🔥Viral ads

Morning, Inbox Hackers. Hope you’re doing ok in these eerie times. Some Americans are genuinely concerned about the IRS not being able to do a “good” job. 

I’ll put that lovable agency on a prayer list and try to carry on with today’s Feature Story. That story details 9 ways to make ads that people are more likely to share. Yep, it’s possible, believe it or not. After that breakdown, you can sift through the following sections:

• The Knowledge Base (ad tech’s real problem)

• Self Help (stay off forums) 

• Facts & Stats (ballers & paywalls)

• Get Hacking  

 Poll below if you have a sec before you pop the top on today’s Feature Story…

Shareable and Viral Ads

We all know most ads don’t go viral. 90% of them are not interesting enough to share with one friend. Heck, most ads are not even worth looking at for more than two seconds yourself.

Sad but true. However, there are ads that have a better chance of being shared and maybe even going viral. 

And no, they don’t have to be Super Bowl Ads or feature a big-time celebrity to get shared by consumers.

I’ll start you out with ways to make an ad more likely to be shared. Then, we’ll dive deeper into three examples of ads that got attention and were good enough to get passed around to millions.

9 Ideas to Make Your Ad More Shareable

1. Pump up the emotion: Ads that spark some joy, surprise, awe, or outrage are more likely to be shared. 

2. Compelling story: Clear beginnings, middles, and ends keep viewers engaged and give them something worth sharing with others.

3. Practical value: Provide useful information, tips, or solutions to common problems that make people think, "My friend or mom could use this."

4. Humor: Funny content is among the most shared online. Don’t let the entertainment factor overshadow the goal of the ad, though.

5. Striking visuals: Distinctive imagery, unexpected visual elements, or exceptional production quality helps stand out in crowded feeds.

6. Keep it tight: People are more likely to share content that can be quickly consumed and easily understood. Aim for the shortest length that delivers your message.

7. Direct call-to-action: Ask for the share. i.e., "Tag someone who needs to see this" or "Share if you agree."

8. Tap into current trends: Use topics your audience is already yapping about, but with a unique angle related to your brand.

9. User-generated content: Showcase real people benefiting from your product or service, building trust and relatability. Aka, do the opposite of what a suit would advise. 

Key Point on Shareable and Viral Ads

An ad doesn’t have to be online to get shared.

Yeah, the little share button or a screenshot tool makes it easy to share a digital ad.

However, there are endless examples of people taking a photo of an IRL billboard and sending it to their friends, family, or neighbors. Or posting the offline billboard in an online forum.

Same goes for small signs on sidewalks and local retail shops. Even physical newspaper and magazine ads get snapped by a smartphone and shared. If they are UNCOMMON.

Apparently video ads are more likely to be shared than any other type of ad. 

So, here are 30 prime examples of viral video ads to mull over.

What do you notice about those examples?

A marketing video worth sharing has no cookie-cutter template. 

If the video pulls the viewer in, it’s doing its job and is more likely to get shared. 

I can’t tell you how many times over the years I’ve seen companies make this request…

“Come up with an idea that goes viral like the Dollar Shave Club ad.”

No problem! Why don’t we shoot the same video, with different actors, and insert your company name in place of “Dollar Shave Club?”

Why not? Because that would be stupid. Plus, the Dollar Shave Club folks did not know for sure their ad would go viral. There is no way to know.

If you want an ad to stand out, get shared, and maybe go viral, you have to try new stuff.

There is simply no way to copycat your way into a brilliant ad that resonates with the public, as you’ll see…

3 Examples of Shareable Ads

#1 Dumb Ways to Die. No doubt many suits have requested their creative teams copy this video ad formula for success just like the Shave Club ad. However, today’s suits are likely adding the caveat to “not upset any viewers” in today’s overly sensitive times — which ruins the main message and humor! (the train safety video was made 12 years ago)

#2 Spotify’s "2018 Wrapped" campaign used data-driven billboards with messages like “To the person who played ‘Sorry’ 42 times on Valentine’s Day: What did you do?” These hyper-personalized, fun displays invited passersby to snap and share, blending offline eye-catchers with online virality.

#3 Popeyes’ 2019 chicken sandwich feud with Chick-fil-A began with a snarky tweet but escalated into a viral meme war. By leaning into the rivalry, Popeyes generated $23 million in earned media and a 28% sales spike.

The Secret Ingredient to Shareable & Viral Ads?

Not really a secret. People just won’t say it out loud.

To produce an ad that grabs attention in this noisy world and is worthy of sharing, creative people have to be let off the chain.

If they’re constrained, they can only do so much.

Committees never produce anything special. And suits are the antivenom to creativity.

All it takes is stepping out of the way of a couple of creatives, telling them it’s ok to fail, and that’s when a brand might catch lightning in a bottle with an epic ad.

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Self-Help

No shock, but it’s easy to find negativity online, even if you’re trying to avoid it.

Over the years I’ve found this to be true especially in online forums. So much complaining and doomsday talk! 

If you’re ever considering a new job or new business, forums seem like a good place to find information from people with wisdom about your topic. Sadly, only one out of twenty responses might be helpful.

The rest are thrilled to tell you how awful everything is and you should run away. 

It’s good to pause and consider how many people are NOT on those forums. How many people are doing well in the career or business you’re researching? These folks don’t have time to hop on forums and pour a barrel of doom all over everyone else.

Facts & Stats

Bonus: Guess how much The Cheesecake Factory has multiplied its revenue since 1992? Answer at end of email.

Get Hacking

A specific strategy to implement today

Want an easy way to get more eyeballs on a new offer?

Simply add the new offer to an older piece of content. Then, link to the old content in a new piece of content. 

Smart way to potentially grab low-hanging fruit. The clicker is interested enough to read extra content from you, so don’t waste this opportunity to show them your offer twice.

If the older content is relevant to a hot news item, all the better.

Thanks for reading Inbox Hacking. Please share it with your peeps - it’s sugar-free but stings a bit.

Shane McLendon - Copy Kingpin

Bonus answer from Facts & Stats section: Since 1992, The Cheesecake Factory has 69x’d its revenue! (The Hustle)

ICYMI: 🔎Moneyball, but for creators (& creator hunters on a budget)