Your Viral Video Shouldn’t Be a Commercial (Celebrity Apprentice Lesson)

Perhaps you watched Celebrity Apprentice last night, where the b-listers teamed up to create a “viral” video for O-Cedar’s ProMist Spray Mop.

Note that I put “viral” in quotes since it’s not a viral video unless it goes viral. For that matter, let’s call it what it is: try-ral. It’s trying. It may go viral, but it’s not.

This isn’t the first time Celebrity Apprentice has tasked the (has-been but charming) celebrities to create a “viral” video. But here’s my favorite quote from NJ.com on the coverage and the decision made in the boardroom after the competition:

The execs didn’t get the women’s “number” concept initially but liked the entertainment aspect of the video. They liked the men’s slogan… and thought the concept was clear and highlighted the mop’s selling points, although the video was a bit too much like a traditional commercial. The men win.

Did you notice anything there? The video was a bit too much like a traditional commercial, but… by the way… it won.

At the risk of stating the obvious, please don’t learn from this. They didn’t win despite the video being too commercial. They won because the women’s video was entertaining but not purposeful. That’s not good either. But if your “viral” video is a commercial, prepare to spend your media dollars to get it seen as prerolls. We almost never share commercials… we sometimes send entertaining videos that happen to pitch a brand.

Do not expect people to share your commercial. Please.

13 thoughts on “Your Viral Video Shouldn’t Be a Commercial (Celebrity Apprentice Lesson)”

  1. The Hulk guy actually won the challenge? Holy cow! What a moron! Who got cut on the women’s side? I hope it was Debbie Gibson or that chick from the Real Housewives (sorry, Sukatra).

  2. Yeah, when they said the goal was to “Create a viral video”, I thought GOOD LUCK WITH THAT! I told Boomerchick (who I was watching it with) “They should pass out copies of Nalts’ book!”

  3. I don’t watch that show because i’m way too classy to waste my time on that neanderthal donald trump.

  4. Dollar Shave Clubs YouTube video went viral ands it’s very obviously a commercial.

  5. Both videos totally sucked! Tia Carrere got fired this week. Yes… I’m totally addicted to that show. Clay Aiken is such a little whiner! I want to kick him in the head! Penn should win the whole thing.

    Sukatra… I started my day off way too early today and didn’t have time for my morning poop. I’m back home now so I’m thinking things will be moving along smoothly soon.

  6. “Do not expect people to share your commercial!!!!”

    Yes,but i think if no any bussiness value video,why call “Video Marketing”,just like your book.what i do Video Marketing ?

  7. 12 seasons of success and no sign of stopping. Viral schmiral, well respected artists that have lost their currency, but they are playing for charity not a paycheck. Trump is amazingly successful on more levels than any of us could possibly imagine. What is not to love. We’re all talking about a vehicle that we love to watch and would gladly put all of our shoulders to.

  8. I have to disagree with you, Nutcheese. Penn IS condescending. I think he may be the smartest on the team, but he is not a team player. I have no idea how they won the Crystal Light challenge, because the women’s party was so much classier, and I even thought the Debbie Gibson song was memorable. Plus, I think Patricia was the smartest on the women’s team, hands down. She deserved to go all the way. Aubry is the whiner. No one on the men’s team deserves to win it all. I vote Lisa Lampanelli.

  9. Clearly I am the only person here who doesn’t watch celebrity apprentice, which could technically make me the classiest wvff commenter, but I think my addiction to dr. Phil pretty much nixes that chance.

Comments are closed.