Speech of Thomas Zorbach, vm-people

Let the show begin
The seminar just started with one of our beloved viral examples. Steve Ballmers „dancemonkeyboy“.

First Topic
Where did it all begin? Thomas Zorbach talks about the origins of Viral marketing. One of those examples: Hotmail with its webbased E-mail service back in 1996.

Change of perspectives
What is the difference between Advertising, Direct marketing and Viral marketing? Thomas Zorbach states out three different perspectives: the passive role of the customer in advertising, the reactive role in Direct marketing and his interactive role in Viral marketing.

The Rise of Social Networks
The growth of social contacts by new technologies.
What changes when communication gets digital?
T.Z. talks about the benefits of digital communication via networks. He defines it as a targeted stimulation of word of mouth in social networks.

How an Idea becomes a Virus
i.e. it must include the following: high involvement, easy to understand, the right media, easy to replicate, a call to action… make it sticky!

The Theory of the Tipping Point
It is defined by the following factors:
• the Stickyness factor
• the Law of the Few
• the Power of Context
As an example we all have to suffer by listening to last summers hit „the Ketchup Song“. Why did it become such a big hit?

Let’s switch to the Practice
T.Z illustrates the methodology of viral practice.
(by the way – sorry for the mistakes – i am trying to keep up with the seminar 😉  )

Sticky products
Like i.e. www.friendster.com, which produce word by mouth by their conception. what if a product is not sticky by itself?  T.Z. states out  that it can be solved by added values. for example: the „Weinerei“ in Berlin with a customer-centric method of payment (pay what you like).

How to identify an influential
Make them talk to you! Keep them triggered, get involved in their social networks. Let them involve in your communication.

Talking about formats in the phase of breeding
These are quite important. Each media requires its specific format (i.e. pdf, mpeg, jpeg) especially Flash is gaining importance in Online games.

Testing a virus
• by minding the stickness factor
• by envolving the custumer in the process of creation
as early as possible

Monitoring a viral message
How to keep control if a message mutates?
By monitoring the rate of mutation through different channels we can take measures and start the process of reclaiming to give a new spin to viral messages.Another beloved example: the Whassup Spots by Budweiser.

Even a virus dies
…and we can take our learnings in this phase of viral engineering to gain experiences for a new viral campaign.

And so we come to an end for today.

Applause and now it comes to the q & a session… Thanks for keeping track and hopefully until tomorrow.