We've all seen it by now—the Friskies video called "Dear Kitten". Originally posted on June 5 of this year, as of this writing the video had 7,673,365 views. It's a commercial for Friskies cat food. Most commercials don't go viral. So what's the difference with this one? If you haven't seen it, here's the link.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THEM, IT'S ABOUT US
The product they're trying to sell appears once in the two minute, fifty-seven second spot. The logo appears once at the beginning. The focus of the spot is not on the product, but on the user. For cat parents, felines are like potato chips—you can't have just one. At one time or another, a cat parent will introduce another cat into the household. The conversation the older, wiser cat has with its new kitten roommate is what we all imagine is going on. The entire video is taken from the older cat's perspective. The cat has a personality. Which is what makes it resonate.
WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T SELL
Never, ever, ever. The placement of the Friskies product in the spot is done consistent with the storyline. We're not beaten over the head with a sales pitch. And by not doing so, we aren't on the defensive. Which makes us eager to share this video with our friends. And that is the secret to going viral. Don't sell me anything. I go online to be entertained. So dance, monkey.
MAKE IT FUNNY WITHOUT MAKING IT LOOK LIKE YOU'RE TRYING
That's a tough one. The Friskies spot tells a story that on the surface isn't comic. The older cat is very earnest in his life lessons for the kitten. He's exactly like you'd expect a cat to behave in the same situation. And it's funny because of his sincerity. If you try to be funny without a reason, just do some goofy schtick, it will look like you're a business owner trying to be funny.
WHAT ELSE DOES YOUR CUSTOMER DO?
Yes, you may recognize that phrase as a common theme throughout our blog posts. That's because it's vital to any marketing plan, and the one that is most often ignored. This video isn't about the product, it's about what else the users of the product do. In this case, it's not even speaking to the actual purchasers. Be responsible for a cat has an associated lifestyle. If you have a cat in your house, your cat has a voice. You likely provide that voice. This spot speaks literally to cat parents.
CAT VIDEOS REALLY DO WORK
It's a proven fact that people spend hours watching funny cat videos online. It's just the way it is. I mean, who doesn't recognize the happy cat playing piano? Hell, as I'm writing this, I have four cats on my desk. Friskies worked with Buzzfeed in the video narrated by Ze Frank and achieved in hitting liquid gold. Liquid cat gold, which is a much more legitimate online currency than Bitcoin. And is absorbed with a charcoal-based litter.
IN THE END, IT'S ABOUT LUCK & TIMING
What will be a candidate for internet infection and what won't? The target moves every day, almost as quickly as our collective attention spans. Gangnam Style, for instance, was the biggest thing the world had ever seen—and is now a punch line. You can't set out to create a viral video. What you can do is try. It's like trying to explain British humour. You either get it or you don't. But above all else, have fun with it. And you probably need a cat.
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