6 Viral Video Marketing Examples That Will Never Get Old (And What You Can Learn From Them)

It‘s every marketer‘s dream: to create a video that takes the internet by storm, racking up millions of views, likes, and shares in a matter of days. When done right, viral video marketing has the power to catapult a brand to new heights of awareness and success practically overnight – and often with relatively low cost and effort.

While there‘s no surefire formula for virality, studying the branded videos that have managed to strike viral gold can provide a wealth of inspiration and strategic takeaways. In this post, we‘ll dive deep into 6 of the most iconic and enduring examples of viral marketing videos and extract the key lessons you can apply in your own video efforts.

1. Dallas Zoo & Bob Hagh: "Breakdancing Gorilla"

In June 2017, the Dallas Zoo shared a joyful video of Zola, one of their gorillas, dancing and splashing in a kiddie pool. The video was cute on its own – but things really took off when Star-Telegram Video Producer Bob Hagh had the brilliant idea to remix the footage with the song "Maniac" from the movie Flashdance.

Hagh‘s remix, posted on Twitter, racked up over 9 million views in just three days. Within a week, it had been picked up by major media outlets like CNN, Maxim, and ABC, and a quick Google search for "dancing gorilla maniac" now yields over 500,000 results.

The genius of this viral video was in its simplicity. Hagh took an already enjoyable piece of content and, with a quick, low-effort edit, transformed it into something even more appealing and infinitely more shareable. By capitalizing on a moment of "Hey, this reminds me of…", Hagh showed that almost any brand can strike viral video gold with the right mix of creativity, timeliness and luck.

Key Takeaway: Keep an eye out for those spontaneous moments of inspiration when consuming content, and be open to acting on them quickly. Not every fun idea will go viral, but you never know which lightweight video experiment will be your breakout hit.

2. Dollar Shave Club: "Our Blades Are F***ing Great"

Launched in 2012, this provocative and hilarious video put Dollar Shave Club on the map in a major way. Starring the company‘s charismatic founder Michael Dubin, the low-budget commercial takes viewers on an edgy, expletive-filled tour of the razor brand‘s warehouse while boldly calling out the frustrations with typical razor offerings.

The video spread like wildfire, gaining 12,000 subscriptions for Dollar Shave Club in just 48 hours. To date, it has over 27 million views, making it Dollar Shave Club‘s most popular video by far. More importantly, it set the stage for the company‘s rapid growth and eventual billion-dollar acquisition by Unilever.

What made this video so effective? First, it led with a magnetic personality in Dubin, whose deadpan humor, swagger and relatability instantly won viewers over. Second, it spoke to a broad audience by tapping into widely-held complaints about a common product. Finally, it conveyed the brand‘s disruptive positioning and value proposition in a way that was daring and impossible to ignore.

Since the breakout success of this video, Dubin has continued to star in the majority of Dollar Shave Club‘s popular video content, illustrating the power of consistently putting a face to the brand. While many executives shy away from the spotlight, this example proves that showcasing a company‘s people, especially its leaders, can be a highly effective tactic for viral-worthy video.

Key Takeaway: Don‘t be afraid to let your founder or other visible team members serve as the "stars" of your video content. Putting a human face to your brand, especially one with charisma and a bold point of view, can make your videos infinitely more engaging and shareable.

3. IBM: "A Boy And His Atom: The World‘s Smallest Movie"

If you thought B2B marketing videos were destined to be boring, IBM‘s "A Boy and His Atom" will make you think again. Created using a scanning tunneling microscope to move actual atoms, this "world‘s smallest movie" depicts a charming story of a boy and his atom friend dancing to a playful tune.

While this video is now over 7 years old, it remains IBM‘s most popular YouTube video of all time, with over 9 million views to date. It holds the Guinness World Record for the smallest stop-motion film ever made, an honor that IBM leveraged extensively in its PR and marketing efforts around the video.

What makes this example so compelling is how it managed to turn an extremely complex, technical topic – atomic-level data storage research – into a piece of content that was not only educational, but highly accessible and entertaining to a broad audience. By focusing on storytelling and creativity over specs and jargon, IBM found a way to make the abstract innovations behind its brand feel concrete, engaging and relevant.

Key Takeaway: Even if your product or industry is highly technical or "unsexy", there are still opportunities to create video content that resonates on a deeply human level. Prioritize clear and compelling storytelling over heavy-handed sales messaging, and you may be surprised by the mainstream appeal your "nerdy" video can achieve.

4. TrueMoveH: "Giving"

In 2013, Thai mobile provider TrueMoveH released "Giving", a poignant 3-minute video that follows the story of a poor boy whose generous acts throughout his life are unexpectedly paid back just when he needs it most. The result is an unabashedly sentimental tearjerker anchored by the tagline "Giving is the best communication."

While most telecom companies steer clear of emotionally-provocative content, TrueMoveH clearly struck a chord: "Giving" has earned over 45 million YouTube views and counting. More importantly, the comments are full of viewers professing how the video made them cry and feel inspired to be more giving in their own lives.

So what can marketers learn from this viral success? First, don‘t be afraid to pull on people‘s heartstrings. Research has shown that high arousal emotions, whether positive or negative, drive significantly higher rates of social sharing. Second, focus on crafting a compelling story arc, even if it doesn‘t overtly relate to your actual product (the TrueMoveH brand isn‘t even mentioned until the very end of the video). Finally, tap into universal human experiences and values, such as generosity and gratitude, that have broad resonance for a global audience.

Key Takeaway: Emotions are a powerful driver of viral sharing, so consider how you can give your videos a strong emotional hook, whether that‘s joy, nostalgia, inspiration or even righteous anger. Build your content around a clear story and message that will strike a chord with viewers on a human level.

5. Tripp and Tyler & Zoom: "A Conference Call in Real Life"

In 2014, comedic duo Tripp and Tyler uploaded a satirical video titled "A Conference Call in Real Life", depicting a virtual meeting as if it were happening in person – complete with awkward late arrivals, participants talking over each other, and that one guy who can‘t stop typing loudly. Created in partnership with video conferencing platform Zoom, the sketch struck a major nerve, racking up over 22 million views to date.

This video went viral for a simple reason: it tapped into a widely relatable source of workplace frustration and found a way to make it hilarious. By poking fun at the common annoyances of remote meetings, Tripp and Tyler not only got people laughing, but subtly positioned Zoom as a solution that could make conference calls less painful.

The brilliance of this example is that Zoom‘s brand is barely featured until the very end of the video – a key tactic for encouraging organic, non-intrusive brand integrations that don‘t turn off viewers. By partnering with established content creators (Tripp and Tyler‘s YouTube channel has nearly half a million subscribers), Zoom was able to benefit from their reach and comedic talents while still getting their message across.

Key Takeaway: Think about the biggest annoyances and pain points your target audience faces, and brainstorm video concepts that could put a humorous spin on those experiences. Consider partnering with relevant influencers or content creators who can help bring your ideas to life and expand your exposure.

6. Poo Pourri: "Girls Don‘t Poop"

Poo Pourri, a unique toilet spray designed to eliminate bathroom odors, is the quintessential example of a small brand that skyrocketed to viral fame on the back of provocative video marketing. Their breakout hit, "Girls Don‘t Poop", features a cheeky British spokeswoman delivering a refreshingly frank monologue about the myth that women don‘t have bodily functions.

This unapologetically edgy approach to marketing what could have been a cringe-worthy product clearly resonated: "Girls Don‘t Poop" (which now comes with a "viewer discretion advised" warning on YouTube) has over 43 million views, while Poo Pourri‘s broader library of boundary-pushing videos has earned the brand over 200 million views in total.

By combining gorgeous set design, witty scripting and a charismatic lead actress, Poo Pourri created the perfect storm for viral success. They took a product that no one wanted to talk about and made it impossible not to talk about. In doing so, they proved that even the most "unmentionable" brands can spark widespread conversation by taking strategic risks with their video marketing.

Key Takeaway: Don‘t shy away from the awkward realities and "taboo" topics related to your product – instead, find creative, lighthearted ways to bring those issues to the forefront. If you can use humor to broach a "forbidden" topic tastefully and memorably, you‘ll have a much better shot at broad shareability.

Ready to Go Viral?

As these examples illustrate, there‘s no one "right" way to create a wildly successful marketing video. From high-production story-driven sagas to scrappy made-in-a-day sketches, the common threads of viral video success are clear: a unique and compelling hook, a healthy dose of emotion (whether laughter or tears), and a focus on entertainment over hard sells.

Of course, even the most brilliant video needs a distribution strategy to reach its viral potential. Once you‘ve created a great piece of content, put paid spend behind it to rack up those initial views – then make it as easy as possible for people to keep the sharing momentum going. Optimize your videos for search, promote them actively across your social channels, and incentivize your biggest fans to spread the word.

Over time, studying your video analytics can provide valuable insights into the specific ingredients that overperformed for your audience. Double down on the topics, styles, and emotional triggers that sparked the most engagement, and don‘t be afraid to keep experimenting until you find that winning viral formula.

While viral fame can never be guaranteed, one thing is clear: in today‘s video-obsessed world, marketers can‘t afford not to try. By learning from the brands that broke the mold and took their video content to stratospheric heights of shareability, you‘ll be well on your way to creating your own legendary viral moment. So get out there and start brainstorming – your next great video smash could be just one clever idea away.