The music video for Carly Rae Jepsen’s hit single “Call Me Maybe” has been viewed more than 200 million times. Before reaching cultural ubiquity, though, the Canadian pop star’s career needed a boost from internet marketing and social media.
Jepsen said in an interview with the New York Times that “viral videos are what’s been driving the force for this [her single].” Although the only video Jepsen has made of the song has been her official one, the popular “lip dub” videos her fans made and posted on the internet, along with the social media support of superstar Justin Bieber, has rocketed her into the limelight.
But, while many artists and creatives may have seen success and attention from the use of social media and digital videos, corporations have often struggled to tap into the market. One company that’s been able to break this barrier is the tech-giant Qualcomm, according to BtoB Magazine.
The company created a promotional video with Snapdragon aimed at enhancing awareness of its products, which are prevalent in almost all aspects of mobile technology. The two companies produced a video of exotic bugs running contraptions that generate enough electricity to charge a smartphone with a Snapdrgaon processor.
Qualcomm’s Facebook page grew from 5,047 likes to over 16,000 in one month. The video itself has been viewed more than 1 million times and generated over 21,600 likes on the company’s Facebook page.
“It doesn’t change who we are selling to, but [the focus] was more around creating awareness,” said Dan Novak, VP of global marketing for PR and communications at Qualcomm.
It’s clear that digital videos have the engagement and brevity that’s needed to maintain audiences online and spark a reaction. While smaller companies may not be able to create a viral video, they can still use the digital medium in their small business internet marketing campaigns as an effective way to increase awareness and generate brand engagement.