Viral Case Studies… Coke Zero and Gap

A panel at last week’s Online Media, Marketing & Advertising (OMMA) conference in NYC was titled “Campaigns that Seek Out Consumers will Fail. Campaigns that Consumers Seek Out Will Succeed.”

Here are two examples of Coke and Gap viral ads — so dang fabulous you can just IMAGINE the resistance they got from their respective corporations.

1. “You want to do an ad that features the Coke brand team suing the Coke Zero team?” Here’s another one.  “That’s offensive, self referential, and doesn’t depict the Coke brand per the “footprint” we developed.”
2. “You want to do an ad with people ripping apart a Gap store?” (you’ll need to watch this three times before you soak it all in). “But doesn’t that encourage people to tear down our stores?”

Give me a break. They deliver. I have reason to believe I can enjoy Coke Zero without compromising taste. I expect something very special to be happening at Gap, and I’m curious about what it is. And I’ve been talking about them and blogging about them. Know what I got from Coke and Gap for this? Nothing. Just a nice brain rainbow.

P.S. Sorry- it’s Friday. I’m thinking about advertising too much today. Will be back in “viral video” amateur mode this weekend. Tonight’s goal… create a video of a guy (me) fighting the effects of Ambien.