Creative determinants of viral video viewing

AbstractThis study assesses the creative attributes that drive online viral viewing of TV advertising. The analysis is based on 102 video ads from the UK and US, which were shown on TV and also online. Results show that established advertising pre-test measures such as enjoyment, involvement and branding, which predict ability to generate offline TV advertising awareness, can also predict ability to generate viral viewings. In addition, distinctiveness and perceived likelihood to pass along to others are identified as key determinants of viral viewing. Where celebrities appear within the advertising, this also plays a significant role. Category and brand interest do not appear to play a significant role. This strongly suggests that existing advertising pre-test tools such as the Millward Brown LinkTM solution can be successfully used to understand the viral potential of advertising, as long as tailored questions and analytic approaches are developed to allow for the viral viewing environment. The role of other non-creative factors, and implications for marketers, are also discussed. This article is part of the following collections: International Journal of Advertising: 40th anniversary Additional informationNotes on contributorsDuncan SouthgateDuncan Southgate is a Director of Global Innovation at Millward Brown. In his current role, Duncan is responsible for developing new research solutions for use across MB's client portfolio, with a particular focus on emerging platforms such as online advertising, online video and social networking. He has recently been integral to the launch of Millward Brown's IDEABLO G™ – an online qual-quant research forum designed for earlystage concept ideation.Nikki WestobyNikki Westoby PhD is a Senior Innovations Executive at Millward Brown. Her research interests include neuromarketing research techniques (brain scanning, eye tracking and implicit association tests) and online consumer behaviour.Graham PageGraham Page is the Executive Vice President of Global Solutions at Millward Brown. In this role, Graham oversees the maintenance of existing solutions and the development of new solutions across MB's client portfolio. Graham currently has a particular focus on neuroscience, and has been leading the mainstream development of techniques such as brain scanning, eye tracking and implicit methods for MB clients.