Decoding the DNA of Viral Video Ads

Year 2023, , 123 - 147, 30.01.2023

Hediye Aydoğan

https://doi.org/10.17680/erciyesiletisim.1187193

Cited By: 1

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify the key elements in viral video advertisements disseminated through the sharing of digital media users on their networks, and mostly not perceived as an advertising. Accordingly, sixty award-winning viral video ads from Crystal Apple Award were purposively selected, and were content-analyzed on MAXQDA 2020 through a code sheet developed from the previous related research. The results indicated that viral video ads mostly rewarded Silver Apple award mainly had a length of 30-60 and 91-120 seconds, functioned to build brands, included ‘pass-it-on’ message type, depended upon transformative message strategies, used positive emotional appeals, contained storytelling, excluded voice-over, included background and instrumental music, preferred popular and pop music, mentioned brand in the last third of the video, and avoided product pricing. It also investigated the associations between award type, advertising function and viral ad elements. Finally, drawing upon the findings obtained, this descriptive paper concludes with remarks and suggestions for practitioners and further research.

Keywords

Digital advertising, Viral video advertising, Award-winning ads, Content analysis

Viral Reklamların DNA’sını İrdelemek

Abstract

Bu araştırmanın amacı, çoğu zaman reklam hissi vermeyen ve dijital ortamlardaki kullanıcıların kendi ağlarında paylaşması yoluyla yayılan viral reklamların temel öğelerinin neler olduğunu ortaya koymaktır. Bu amaç doğrultusunda, Kristal Elma Yaratıcılık Yarışması’ndan aldıkları ödüller ile başarılarını kanıtlayan 60 viral video reklamı seçilmiştir. Araştırma kapsamına alınan viral video reklamlar, alanyazındaki ilgili çalışmalardan hareketle oluşturulan bir kod şeması kullanılarak MAXQDA 2020 nitel veri analizi programnda içerik analizine tabi tutulmuştur. Analiz yoluyla elde edilen bulgular, çoğunlukla Gümüş Elma ödülüne layık görülen viral reklamların büyük çoğunluğunun 30-60 saniye ve 91-120 saniye arasında değişen bir uzunluğa sahip olduğunu, marka oluşturma işlevini taşıdğını, ‘aktarım’ türünde viral mesaj barındırdığını, dönüştürücü mesaj stratejilerine dayandığını, olumlu duygusal çekicilik kullandığını, hikâye anlatıcılığını barındırdığını, dış sesi içermediğini, arkaplan ve enstrümental müziğe yer verdiğini, popüler ve pop müziği tercih ettiğini, marka ismine reklam videosunun son kısmında değindiğini ve ürün fiyatlarından bahsetmediğini işaret etmiştir. Ödül türü, reklam işlevi ve viral reklam öğeleri arasındaki ilişkinin de irdelendiği bu betimsel çalışmada, ulaşılan bulgular ışığında tartışmalar yürütülerek uygulayıcılara ve gelecek çalışmalara önerilerde bulunulmaktadır.

Keywords

Dijital reklam, Viral video reklam, Ödüllü reklamlar, İçerik Analizi, MAXQDA2020., Digital advertising, Viral video advertising, Award-winning ads, Content analysis

References

• Abolhasani, M., Oakes, S., & Oakes, H. (2017). Music in advertising and consumer identity. Marketing Theory, 17(4), 473–490. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470593117692021
• Akgün, S. (2007). Reklam Müziğinin Marka Kişiliği Oluşumuna Katkısı: Bir Araştırma. Marmara University Institute of Social Sciences.
• Allan, D. (2006). Effects of Popular Music in Advertising on Attention and Memory. Journal of Advertising Research, 46(4), 434–444. https://doi.org/10.2501/S0021849906060491
• Allan, D. (2008). A Content Analysis of Music Placement in Prime-Time Television Advertising. Journal of Advertising Research, 48(3), 404–417. https://doi.org/10.2501/S0021849908080434
• Allan, D., & Tryce, S. A. (2016). Popular music in Super Bowl commercials 2005-2014. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 17(4), 333–348. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-11-2016-019
• Anglada-Tort, M., Keller, S., Steffens, J., & MüLlensiefen, D. (2021). The Impact of Source Effects on the Evaluation of Music for Advertising. Journal of Advertising Research, 61(1), 95–109. https://doi.org/10.2501/JAR-2020-016
• Arjona-Martín, J.-B., Méndiz-Noguero, A., & Victoria-Mas, J.-S. (2020). Virality as a paradigm of digital communication. Review of the concept and update of the theoretical framework. El Profesional de La Información, 29(6), e290607. https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2020.nov.07
• Aytekin, N. (2012). Reklam müziğinde kültürel motiflerin kullanımı ve marka kişiliğinin sunumu. İstanbul Üniversitesi İletişim Fakültesi Dergisi, 0(42), 19–35.
• Balabanis, G., Diamantopoulos, A., Mueller, R. D., & Melewar, T. C. (2001). The Impact of Nationalism, Patriotism and Internationalism on Consumer Ethnocentric Tendencies. Journal of International Business Studies, 32(1), 157–175. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8490943
• Barrio Fraile, E., Enrique Jiménez, A. M., Barbeito Veloso, M. L., & Fajula Payet, A. (2021). Sonic identity and audio branding elements in Spanish radio advertising. Anàlisi, 65, 103–119. https://doi.org/10.5565/rev/analisi.3330
• Berger, J. (2013). Contagious: Why Things Catch On. Simon & Schuster.
• Boltz, M., Schulkind, M., & Kantra, S. (1991). Effects of background music on the remembering of filmed events. Memory & Cognition, 19(6), 593–606. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03197154
• Broadus, T. G. I. (2011). The Viral Fingerprint: A Content Analysis of Popular Viral Advertisements [The University of Southern Mississippi]. https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/230
• Çalışkan, S. (2019). Türkiye’de Televizyon Reklamlarında Kullanılan Müzik Çeşitlerine Yönelik Tespitler. İnönü Üniversitesi Kültür ve Sanat Dergisi, 19–24. https://doi.org/10.22252/ijca.658581
• Çiftçi, E., & Özdemir, Ş. (2022). Yeni Medyada Marka Farkındalığı Yaratmada Viral Reklamların Rolü. Pamukkale University Journal of Business Research, 9(1), 126–142. https://doi.org/10.47097/piar.1075599
• Dafonte-Gómez, A. (2014). The key elements of viral advertising. From motivation to emotion in the most shared videos. Comunicar, 22(43), 199–207. https://doi.org/10.3916/C43-2014-20
• Dafonte-Gómez, A., Míguez-González, M.-I., & Corbacho-Valencia, J.-M. (2020). Viral Dissemination of Content in Advertising: Emotional Factors to Reach Consumers. Communication & Society, 33(1), 107–120. https://doi.org/10.15581/003.33.1.107-120
• Dengel, S., & Halbfeld, S. (2002). Musik und werbung. Musikrezeption, organisations- und medianpsychologie. Universitaet des Saarlandes.
• DePuy, P. (2013, July 23). What Role Does Music Play in the Most Viral Commercials? MainStreetHost. https://www.mainstreethost.com/blog/what-role-does-music-play-in-the-most-viral-commercials/
• Farmer, A. (2008). Pop! Goes the music: A content analysis of popular music in prime-time television commercials. Kansas State University.
• Golan, G. J., & Zaidner, L. (2008). Creative Strategies in Viral Advertising: An Application of Taylor’s Six-Segment Message Strategy Wheel. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(4), 959–972. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2008.00426.x
• Graakjær, N. (2009). Music in TV Commercials: Formats, Frequencies, and Tendencies. In N. Graakjær & C. Jantzen (Eds.), Music in Advertising: Commercial Sounds in Media Communication and Other Settings (pp. 53–73). Aalborg Universitetsforlag.
• Graakjær, N. J., & Jantzen, C. (2009). Mapping research on music in TV commercials. In N. Graakjær & C. Jantzen (Eds.), Music in advertising: Commercial sounds in media communication and other settings (pp. 13–52). Aalborg Universitetsforlag. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ram&AN=A727604&site=ehost-live
• Harwood, T. G., & Garry, T. (2003). An Overview of Content Analysis. The Marketing Review, 3(4), 479–498. https://doi.org/10.1362/146934703771910080
• Hayes, J. L., & Whitehill King, K. (2014). The Social Exchange of Viral Ads: Referral and Coreferral of Ads Among College Students. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 14(2), 98–109. https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2014.942473
• Hecker, S. (1984). Music for advertising effect. Psychology and Marketing, 1(3–4), 3–8. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.4220010303
• Himelboim, I., & Golan, G. J. (2019). A Social Networks Approach to Viral Advertising: The Role of Primary, Contextual, and Low Influencers. Social Media + Society, 5(3), 205630511984751. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305119847516
• Huron, D. (1989). Music in advertising: An analytic paradigm. Musical Quarterly, 73(4), 557–574. https://doi.org/10.1093/mq/73.4.557
• Kagitcibasi, C. (1970). Social norms and authoritarianism: A Turkish-American comparison. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 16(3), 444–451. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0030053
• Kaur, B., Paul, J., & Sharma, R. R. (2022). The virality of advertising content. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-10-2021-0268
• Ketelaar, P. E., Janssen, L., Vergeer, M., van Reijmersdal, E. A., Crutzen, R., & van ‘t Riet, J. (2016). The success of viral ads: Social and attitudinal predictors of consumer pass-on behavior on social network sites. Journal of Business Research, 69(7), 2603–2613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2015.10.151
• Kılıçbay, B. (2004). Televizyonun Müziği: Bir Eklemlenme Öyküsü. In C. Pekman & B. Kılıçbay (Eds.), Görüntünün Müziği Müziğin Görüntüsü (pp. 53–71). Pan.
• Krippendorff, K. (1989). Content Analysis. In E. Barnouw, G. Gerbner, W. Schramm, T. L. Worth, & L. Gross (Eds.), International encyclopedia of communication (Vol. 1) (pp. 403–407). Oxford University Press.
• Kristal Elma. (n.d.). Kristal Elma. https://www.kristalelma.org.tr/
• Kristal Elma Arşiv. (2022). Kristal Elma. https://www.kristalelma.org.tr/arsiv
• Lantos, G. P., & Craton, L. G. (2012). A model of consumer response to advertising music. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 29(1), 22–42. https://doi.org/10.1108/07363761211193028
• Lin, T. M. Y., Wu, H., Liao, C., & Liu, T. (2006). Why are some e‐mails forwarded and others not? Internet Research, 16(1), 81–93. https://doi.org/10.1108/10662240610642550
• Lindstrom, M. (2005). Brand Sense: How to Build Powerful Brands Through Touch, Taste, Smell, Sight and Sound. Kogan Page Ltd.
• Miquel-Romero, M.-J., & Adame-Sánchez, C. (2013). Viral marketing through e-mail: the link company-consumer. Management Decision, 51(10), 1970–1982. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-08-2012-0592
• Moldovan, S., Steinhart, Y., & Lehmann, D. R. (2019). Propagators, Creativity, and Informativeness: What Helps Ads Go Viral. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 47, 102–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2019.02.004
• NAICS & SIC Identification Tools. (2017). NAICS Association. https://www.naics.com/search/
• Nas, A. (2017). Branding and National Identity: The Analysis of “Turkey: Discover The Potential” Campaign. Bilig, 83, 201–224.
• Nikolinakou, A., & Whitehill King, K. (2018). Viral Video Ads: Examining Motivation Triggers to Sharing. Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, 39(2), 120–139. https://doi.org/10.1080/10641734.2018.1428247
• Oakes, S., & North, A. (2013). Dance to the Music! How musical genres in advertisements can sway perceptions of image. Journal of Advertising Research, 53(4), 411–416. https://doi.org/10.2501/JAR-53-4-411-416
• Özulu, İ. S. (1994). Reklamcılık ve Reklam Müziklerinin Radyo-Televizyondaki Yeri. Istanbul University Institute of Social Sciences.
• Petrescu, M., & Korgaonkar, P. (2011). Viral Advertising: Definitional Review and Synthesis. Journal of Internet Commerce, 10(3), 208–226. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332861.2011.596007
• Phelps, J. E., Lewis, R., Mobilio, L., Perry, D., & Raman, N. (2004). Viral Marketing or Electronic Word-of-Mouth Advertising: Examining Consumer Responses and Motivations to Pass Along Email. Journal of Advertising Research, 44(4), 333–348. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021849904040371
• Porter, L., & Golan, G. J. (2006). From Subservient Chickens to Brawny Men. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 6(2), 4–33. https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2006.10722116
• Roehm, M. L. (2001). Instrumental vs. Vocal Versions of Popular Music in Advertising. Journal of Advertising Research, 41(3), 49–58. https://doi.org/10.2501/JAR-41-3-49-58
• Scott, L. M. (1990). Understanding Jingles and Needledrop: A Rhetorical Approach to Music in Advertising. Journal of Consumer Research, 17(2), 223. https://doi.org/10.1086/208552
• Segev, S., & Fernandes, J. (2022). The Anatomy of Viral Advertising: A Content Analysis of Viral Advertising from the Elaboration Likelihood Model Perspective. Journal of Promotion Management, 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496491.2022.2108189
• Sharma, R. R., & Kaur, B. (2018). Modeling the Elements and Effects of Global Viral Advertising Content: A Cross-cultural Framework. Vision: The Journal of Business Perspective, 22(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972262917750225
• Sharma, R. R., & Kaur, B. (2020). E-mail viral marketing: modeling the determinants of creation of “viral infection.” Management Decision, 58(1), 112–128. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-03-2017-0215
• Shevy, M., & Hung, K. (2013). Music in television advertising and other persuasive media. In S.-L Tan, A. J. Cohen, S. D. Lipscomb, & R. A. Kendall (Eds.), The Psychology of Music in Multimedia (pp. 315–338). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199608157.003.0014
• Shirkhodaee, M., & Rezaee, S. (2013). Evaluating the Persuasive and Memory Effects of Viral Advertising. International Journal of Online Marketing, 3(3), 51–61. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijom.2013070104
• Shuker, R. (2001). Understanding Popular Music. Routledge.
• Stemler, S. (2001). An overview of content analysis. Practical Assessment, Research and Evaluation, 7(17), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1362/146934703771910080
• Stemler, S. E. (2015). Content Analysis. In R. Scott & S. Kosslyn (Eds.), Emerging Trends in the Social and Behavioral Sciences (pp. 1–14). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
• Stigler, J. W., Gonzales, P., Kawanaka, T., Knoll, S., & Serrano, A. (1999). The TIMSS Videotape Classroom Study: Methods and Findings from an Exploratory Research Project on Eighth-Grade Mathematics Instruction in Germany, Japan, and the United States (No. 99–074).
• Tai, S. H. C., & Pae, J. H. (2002). Effects of TV Advertising on Chinese Consumers: Local versus Foreign-Sourced Commercials. Journal of Marketing Management, 18(1–2), 49–72. https://doi.org/10.1362/0267257022775981
• Yaman, A. (2015). Reklamda Ses ve Müzik Kullanımı. Ahmet Yaman. https://www.yamanahmet.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/AhmetYaman_Article.pdf
• Yang, R., Yang, Y., Song, X., & Zhang, Y. (2022). What kinds of online video advertising music do people like? A qualitative study. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 50(2), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.10961
• Yeshin, T. (1998). Integrated Marketing Communications: The Holistic Approach. Butterworth Heinemann.