Success in viral marketing is a coveted accomplishment marketers have spent years worth of budgets attempting to attain. Although no one has quite figured out the perfect recipe for virality, we’ve all envied those well-known brands that seem to do it so seamlessly. So of course, if you know who Richard Branson is, the buzz he’s created in Chicago came as little to no surprise.
Rumors of a Virgin Hotel first began in 2011
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Word on the street is #VirginRumors are now very literally words on the street. See for yourself.
The fundamentals of the awareness campaign is simple: Encourage (slightly ridiculous) rumors to swirl around the pre-opening of your new business concept. Tell your audience to use the hashtag #VirginRumors and win a free night at the hotel’s grand opening if his or her gossip is witty enough.
The campaign has been wildly successful among Chicagoans and its tourists, provoking a slew of wild ideas.
I heard that housekeeping leaves a slice of deep dish pizza instead of chocolate mints in your room #virginrumors
— DaDiTomaso (@daditomaso) September 19, 2014
Rumor has it that there are coffee drip IVs in lieu of coffee machines. #VirginRumors
— Krisleigh (@KrisleighH) September 19, 2014
I can not confirm nor deny this report but I hear the ice machines actually make ice. #VirginRumors @virginhotels
— Anthony Martorina (@ant_kneee) September 18, 2014
It’s a technique so unbearably simple yet astonishingly effective. Many marketers encourage brand interaction with a chance to win a prize, but few do in a way that’s both easy and engaging. Taking selfies or constructing videos take a lot more effort (relatively speaking) than typing up a ridiculously absurd 140-character idea.
Congrats @grandpacashmere, your gossip has earned you our 3rd #VirginRumors win. And it suits you well. Cheers! pic.twitter.com/IwjYqfXzaW
— Virgin Hotels (@virginhotels) September 18, 2014
The campaign has not only induced brand interaction, but also curiosity and excitement for the hotel’s opening.
Virgin Hotels is currently active on five key platforms: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Google+.
What are some other simple ways brands have created interaction, engagement, and awareness? What are some of the most simple viral campaigns you’ve witnessed? We’d love to hear in the comments below.