The use of viral advertising in marketing campaigns is nothing new. It’s a fairly simple and highly effective formula:

“Unbelievable/controversial video + appropriate site placement + social media = possible internet meme ^[1]”

This video, from Microsoft and Megawoosh ^[2] pundit Bruno Kammerl ^[3] to promote Microsoft’s Project 2007, is among latest to storm cyberspace.

Not long after being released, it was immediately touted as being fake and, before anyone could say ‘woosh’, it was off, receiving more than 1.4 million hits since its launch in early August.

Interestingly, there’s no Microsoft branding to be seen or even implied, yet everyone is aware that they’re behind it.

There are therefore some lessons to be learned here: fake is sometimes better than genuine. Viewer curiosity will ‘out’ your brand more effectively than blatant advertising. And the internet is way more powerful than we can actually comprehend. (Oh yeah, and this video is still very funny to watch.)