How much does it cost to reach 45 million adult viewers on national television? About $917,300. How much did it cost Unilever to get 45 million views on this Axe viral video? Nuttin’ honey. How long did it take? About 2 months. How much did the production cost? We’re not sure, but it probably cost a bit more because it was 2:30 minutes long vs. the typical 30 second broadcast spot. Yet certainly not $917,000 more.

All these metrics look great, don’t they? But the biggest difference is not the cost, the savings, the reach, the time frame or the production. The biggest difference with this viral video is exactly that – it was all viral. People sent it to friends, showed it to family, and looked for it on their own. It wasn’t pushed into their personal media space. It was pulled into the viewer’s world by the viewer. How much would you pay to have 45 million people want to see your commercial?

Oh, yes, and the ultimate measurement: Unilever attributed a 22% increase in website activity and a 6% increase in sales while this viral video was running wild online. They called this a strong success.

What makes some viral videos generate millions of online views while others, often appearing to be equally well thought out, are left in the dust?  It centers around knowing your audience and offering them one or more emotions that stirs them into action. It causes them to want to share and want to buy.  Laughter, tenderness, fear, shock, even disgust, works if you’re directing the appropriate emotion to the appropriate audience with the appropriate retail message.  (Toss in a dash of surprise and you’re even better off!) In short, the success is in the IDEA. The question is, which advertisers are willing to re-think their agency/client compensation and pay well for a great IDEA?