Viral Chart: Brands cash in on the Harlem Shake!
February 21st, 2013 by Melanie PeckThe DRUM Viral Brand Chart – Top trending video ad campaigns
It’s been nearly 3 weeks since the original Harlem Shake video was first posted online, and the internet’s obsession with the new dance fad is certainly showing no signs of letting up. According to YouTube, over 12,000 Harlem Shake videos have been posted since the start of the month, collectively being viewed more than 44 million times.
Of course, brands are never far behind when a new online sensation sweeps across the web and this week’s viral chart is full of ads from companies using the memes popularity to boost brand awareness, with videos from the likes of Pepsi, Topshop and Sea World being just a few of the Harlem Shake ads to make it into todays listings.
Piggybacking on the popularity of trending viral content is becoming a popular marketing strategy and brands doing it well can benefit from a huge uplift in earned media. We saw a few instances in the viral chart last year, with 4GEE recreating the Fenton viral and Samsung using the Overly Attached Girlfriend meme to promote its products. More recently Abercrombie & Fitch, cashed in on the interwebs love of Call Me Maybe covers and just a couple of weeks back, Wonderful Pistachios teamed up with Gangnam Style’s Psy to bring the world a nutty South Korean rap.
Its not just brands jumping on the Harlem Shake bandwagon either, ad agencies all over the world have been churning out their own versions too! The shelf life of the Harlem Shake still remains to be seen, but something tells me we’ll be seeing more of it in the chart over the next few weeks!
Also going viral this week, and shooting right to the top of the most shared branded videos; Nivea puts unsuspecting airport passengers’ stress levels to the test with an elaborate prank to convince them that they’re wanted for questioning by the police. Created by ad agency, Felix & Lamberti, for Nivea Germany, the video has already clocked up nearly 3.5 million views and over 55 thousand shares and counting.
The DRUM UGC Chart – top trending homemade and entertainment virals.
Unsurprisingly, the world of user generated content is also still being dominated by the Harlem Shake, from New York flash mobs to underwater divers and dancing dogs, even home appliances are getting in on the action!
Squeak of the Week: This week’s #SqueakOfTheWeek entry is a bit of a litteral one – super cute, weird little desert frog, in at number 4 with over 70 thousand shares – (make sure you have the sound turned up for this one!)
For all of the chart news and the full run down of top videos on the internet this week, check out The Drum Viral Video Chart, powered VAN, or follow @JoinVan to stay up to date with the latest industry news and YouTube gossip.



