Is this CollegeHumor video a waste of advertising money for Vitamin Water?

Absolutely!

Let me explain why.

I’m going to start with what they did right. The video has gone viral (2.9MM views at time of writing) for all the right reasons:

  • Funny
  • Pretty girl screaming “I love dirty hipsters!” making dirty hipsters think they have a chance
  • Novel concept
  • Doesn’t feel like an ad – so much so that it is jarring to find out that it is an ad at the end

So what’s missing from the GPS prank video?

The objective of an advertisement is to either create awareness or drive trial. A key success factor is linking the brand or product to the core message of the ad so that viewers remember the brand message and/or try the product.

This ad completely fails at creating a memorable product/message connection (unfortunately, a really common mistake).

What could they have done better? Connect the punch line or moment when the emotion peaks to the brand. If that’s difficult in the context of the ad, besides changing the ad altogether, at least integrate the brand earlier and often. Coke did that with its Jeff Gordon prank video.

In a nutshell, it feels like CollegeHumor made this video and said, “Okay. Go get us a corporate sponsor.” And Vitamin Water said, “We need a younger demographic and CollegeHumor seems to know what they are doing. So let’s do it hashtag…wait, does the hashtag go before or after?”

How the makers of the new Carrie movie got it right

As a contrasting example, the ad team for MGM’s remake of the classic horror film Carrie understood how to make a good, viral video that links well to the product.

Related:  Verizon Wireless made a very memorable Slim Jim commercial

Titled Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise, the video portrays a girl with Carrie-like powers freaking out and moving objects and people. Here’s why this ad is such a success:

  • Novel concept
  • Unexpected and disruptive
  • [highlight]Tells the product story (girl with killer powers goes crazy)[/highlight]

When you see that it is an ad for Carrie at the end, it seems obvious. With the GPS prank video, I’m left confused when I see that it’s an ad for Vitamin Water at the end.

If you haven’t seen it, watch the Coffee Shop Surprise right now and then let me know what you think in the comments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlOxlSOr3_M&w=582&rel=0