Iconic Viral Videos
When Simple Moments Capture the World’s Attention
By: Grace Midtgard, Social Media Manager
“Just make it go viral” is a request social media managers often receive. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Oftentimes, it’s the posts with no viral intent that end up living in social media consumers’ brains rent free. Let’s take a trip down memory lane and review content that went viral- by accident!
Charlie Bit My Finger
Hey reader, we can already hear your British accent. Posted in 2007 on YouTube, this clip landed on many late-night talk shows and parodies (including the Hemsworth brothers). A little-known fact is that this video was also discovered to be saved to Osama Bin Laden’s laptop computer during the United States’ investigation. Even 14 years later, in 2021, the video was auctioned off as an NFT for almost $800,000. Brands saw an opportunity to use this new, popular ear worm in advertising, so Charlie’s family signed a deal with Viral Spiral, a company that helped get ads created with Sprint, Google, and TripIt.
The Corn Kid
Who would’ve thought an interview with a young boy about a vegetable would have a chokehold on the internet. When a TikToker, known for on-the-street style interviews, posted a video with the “corn kid”, it quickly took off, building with likes, DJs making remixes, and talk show interviews. Not only did brands take advantage of this trending audio on TikTok (JBL, Dunkin’ and Chipotle, just to name a few), but brands also used this virality off the platform. America’s Grow a Row partnered with the “corn kid” to help raise money that will help grow produce to give to families in need.
Interior Design
When a real estate agent turned to X for advice on what to do with an awkward space in one of his listings, many people provided ideas. However, not all were exactly helpful. For example, Chipotle responded suggesting their food case (garnishing 2.7k likes). Chili’s proposed a classic red booth, taking the meaning of “dining in” to a whole new level (1.8k users liked this idea). Even Cheesecake Factory joined in on the fun recommending a bakery case, of course (which received 1.1k likes).
Blue and Black Dress (or White and Gold?)
Well, what is it? Blue and black or white and gold? What started as a text from a mother to her daughter ended up shell-shocking the internet and sparking massive debate. The mother sent the picture of the dress she saw in a store, hoping to get the daughter’s approval for her to wear it to her wedding. Confusion erupted when the daughter responded that it wasn’t okay because it was white. Cue screenshots getting posted to Facebook—not only did friends get in on the debate, but random people on Facebook, brands and (per usual) talk shows. The dress designer has since confirmed it is, in fact, black and blue, squashing #dressgate.
A new term has been coined for the people who spot these innocent posts and quickly contribute to their virality: “chronically online”. Lucky for our clients, at &Barr our social media team members are, in fact, chronically online and quick to spot trends on the rise. We can’t help you become as viral as “corn kid” overnight, but we can help you design a social media strategy that is right for your brand. Slide into our DMs to get started—or fill out this contact form.
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