Every company wants its content to go viral, but what happens when going viral turns vile?
If it makes it to the Internet, content will live forever. Screenshots, downloads, and endless mirrors can lead to a PR nightmare for unwitting parties. Here are three instances where having a video go viral didn’t turn out so well for a brand.
Interestingly, two of the videos weren’t created by the brand but by consumers frustrated by the brand’s product, giving the brand very little control over how the video is shared and used. Only one of the videos was created by the brand, and in that instance it is very clear the brand didn’t adequately understand its target market.
Vista Install in 2 Minutes
4.2 million views
This video may have created free advertising for Microsoft’s Windows Vista but not the type they or other brands would want. Windows Vista has had enough problems since its release in 2007, and in this video a consumer discusses the frustration he faces trying to install the new operating system. As you’ll see, he finally loads it into a shredder, noting, “That’s how you install Windows Vista.”
Moms and Motrin
Total views unknown
Motrin probably thought it put together a clever ad targeted at moms with back and neck pain from carrying their babies. Instead, this ad gave Motrin a social media headache. The ad is all about the “joys” of carrying a baby. Really? The best line is, “If I look tired and crazy, people will understand why.” Hours after the ad first aired, moms took to social media expressing outrage, saying the ad was condescending and patronizing. Motrin created the video and then swiftly took it off YouTube, which is why the number of views is unknown.
Kryptonite Lock 1
159,243 views
An avid cyclist who used a Kryptonite lock to secure his bike in Seattle explains in this YouTube video why he no longer uses one. It might be because he only needed a Bic pen instead of a key to open the lock.
