“Never work with animals or children.” W.C. Fields

Companies wanting to get their messages out are probably best not to follow W.C.’s advice.  After all, page two of this past weekend’s Toronto Star has an article about the latest in viral YouTube sensations: “Emerson–Mommy’s Nose is Scary,” which, at this moment, has more than seven million viewers. The video of the baby, whose response to his mother’s nose blowing alternates from looking  stunned and terrified to cracking up laughing has, according to the article, caught the attention of Good Morning America and the Today Show. Perhaps he will soon be given his own TV show, or at least a commercial like Jessica from that other viral video “Daily Affirmations.” (Although I would be interested in knowing how well that ad is working. I recalled the optimistic affirmation speaking young one from her YouTube video but I do not remember the product that was being advertised.)

So does that mean that you need to use a charming kid to get your message out?

Not necessarily, but you do need to rise above the clutter of the information overload we experience daily.

In another article in this weekend’s Toronto Star business and tech travel columnist Bert Archer wrote about a company that has done this quite successfully: Air New Zealand. Their air safety video has had more than five million viewers on YouTube. Now considering how yawn producing most airline safety videos we are forced to watch at the beginning of flights can be, that’s quite the success. I googled their video and actually found that they had their own AirNZnothing2hide’s Channel (playing off the fact that their flight personnel appear in the safety video in painted-on only clothing). I particularly like how they poke fun at the low-priced competition with their SaverJet ads.

Now that’s not saying that your company needs to get naked in order to attention to your messaging, but creativity and humour can help.  If that’s not your specialty, contact us and we’ll be glad to help out. We may not get you on Good Morning America, but we won’t make your CEO get undressed either.