Virtual Learning Environments

If your target is engaged, they are getting your message. That seems to be the philosophy behind the campaign in the case study “How to Turn Video Contest Into a Viral Extravaganza & Get Millions of Views on YouTube”.

The study looks at a 2007 campaign by eBillme, an Internet site for billing. The idea was to target online shoppers to trigger awareness and to “create a groundswell of recognition” that would get online retailers to follow consumers to the eBillme website.

The relatively simple campaign plan involved a call for video entries into a “Shopping Confession” contest. The incentive –four runners up get $1000 and a grand prize winner. They created a url www.shopandconfess.com for contestants to post their entries on, but all of the videos were housed on YouTube.

To build buzz around the contest, eBillme’s PR firm sent out notices to newspaper reporters and tv producers in the top markets around the country. They also ran ads on eBillme’s home page, as well as sending out emails to subscribers.

Ultimately, the group received 46 submissions that fit their criteria for entry of creativity, production and entertainment value. One of the entries was among the top videos of YouTubes home page for two days in a row, and was viewed 766,000 times!

The campaign garnered national media attention, in USA Today and The Daytime Show—a syndicated show that airs in 9 major cities around the country, as well as local coverage in Chicago, which was the home of one of the contest winners. There was mention in a total of 31 media outlets, which drove visitors to YouYube to screen the video and raised awareness of eBillme (although I had never heard of it prior to reading this case study).

The simplicity of this campaign was probably the biggest contributor to its success. It used a familiar and popular site-YouTube-to host its videos. By using YouTube, they had the added attention of people that surf the site for amusing videos every day. Instead of solely people who already had some knowledge of the contest.

The instructions were also simple. While there was some technical skill required (in shooting, editing and uploading the video) but not so much as to be offputting.

The simple program also has legs, after the Christmas 2007 launch, eBillme has done multiple contests with different themes each month. Again, simplicty, fun and most importantly a connection with the audience are the elements that will keep this program going.

Originally from http://socialteaching.wordpress.com/2008/07/21/grassilli-response-to-%e2%80%9chow-to-turn-video-contest-into-a-viral-extravaganza-get-millions-of-views-on-youtube%e2%80%9d/