Someone At Google Read Made to Stick

Post-Super Bowl, I was squarely in Google’s camp for best ad. The next day, I wanted to show it to my wife (because she, for some reason, wasn’t interested in the Super Bowl), and it had 1.5million+ YouTube views within 24 hours of running. It’s currently approaching 4 million views, has been blogged about, tweeted about and discussed on the TODAY show.

Whenever there is a startling success like this, I have to justify it…learn from it. Why was this so sticky? After all, it wasn’t hilarious, mindless entertainment like so many brands gravitate toward during the Super Bowl. It wasn’t what I expected in a spot that would have the response this one had. Here’s some good news: I don’t have to justify it. I’ve read a book in the last year that, I believe, explains exactly why this spot has experienced such unbelievable reach.

If you’re reading this blog, I’d say there’s a solid chance you’ve read Made to Stick by Dan and Chip Heath. I thought the book was easy to read and had a well-thought out, consolidated message: SUCCESs. But let’s drop this theory into context.

Here’s why the Google ad worked:

1. Simple. I’m not sure a simpler concept has ever been brought to the table for a Super Bowl spot. We didn’t see anything we don’t already see 10 times a day. Simple helps us to remember. When we remember, we share.

2. Unexpected. Again, who would’ve thought that with Google’s money and knack for innovation they wouldn’t have done something in 3D or run time-lapsed footage of every major city in the world? Someone got a promotion from this (or a few), but the exec who listened to the concept and didn’t balk deserves some credit as well.

3. Concrete. It’s real. We know it’s real. We experience it every day. We search for things we assume no one else in the world has ever searched for…wrong.

4. Credible. Okay, the fact that it’s Google helps here, but so does the fact that we experience the results of Google’s complex algorithms every day. Nothing about that spot was remotely a stretch, or even a sell. It was just a search engine in action.

5. Emotional. I didn’t quite tear up, but I’ve been told by multiple folks that they did. I mean, come on…in 30 quick seconds we get to see a guy visit Paris, meet someone, move to Paris, get married and have a kid. It was subtle enough to make the audience connect some dots (which was essential to the success of this spot), but clear enough that not many of us missed it.

6. Stories. This one doesn’t require much of an explanation, but nail, meet head. Brand messaging is story-telling. Google is telling us a much bigger story, but for 30 seconds, they told us a story that probably happens all the time and makes us feel good. They managed to tell an entire story in which their logo hardly left the screen. No one will ever call this “the Paris commercial” and have no recollection who paid for it. This was “the Google commercial”…”Google’s was the best”…”Google’s almost made me cry”…”the Google one was so simple!”

Nicely done, Google. Not that you need me to tell you. And credit to the Brothers Heath…you may be on to something.

Traps to Avoid in the Quest for Viral

If you’re tempted to copy…don’t.



This doesn’t require much of an intro, but brands from enterprise-level to mom-and-pops are trying their hand at video in hopes that it will virally spread to the masses. We’ve seen or heard the success stories. Millions of impressions and loads of positive PR for what? $30,000? Yes please!

The temptation to copy this level of success doesn’t escape most of us. The thought may have crossed some of your minds, “I bet I can get Jim to bite Norm’s finger”, or “Hey, I can dance! Grab the Flip Cam!” Let’s look at a couple of aspects of videos that did, indeed, go viral and those that merely attempted to. It may surprise you what’s actually making these things catch on (and what’s not).

1. Authenticity. Okay, that’s pretty obvious, but it needs to be mentioned. Be careful with staged events and unauthentic responses. I’m not saying don’t use actors. Your concept may call for it. But don’t assume your audience is stupid, either. If you’re staging (feigning) a shocking, hilarious or unexpected event, your audience will know it or they’ll find out about it. Either way, your brand image is worse off than when you started.

2. Pay attention to this one. Existing brand following. My blog buddy, Edward Boches from Mullen, covered this idea this past week and inspired this post. Go back and check out the video at the top of this post. Here’s the point: that video is good but not great. It was just good. And it got over 1 million views within a couple of weeks. If the content really isn’t anything to talk about, why was it such a success?

Answer: Coke’s existing following. The second this video was posted, it went to millions of Coke’s already devoted followers. They’re a super-brand with a strong culture and cult following. That’s what made it successful. Not the content. For giggles, check out the video below that Bud Light just put out. Still very new but nowhere near the success of Coke’s video. Anyone think that the content is remotely comparable? Bud Light’s concept is better. It’s unexpected. It’s hilarious. Coke just did something that’s already been done. But they can get away with it because they’re Coke.



The important point here is that you better not be focusing on Coke’s content as the key to its recent viral success. Focus on creating a unique brand with followers passionate enough that they’ll mobilize. As I posted on Edward’s blog, if a mom-and-pop brand releases Coke’s video, it’s sitting on youtube right now with 7 hits – all from employees.

3. Great Content. I’ll forgive the eyeroll you just gave me. Yes, I realize none of us are intentionally creating mediocre content, but assuming you’re not a marketing director at Pepsi or Starbucks, you can’t afford to rip Coke off (or any other recent viral success). It’s just not good enough. You need something surprising…something incredibly intelligent…something hilarious…something simple and something NEW. It’s gotta be so good that we share it in spite of your brand…not because of it.

Thoughts?