In the U.S., branded content and entertainment has become a requisite element of most client briefs, usually in the form of a daunting question: “Can you make a viral video for us?” This seemingly innocent question is far more difficult than it appears on the surface, particularly for any brand without a pre-existing footprint in the digital content space. Those brands don’t have an audience ready to consume its content the minute it hits YouTube. The precedent is bleak from a statistical standpoint as well, with less than half of branded videos getting more than 1,000 views (Pixability, August 2013), not even close to anything one would consider “viral.” However, there are clues for any brand looking to break into the space. Videos that have had viral success typically fall into three broad categories—humor, extreme stunts, and inspiration. Beyond that, brands that have had success accumulating views are those that publish a lot of content, both to increase the opportunity for views and to learn about what most resonates with their audience. These learnings allow brands to hone their content for better results the next time around.

“How do you KFC?” was our call to action. We used the #HowDoYouKFC hashtag to launch a content platform, a 24/7 party for all KFC fans. And everyone was invited to join in. To get this party started, we produced dozens of KFC online films, Vines and Instagrams. Instead of creating another corporate ad campaign, we started a social movement. Suddenly fans were sharing their love for KFC. Every piece of user-generated content tagged with #HowDoYouKFC in any social media was displayed on our website. The more interesting the content, the more attention it got in the growing #HowDoYouKFC platform.

- Just 2 months after the campaign launch, KFC pushed past McDonald’s and Taco Bell to become the most viewed and social brand in the fast food category. (source Unruly Media)

- Nearly 5 million Facebook fans were added

- Over 1,000% increase on YouTube subscribers

- Over 275 million people were reached on Twitter

- Visits to the kfc.com store locator page doubled

- 3.8% sales increase, helping to reverse a yearlong sales decline