With assistance from Unruly (London), I took up this topic for my master's thesis and following were my initial insights and recommendations

1. A LOOK INTO
IN INDIA
By Ankisha Rana
ACHIEVING VIRALITY

2. 1
VIRALITY
It is a method to pass along the
message to other people.
It is a system to diffuse marketing
information
1SOURCE: INTERNET-INDUCED MARKETING TECHNIQUES: CRITICAL FACTORS IN VIRAL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS, 2008

3. 2
ACHIEVING VIRALITY?
EMOTIONAL
EXPERIENCE
2SOURCE: FORWARDING VIRAL MESSAGES: WHAT PART DOES EMOTION PLAY?, 2006

4. 3
THE PROBLEM
Indian consumers are way ahead in
adopting to new technology than
the marketers.
Viral Marketing is by nature
uncertain and can backfire if not
used properly.
3SOURCE: INTERVIEW WITH INDIAN MARKETERS; MINDCOMET 2006

5. ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM
With an understanding of
44SOURCE: INTERNET-INDUCED MARKETING TECHNIQUES: CRITICAL FACTORS IN VIRAL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS, 2008; KAPLAN AND HAENLEIN (2011),

6. 6
METHODOLOGY & LIMITATIONS
• Sample size
• Demographics
Research Interviews Survey
6

7. 5
WHAT
CHANGED?
Consumers’ attitudes toward
marketing transformed
Brands expected to design
creative messages
Brands in India take on
online video advertising
Balance of control moved
from marketers to consumers
Content consumption in India
driven by smart phones.
Virality perceived as more of
an art than a science
5SOURCE: HOW TO CATCH ON TO VIRAL MARKETING, 2001; MCKINSEY&COMPANY 2011; FUTURE OF DIGITAL CONTENT CONSUMPTION IN INDIA, 2016;

8. 7
LET’S HEAR THE MARKETERS
Chief Creative Officer
SapientNitro India
National Head- Planning,
McCann Erickson India
• Entrepreneurs want to go by
intuition and gut feeling
• Marketers lagging behind the
consumers in technology
• Brands need to be ahead to
emotionally sway the audience
• 90% audience wants positive
experience
• Tons of market data available
but it doesn’t get applied
• Int. brands express big emotion
as per cultural relevance
• Less video reach so minimum
thought in video content
• No set formula to achieve
virality
7

9. 7
THE CULTURAL ENIGMA
8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlA9tXYxD8g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UvPZ8fD4B8
https://youtu.be/nDjf5w9ZecA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F82W3tKtr8c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjB5LYTXgto https://youtu.be/scWpXEYZEGk

10. 7
THE CULTURAL ENIGMA
9
More receptive Appreciate creativityHigher video ratings More loyal to brands

11. 8
SURVEY FINDINGS
10
59.30%
52.80%
55.60%57.40%
57.40%
Ambition
Broad-mindedness
HelpfulnessHonesty
Love

12. 8
SURVEY FINDINGS
11
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree
Proactive Enjoyable
Informative Useful to others
Useful to me Useful to my friends
Imp. To society Intensive
Reflects my taste First 5 seconds

13. 8
SURVEY FINDINGS
12
35%
31%
9%
7%
13%
5%
WhatsApp
Facebook
Timeline
Messenger
Snapchat
Show on Phone
Don't Share
36.10%
0.90%
54.60%
45.40%
16.70%
Made me like
the brands
Made me dislike
the brands
Didn't change my
perception
Notice the brand
more
Buy from the
brand

14. INSIGHTS
413

15. 14
RECOMMENDATIONS
This study provides research significant for Indian marketing practitioners.
And highlights the value of specific approaches to achieve virality in India.

16. NAMASTE