Jamie's Marketing Journey

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  • Viral Marketing Initiatives

    In today’s digital landscape, some marketing campaigns manage to capture the public’s attention and go viral, sparking widespread engagement and discussion. But what exactly makes a marketing initiative go viral? After analyzing successful campaigns, I’ve identified five key characteristics that contribute to their virality.

    Emotional Resonance

    The most effective viral campaigns tap into emotions—whether it’s humor, joy, surprise, or even sadness. One prominent example is the “Dumb Ways to Die” campaign by Metro Trains in Melbourne. The catchy tune and humorous animations teach viewers about train safety while making them laugh. Launched in 2013, this campaign has garnered over 200 million YouTube views and spawned countless parodies and remixes, showcasing the power of emotional appeal.

    Watch Dumb Ways to Die

    Shareability

    A successful viral campaign must be easy to share. The Ice Bucket Challenge is a key illustration of this. The campaign called for participants to dump ice water over themselves and share the video online, tagging friends to do the same. This simple, fun challenge raised over $220 million for ALS research and encouraged massive participation across social media platforms. The incorporation of social media sharing buttons made it effortless for users to share their videos, resulting in explosive growth.

    Learn More About the Ice Bucket Challenge

    Creativity and Originality

    A unique concept grabs attention in a crowded marketplace. Blendtec’s “Will It Blend?” series exemplifies this, with videos that showcase its powerful blenders destroying unconventional items. These creative videos brought humor and intrigue, making them widely shareable and driving a significant increase in sales. The campaign’s clever use of humor, paired with easy social media sharing, helped Blendtec become a household name.

    Watch Will It Blend?

    Interactivity

    Interactive campaigns encourage deeper audience engagement. Procter & Gamble’s Old Spice leveraged interactivity through its “Old Spice Man” campaign, which featured personalized video responses to viewers’ social media comments. This innovative approach not only drew millions of views—40 million in the first week alone—but also built a stronger community around the brand. The campaign used social media platforms like Twitter and personalized videos to foster engagement.

    Explore Old Spice Responses

    Cultural Relevance

    Finally, viral campaigns often succeed by connecting with current events or cultural trends. The “Kony 2012” campaign is a significant example. By raising awareness of warlord Joseph Kony through a compelling narrative and engaging videos, the campaign encouraged millions to share it on social media. Its cultural relevance and timely messaging drove a historic level of online engagement.

    Watch Kony 2012

    The key characteristics that make marketing initiatives go viral include emotional resonance, shareability, creativity, interactivity, and cultural relevance. Companies can enhance their campaigns by incorporating social media sharing tools, such as widgets and plugins, to facilitate easy dissemination and greater audience engagement.

    Incorporating these elements into marketing strategies can dramatically increase the potential for virality, ensuring that meaningful messages reach a wider audience.

  • Differentiation: How McDonald’s and Burger King Use Social Media to Stand Out

    When it comes to fast food, two giants dominate the global stage: McDonald’s and Burger King. Both have embraced social media to engage customers, build brand loyalty, and differentiate themselves in a highly competitive industry. But how do their strategies differ? Let’s dig in!

    A McDonald’s restaurant in Mount Lebanon, Pa., is pictured in 2021.
    Gene J. Puskar/AP

    McDonald’s: Consistency and Customer Engagement

    McDonald’s leverages social media to create a sense of familiarity and community. A key element of their strategy is maintaining a consistent brand voice across platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Their content emphasizes family-friendly messaging, community involvement, and product innovation. For instance, their recent campaigns focus on sustainability efforts, appealing to eco-conscious consumers (Hollensen & Opresnik, 2019).

    McDonald’s also uses social media to respond promptly to customer inquiries, turning platforms into a form of customer service. This proactive engagement shows that they value their customers’ feedback and want to foster loyalty. Their social content often features user-generated content, creating a sense of belonging among followers.

    https://www.pixartprinting.co.uk/blog/burger-king-logo/

    Burger King: Bold, Trend-Driven Creativity

    Burger King, on the other hand, takes a bolder approach. Known for provocative and humorous campaigns, Burger King uses social media to stand out and appeal to a younger, more rebellious audience. Their campaigns often incorporate trending memes, edgy comments, and playful jabs at competitors—most notably, McDonald’s.

    Their social media efforts focus on viral marketing, with campaigns designed to spark conversation rather than just promote products. For example, their “Moldy Whopper” campaign visually showcased the burger decaying naturally without preservatives, emphasizing their commitment to removing artificial ingredients, all while generating a ton of buzz.

    Comparing Strategies and Business Goals

    While McDonald’s uses a consistent, community-oriented approach aligning with their strategic goal of brand loyalty and family appeal, Burger King’s strategy revolves around differentiating through humor and viral content, targeting a younger demographic. Both companies aim to increase brand awareness but do so with different values and messages.

    Problem-Solving Approach

    If your brand wants to stand out in a saturated industry, consider the approaches of these giants. Do you want to create a sense of community and trust like McDonald’s, or do you prefer to be bold and trend-setting like Burger King? Understanding your target audience’s preferences will help you craft a social media strategy that aligns with your business goals—and, importantly, resonates with consumers.

    What’s Your Strategy?

    I challenge you to evaluate your own social media presence. Are you playing it safe or being daring? Share your thoughts below! And don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @jamiemorse77 to see more insights on branding and social media tactics. Let’s connect and grow!

  • The Rise and Fall of Orkut: Lessons in Social Media Innovation

    Photo from James Barndy 2014

    Orkut, launched by Google in 2004, was one of the earliest social networking sites to make a significant impact, especially in Brazil and India. Despite its eventual decline, Orkut played a crucial role in shaping the landscape of online social interaction and offering valuable lessons for future platforms.

    The Beginning of Orkut and Its Unique Features

    Orkut started with a focus on community-building, allowing users to find and join groups based on shared interests such as hobbies, schools, and workplaces. Its early success was driven by its invitation-only model, which created a sense of exclusivity and trust among users (Mahoney & Tang, 2017). During its peak, Orkut boasted approximately 30 million active users, dominating the social media space in Brazil and other countries for several years.

    What Set Orkut Apart? Privacy and Community Focus

    One of Orkut’s most praised features was its emphasis on user privacy. Unlike many of today’s platforms, Orkut prioritized protecting user data and limited intrusive advertising. Users could recommend products and services within groups, fostering trusted community interactions rather than relying solely on ads. This privacy-first approach made it an attractive option for users wary of data breaches (Mahoney & Tang, 2017).

    Impact on the Brazilian Market

    Brazil became one of Orkut’s strongest markets, with the platform influencing online shopping behaviors. A significant portion of Brazilian social media users relied on platforms like Orkut for product research and trusted peer reviews, which enhanced local online retail businesses. The social connections fostered on Orkut contributed to a positive attitude toward online shopping and brand engagement (Mahoney & Tang, 2017).

    Challenges and the Platform’s Decline

    Despite its initial success, Orkut faced challenges that contributed to its decline. Its limitations, such as restrictions on the number of friends and technical issues in sharing photos, failed to keep pace with evolving user expectations. Moreover, the platform’s exclusivity regarding invitations limited its accessibility and growth. As competitors like Facebook introduced more dynamic features—such as instant messaging, multimedia sharing, and open registration—Orkut struggled to adapt (Mahoney & Tang, 2017).

    Lessons Learned and Future Implications

    Photo from James Barndy 2014

    Orkut’s story illustrates that social media platforms must continuously innovate and adapt to changing user needs to remain relevant. Privacy, user engagement, and technological flexibility are critical components of success. Its early approach to community-building and privacy set the stage for future social networks to prioritize user trust and targeted marketing strategies.

    Conclusion

    Although Orkut is no longer active, its influence persists in how social networks are designed and marketed today. Understanding its history offers valuable insights into the importance of adaptability, privacy, and community-focused features in building lasting online social platforms.

    References

    Mahoney, L., & Tang, T. (2017). Strategic social media: From marketing to social change. Wiley-Blackwell.

  • Understanding the Success of Weixin: The Power of Audience-Centered Social Media Strategy

    Weixin (Known as Wechat in USA)

    The case of Weixin (also known as WeChat outside China) exemplifies how a deep understanding of audience needs and behaviors can transform a social media platform into an indispensable part of users’ daily routines. Launched in 2011 and managed by Tencent, Weixin has grown exponentially, reaching over 300 million active users within just three years and becoming a vital tool for communication, commerce, and entertainment both within China and internationally (Barboza, 2014). This success can be largely attributed to Weixin’s strategic focus on audience insights and user convenience, which aligns with principles discussed in social media marketing literature regarding audience engagement.

    Weixin’s approach exemplifies a comprehensive understanding of its target audience: young, urban smartphone users who seek convenience and multifunctionality. The platform’s “all-in-one” design allows users to perform diverse activities—from sharing photos, reading news, ordering taxis, to shopping—within a single application. This integration minimizes “search costs” for consumers, meaning they are more likely to use Weixin because it offers everything they need in one place, reducing their effort to switch between multiple apps (Beldad & Hegner, 2018). The platform’s user-friendly interface, which facilitates quick actions like recording messages with a single button or accessing links directly within Weixin, further enhances user self-efficacy and habit formation (Li, 2014).

    Snipit from Apple Store Screenshots 20250714

    Weixin’s continuous innovation with targeted campaigns also demonstrates how understanding cultural context and user needs can boost engagement. For example, its 2014 “Red Envelope” campaign leverages a traditional Chinese cultural practice to generate excitement and social sharing. This campaign’s success—five million participants and twenty million red envelopes sent—highlighted how blending cultural relevance with digital innovation can deepen user interaction and increase platform’s stickiness (Horwitz, 2014). Similarly, the introduction of services like the “Didi Taxi,” which integrated ride-hailing and payment functions, further embedded Weixin into users’ routines by satisfying practical mobility needs and encouraging habitual use of the platform’s financial services (Chen, 2014; Millward, 2014).

    The overarching lesson from Weixin’s success is the importance of embedding a social media product into daily routines. By making itself a part of everyday activities—whether commuting, shopping, or socializing—Weixin effectively fosters behavioral change and loyalty. Audience analysis, cultural relevance, and convenience are key factors in developing such integrated platforms (Terlouw, 2019). As social media marketers, understanding these elements can help shape products and campaigns that resonate deeply and become indispensable to users.

    From Tencent Youtube page

    References

    Barboza, D. (2014). Tencent’s Weixin is creating a new mobile economy in China. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/15/technology/tencent-china-mobile-economy.html

    Beldad, A., & Hegner, S. M. (2018). Effortful and effortless online decision making: The moderating role of familiar brands. Telematics and Informatics, 35(4), 796–806. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2018.02.002

    Chen, J. (2014). Weixin’s Didi Taxi: How Tencent is expanding its mobile ecosystem. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnchen/2014/10/23/weixins-didi-taxi-how-tencent-is-expanding-its-mobile-ecosystem/

    Horwitz, J. (2014). How WeChat’s red envelope campaign pumped up engagement. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-wechat-red-envelope-campaign-boosted-engagement-1390326794

    Li, Y. (2014). WeChat marketing strategies and success stories. Chinese Business Review, 13(3), 157–162.

    Millward, D. (2014). WeChat’s success in China: A case study. TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2014/09/16/wechat-china-trends/

    Terlouw, E. (2019). Embedding social media in daily routines: How digital habits develop. Journal of Digital & Social Media Marketing, 7(4), 319–328.

  • Breast Cancer Memes: A Reflection on Social Media Mobilization and Cyberactivism

    Cropped view of a multi-ethnic group of women of mixed ages standing together outdoors, wearing pink, at a breast cancer awareness rally, raising money to find a cure. They are each holding a breast cancer awareness ribbon. The focus is on their hands. Photo by Creator: kali9 | Credit: Getty Images

    Social media has revolutionized how individuals mobilize around causes, often leveraging the power of cyberactivism to spread awareness and generate support. Cyberactivism involves using online platforms to promote social issues or charitable causes, relying heavily on emotional appeals that resonate with users’ personal experiences and identities (Boulianne, 2015). While these digital campaigns can quickly go viral, their actual impact on real-world mobilization is often questionable. The appeal of sharing online activism lies partly in humans’ innate desire for social approval and to be associated with positive causes—sometimes simply by pressing a “like” button (Davis, 2010). However, this superficial engagement raises questions about whether viral campaigns translate into tangible action beyond the screen.

    Every October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month prompts numerous social media-driven campaigns aiming to increase public consciousness about the disease. One popular meme involved women changing their Facebook status to a color representing the bra they wore, encouraging men to interpret these cryptic messages (Albanesius, 2010). Such memes often playfully engage users while subtly raising awareness. Others, more sexually charged, asked women to update their statuses with phrases like “I like it on the floor,” or encourage women to guess certain personal details such as hair length or favorite places, all under the guise of supporting breast cancer awareness (Trussell, 2012). These memes’ virality stems from their engaging, personalized content; participants often feel good about contributing to a cause while sharing amusing or provocative messages.

    Despite their popularity, critics question whether these memes constitute genuine activism. While the Susan G. Komen Foundation reported increased interest following such campaigns (Stein, 2010), these messages rarely prompt concrete actions such as donations or volunteering. Instead, they often serve as fleeting social signals that do little to advance the cause or disseminate critical information about prevention and early detection. Moreover, sexualizing breast cancer campaigns can be controversial, as it may undermine the seriousness of the disease and exclude men, who are also affected—over 2,000 men were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012, and more than 400 men died from the disease that year (Komen, 2012). This disconnect highlights a fundamental issue: awareness campaigns should aim to educate and mobilize rather than entertain or sensationalize.

    Effective social media mobilization should prioritize actions that have a tangible impact, such as volunteering, donating, or advocating for policy change. Simple online actions like clicking a button are important, but they pale in comparison to physically engaging in activities that directly support those affected by breast cancer. For instance, volunteering at a treatment center or participating in fundraising events fosters deeper emotional connections and creates lasting change. These targeted, action-oriented strategies are more likely to convert online interest into meaningful support, especially within dedicated communities like breast cancer survivors and advocates.

    In conclusion, while viral memes can raise quick awareness and foster a sense of community, they often lack the direct impact necessary for lasting change. To truly support breast cancer initiatives, organizations should focus on campaigns that inspire real-world action—those that facilitate genuine engagement and tangible results. Social media remains a powerful tool, but its true potential lies in harnessing it to motivate substantive behaviors that can make a real difference in the fight against breast cancer.

    References

    Albanesius, C. (2010). Facebook’s pink ribbon: Breast cancer awareness memes go viral. The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com

    Boulianne, S. (2015). Social media use and participation: A meta-analysis of current research. Information, Communication & Society, 18(5), 524–538. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2015.1008542

    Davis, K. (2010). Why people share online: The social psychological factors behind viral campaigns. Social Media Studies, 22(3), 45-59.

    Komen. (2012). Breast cancer statistics. Susan G. Komen Foundation. https://www.komen.org

    Stein, S. (2010). Viral breast cancer memes and awareness: Do they work? Journal of Social Media & Health, 4(2), 112–119.

    Trussell, J. (2012). “Keep Them Guessing”: The Sexualization of Breast Cancer Campaigns. Journal of Digital Activism, 8(4), 231–244.

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    • Starting My Marketing Journey: A New Chapter

      Embarking on a new career path or skill development journey can be exciting and a little bit daunting. Today, I want to share how I began my marketing journey — what inspired me, the challenges I’ve faced, and what I hope to achieve.

      The Spark of Inspiration

      My interest in marketing ignited as I transitioned from over 20 years of service in the military to a new career path. Throughout my military career, I developed skills in leadership, strategic thinking, and effective communication, which I realized could be powerful in the world of marketing. I’ve always been fascinated by how brands connect with people, tell compelling stories, and build meaningful relationships.

      Additionally, I’ve had the privilege of supporting many nonprofits by helping them enhance their social media presence. Seeing how strategic, authentic messaging can raise awareness and drive action truly captivated me and deepened my passion for marketing. This new chapter is about blending my experience, skills, and passion to make a positive impact through strategic storytelling and engagement.

      First Steps

      Like any new adventure, I began by diving into research. I devoured articles, watched tutorials, and read success stories of marketing professionals to understand the landscape. To deepen my knowledge, I enrolled in a free Google course on digital marketing, which provided a solid foundation in essential strategies. Additionally, I took the step of enrolling in Southern New Hampshire University’s marketing program with a concentration in social media marketing. These educational opportunities are helping me build a strong understanding of the fundamentals—from content creation to audience engagement—and preparing me for the next phase of my marketing journey.

      Making My First Moves

      The best way to learn is by doing. I began experimenting with small projects, like creating my own social media pages or helping friends promote their businesses. Each step taught me something new about market research, branding, and audience engagement.

      Overcoming Challenges

      Starting out wasn’t always smooth. I faced hurdles like understanding analytics, staying consistent, and figuring out which marketing tools to prioritize. But every challenge helped me grow and pushed me to keep learning.

      Looking Ahead

      My goal is to continue building my skills, develop a diverse portfolio, and eventually work on impactful campaigns. I’m passionate about connecting brands with people and making a difference through marketing.

      Final Thoughts

      If you’re thinking about starting your own marketing journey, remember that every expert was once a beginner. Stay curious, be patient, and keep experimenting. The world of marketing is ever-evolving, and there’s always something new to learn.

      Thanks for reading about my beginnings! Stay tuned for updates on my progress and new projects.