Viral Marketing

Viral marketing is a method that uses pre-existing social networks and other technologies to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives (such as product sales). It can be delivered by word of mouth or enhanced by the network effects of the internet and mobile networks. Viral marketing may take the form of video clips, interactive flash games, advergames, ebooks, brandable software, images, text messages, email messages or web pages.

An example of viral marketing is the spots v stripes campaign formed by Cadbury. A website was set up (spotsvstripes.com) and a game was created to coincide with the London 2012 Olympics and fans of Cadbury were able to register online, with the website being able to host over 207,000 users with over 898,000 points being claimed by consumers. A Facebook and Twitter account was also made in aid of the campaign with over 275,000 spots and stripes Facebook fans and over 9,330 Twitter followers.

Cadbury also made a video starring Gavin Henson and David Seaman attempting to break the world record for 'highest catch'.