Viral Marketing: Harnessing the Power of Social Media

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By: Allison Chow FILM 240 Queen’s University

80% of online users between the ages of 12-17 use a social media platform.5

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This gives today’s youth a voice that allows them to be heard like never before.

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Businesses and campaigns must focus their efforts on how to harness the power of social media.

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In 2010, Bell Canada launched the Bell Let’s Talk mental health initiative where for every…

#BellLetsTalk tweet

Bell Lets Talk image share

Bell phone call

Bell text message

…in 28.5 hours, Bell will donate 5¢ more to Canadian mental health programs.2

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This fundraising method uses social context advertising for the one day of the year that #BellLetsTalk goes viral. People are likely to participate in the initiative because the campaign encourages social media use for the purposes of making donations on behalf of Bell Canada.6

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The association principle links social media sharing of Bell Let’s Talk to youth empowerment by making teens feel like they can make a difference in mental health awareness.6

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Many people are able to relate to the importance of mental health awareness.

The simplicity of the Bell Let’s Talk hashtag allows users to personalize how they wish to spread the message based on their own thoughts and experiences.7

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“…teens who are on social media for more than two hours a day, a full one quarter of students in the study, report poor self-rated mental health…”8 -Cyberpsychology, Behaviour, and Social Networking journal

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The Bell Let’s Talk campaign serves to let online users battling mental health know that they are not alone in their fight.

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2014% 2015% 2016%

Interac(on

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Year+

In six years, Bell has raised$79,919,178.55 for mental health1,10,12.

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In the summer of 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge went viral on social media.13

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Step%1%•  Have%a%bucket%of%ice%water%poured%on%the%parTcipant's%head.%

Step%2%•  Nominate%friends%to%do%the%same.%

Step%3%•  Make%a%monetary%contribuTon%to%the%ALS%AssociaTon.%

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Within eight weeks, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge raised $115 million for patients battling Lou Gehrig's disease. Of this, $77 million was dedicated to research for a cure.13

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“…the audience effect: a significant increase in the willingness to donate caused by the presence of observers…simply observing others participate in the Ice Bucket Challenge dramatically increased the odds that you would accept the challenge when asked.”11 -Forbes

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Celebrity participation in the Ice Bucket Challenge was a form of unplanned celebrity endorsement.6 !!

This gave fans the illusion of unity and working towards a common goal with their role models. !

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Both the Bell Let’s Talk campaign and the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge are examples of earned media for Bell Canada and the ALS Association.3

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Key Ingredients to Viral Marketing 4

Clearly identify the goal

Keep the task simple and fun

Add a certain sense of urgency

Understand exponential growth

Make it easy to share with others online

Boost the participant’s self-esteem

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The influence and power of social media on the online population will continue to mold the way marketing is carried out in the future.

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References%%1.%Bell%Canada%Enterprises,.%Thank%You%Canada:%A%New%Bell%Let's%Talk%Day%Record%With%125,915,295%Calls,%Texts,%Tweets%And%Shares%;%And%$%6,295,764.75%More%For%Canadian%Mental%Health!.%2016.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%%2.%"Bell%Let's%Talk%|%Clara%Hughes".%Clara;hughes.com.%N.p.,%2016.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%%3.%Benne2,%Shea.%Paid,%Owned,%And%Earned%Media:%What's%The%Difference?.%2014.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%%4.%Boko,%Gabrielle.%"6%Viral;MarkeTng%Lessons%To%Learn%From%The%Ice%Bucket%Challenge".%Entrepreneur.%N.p.,%2014.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%%5.%Madden,%Mary%et%al.%Teens,%Social%Media,%And%Privacy.%Washington,%D.C.:%The%Berkman%Center%for%Internet%&%Society%at%Harvard%University,%2013.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%%6.%Matrix,%Sydneyeve.%"Module%2:%PromoTonal%Media".%2016.%Lecture.%%7.%"Nine%Reasons%Bell's%"Let's%Talk"%Campaign%Works".%engageQ%Digital%CommunicaTons.%N.p.,%2015.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%

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%%8.%Payne,%Elizabeth.%"Teen's%Poor%Mental%Health%Linked%To%Social%Media%Use".%O2awa%CiTzen%2015:%A1.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%%9.%Pohl,%Jill.%"How%Social%Media%Empowers%Our%GeneraTon%To%Fight%For%Global%Causes".%Elite%Daily.%N.p.,%2015.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%%10.%"Record;Breaking%$6.2M%Raised%For%Mental%Health%During%Bell%Let’S%Talk%Day".%London.%N.p.,%2016.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%%11.%Smith,%Rick.%"The%Science%Behind%The%Success%Of%The%ALS%Ice%Bucket%Challenge".%Forbes.com.%N.p.,%2014.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%%12.%That,%Corrine%Ton.%"Bell's%'Let's%Talk'%Day%Raises%Nearly%$5.5M%For%Mental%Health%IniTaTves".%CTVNews.%N.p.,%2014.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%%13.%The%ALS%AssociaTon,.%Infographic%Of%Progress%Since%The%Ice%Bucket%Challenge.%2016.%Web.%23%Oct.%2016.%