I caught up with Adam Abu-Nab and Chris Quigley from Rubber Republic yesterday.
Rubber Republic is the agency behind the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme viral, produced at its own cost after being challenged by presenter Evan Davies to come up with a campaign that would attract potential listeners.
The result has generated fierce – almost philosophical debate – in the ad and social media industries. The genesis of the debate is can a viral be called a viral before it has become viral?
That the Today programme viral went viral is undisputed. After all I’m writing about it now. But critics claim that using a radio programme with six million listeners to trigger a viral isn’t sport. In fact Quigley reckons that less than 20 per cent of the 50,000 hits to YouTube came via the search teams used to promote the viral on the Today programme.
Quigley is delighted with the level of debate and attention that the viral has generated but has been taken aback by the ferocity of some of the comments. He’s working on an evaluation of the project for the Brand Republic blog. I look forward to reading it.
You’ve just viralled it some more, because this is the first time I’ve seen it. Not 100% perfect in comedy terms (hark at me, Mr Social-Media-Humour-Expert-Professional-Geek) but very funny nonetheless.
Clearly it’s fulfilled one of the criteria for virality (viralness?) – it’s spread.
Whether it’s fulfilled the other – won new listeners for the programme – is a different question. The demographic that likes funny videos doesn’t necessarily have much overlap with the one that likes listening to Dr. Jonathan Sachs do Thought for the Day. Also, I imagine it wouldn’t be quite as funny if you didn’t know Today and its presenters. So, could be good for rallying and firming up the existing audience, but winning new listeners? Hm.
I’ve been away so hadn’t seen the video, so thanks for pointing it out. For what it’s worth, I don’t listen to much radio but after watching the video I’m interested enough to tune in (or whatever the equivalent term for going to the BBC’s online radio player).
That only 20% of views were generated by the search terms isn’t important in evaluating the success in gaining new listeners. It’s how many people start listening after seeing the video, or hearing someone talk about it. The offline effect, if you will.
Stephen, can you please, please, use the word “viral” appropriately? Faris Yakob put it best: “Viral is a thing that happens, not a thing that is.”
This “debate” is pretty old amongst anyone who’s ever been briefed by a client to “make us a viral.” You make some content, and then you try to create a viral effect of people sending it on to others.
Nathan McDonald – “Viral is a thing that happens, not a thing that is.” Fair enough, and that’s the point I guess.