.
d) Viral marketing is only as good as the remaining marketing mix.
Answer: a) The company’s edgy message crossed a line, alienating viewers instead of engaging them positively.
Scenario: A Domino's launches a campaign where users can tweet a pizza emoji to place an order, to support their existing advertising. The idea goes viral, gaining significant media coverage and an increase in sales.
What went right?
Which piece of advice did the company correctly follow?
a) Highly provocative and edgy messages are a tricky business.
b) Avoid excessive planning and intervention.
c) Viral marketing needs to be backed up by traditional forms of communication.
d) Viral marketing is only as good as the remaining marketing mix.
Answer:d) Viral marketing is only as good as the remaining marketing mix.
Scenario: A fitness app creates a challenge encouraging users to post their calorie burn. Critics accuse the campaign of promoting unhealthy competition and body image issues, which wasn’t the company’s intent.
What went wrong?
Which piece of advice did the company fail to follow?
a) Avoid overly provocative or edgy messages.
b) Viral marketing needs to be backed up by traditional forms of communication.
c) Successful viral marketing requires a little bit of luck and gut feeling.
d) Viral marketing is only as good as the remaining marketing mix.
Answer: a) The campaign unintentionally alienated users by creating a message that could be interpreted as harmful rather than inspiring.
Scenario: A café posts a sign reading, "If you’re on your phone, you’re not really here," which a customer shares on Twitter. The post goes viral, sparking both praise and criticism. Some argue the café’s message resonates with those seeking authentic connections, while others see it as pretentious. The café, unprepared for the attention, struggles to keep up with demand.
Which piece of advice did the café fail to follow?
a) Viral marketing needs to be backed up by traditional forms of communication.
b) Successful viral marketing requires a little bit of luck and gut feeling.
c) Avoid overly provocative or edgy messages.
d) Viral marketing is only as good as the remaining marketing mix.
Answer: a) The café didn’t complement the viral moment with additional preparation, such as increasing staffing or offering promotions to capitalize on the increased interest.
Scenario: A sustainable clothing brand creates an interactive Instagram filter where users can "try on" its latest line of jackets virtually. The campaign gains traction when celebrities use the filter and tag the brand in their posts.
What went right?
Which piece of advice did the company correctly follow?
a) Avoid excessive planning and intervention.
b) Viral marketing is only as good as the remaining marketing mix.
c) Highly provocative and edgy messages are a tricky business.
d) Successful viral marketing requires a little bit of luck and gut feeling.
Answer: b) Viral marketing is only as good as the remaining marketing mix.