Viral marketing relies on organic sharing to spread content widely and free of charge. While risky, viral marketing can be effective if the content is groundbreaking, hilarious, or involves a celebrity. Most successful viral videos were not originally created for advertising. Monitoring blogs and social media mentions is important to capitalize on viral content and measure its impact on brand awareness. For any company, viral marketing requires authentic communication of the brand's personality to avoid coming across as disingenuous or forced advertising.

1. Viral Marketing: Connect and Follow Samantha Victoria MSU Senior Advertising and Public Relations Fall 2009