It is often said to create a video that goes super viral is like catching lightning in a bottle. The meaning behind this is it is difficult to do and is not easily repeated. Once the viewer has seen it, the viewer does not want to see version 2.0.

I’ve been noticing a trend lately where commercials are being presented as viral videos. Here is an example from Pizza Pops:

Although the lawyers go their say in the above commercial – note the ‘Caution. Do not attempt’ warning.

Cardo Systems, makers of blue tooth headsets unleashed this video on the Internet:

The video is fake, there is a microwave under the table (note the cloth around the table).

Matt from ‘where the hell is Matt?’ started dancing a jig in places he was visiting. He then put it together in a video and sent/posted to his friends. Stride saw what he was doing and wanted to enable Matt more videos. This is the latest installment:

What is amazing about the video is it has stayed true to the original idea. Matt is not shown consuming Stride gum, the Stride logo is not shown until the credits, and there are no Stride products in the video.

I think Netizines will start looking at videos and ‘wondering’ if the video is real or if it is put together by a marketing firm. I think there is a risk at alienating Netizines since they may not appreciate being ‘tricked.’ Of course the marketing firms may say it is obvious it was commercial…