Don't say "viral" when what you're doing isn't viral

Posted Dec 13th 2006 12:00PM by Chris Thilk
Filed under: Gripes, Online

Please, please, please stop referring to everything that gets forwarded to friends via email as having gone "viral." A viral campaign is one that's created and released so that the corporate connection is very slight and is fun, engaging and interesting. Email coupons that people get and then pass on to others have not achieved viral status. Using that word for the simple act of forwarding demeans it and is leading to a great many people not knowing what it is they're asking for.

Thank you in advance.

Reader Comments

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1. I'm pretty sure I've been guilty of this. I will punish myself accordingly.

Posted at 1:46PM on Dec 13th 2006 by Adam Finley

2. Is this happening?

Posted at 1:59PM on Dec 13th 2006 by DiRT

3. Couldn't agree more! I did a cartoon and engaged on a little social experimentation on that very subject.
The Ad Land viral Cartoon that I, with the help of the ad community, attempted to make "go viral" via sheer force of will despite it not being worthy. It is at viralcartoon.blogspot.com and on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH7Kd3MOZyI
Enjoy (if you choose to, of course.)

Posted at 6:38PM on Dec 13th 2006 by David t Jones

4. Yes. Thank you, thank you, thank you for making this post. So tired of these claims.

It's very simple:

Viral = a result. A successful status.

It's not viral on the day you launch it. It's not viral because you've titled it so, or on the day that you're sending it out to the ad blogs. It's only viral after thousands of other people have shared it.

If you must use the word, here's some acceptable uses:

intended-viral
we hope this goes viral
we told our client this was viral
i think i have a viral infection

Posted at 2:49PM on Dec 13th 2006 by brandflakesforbreakfast

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