The key to getting consumers to pass along your viral campaign may just be rooted in your ability to meet a basic human desire. Here are a few ways to plant the seeds of a connection.
Way back in time, when the human race was, arguably, living in caves, man spent all his time satisfying his basic needs, like food, air, water and sex. And while some of these pursuits were as satisfying as their eventual attainment, even our primitive ancestors realized there had to be more to life than just the day to day struggle to prolong it.
Then man created tools. These tools, including the old standbys like the wheel, fire and sharp rocks, afforded man the luxury of free time to pursue other interests -- like communication and artistic expression (language; cave drawings), the culinary arts (wooly mammoth tastes much better when cooked than when raw)… and probably more sex.
Thus, the human race evolved.
Kind of like how internet advertising evolved. At first, it focused on basic forms of communication (email and websites). Gradually, it grew more sophisticated, moving from providing basic information to improving the quality of marketing communication (behavioral targeting; search) and enriching life itself (MySpace; YouTube). This, in theory, has led to today's golden age of online marketing – where people gather in their modern "caves" and use electronic tools to interact, express themselves and acquire goods like fast food, carbonated beverages, and sex.
Maslow culture
Fundamentally, viral campaigns rely on marketers' ability to tap into these basic human needs and wants, as well as their means for achieving them. In his hierarchical theory of human needs, Abraham Maslow outlined many of the key principles that marketers embrace in their efforts to engage audiences in the name of this goal.
If we extend his psycho-social theory of needs and wants to the practice of marketing, we get an idea of the innate drives that dictate the purchase process. For starters, there are the basic needs like, "I need to eat every day or I'll die, so I'm going to buy a sandwich at Subway," or "it's cold outside, so I’m going to buy a pair of Ugg boots to keep my feet warm." But thanks to online tools, human beings of the marketing persuasion have moved beyond satisfying basic consumer needs, and now have the free time to appeal to individual and collective desires on a more evolved level.
So what do humans desire when communicating about a product or service? Well, connection is definitely on that list -- we want to connect with others, and often we do so based on shared interests. And if someone shares our interests, we want to share our discoveries on those interests. Thus, the viral marketing campaign was born.
When it comes down to it, marketing is nothing more than matching people to the things they need, and then to the things they desire. And when you don’t have the chance to connect with the right people on an individual basis, the next best thing is to connect with what makes people, well, people.
Therefore, if it is true that the most effective advertising is based on a knowledge of human nature, then it is in the satisfaction of desires that the secrets to viral success must lie.
What else are humans interested in while on the path to actualization (psychological, spiritual or consumer)? Here are some common themes, and how they may affect your campaign's viral viability.