When I was reading Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook, I was trying to think of one online marketing campaign that is most memorable to me in recent years, and that’s when Kony 2012 came to my mind.
Launched in March 2012, this campaign and online short film are part of a grass roots effort to raise awareness of Joseph Kony, the leader of the Ugandan guerrilla group Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), who has committed numerous war crimes, including the ordering the abduction of children to be used as soldiers. Kony 2012 advocates for an international effort to seek his arrest.
One of the most interesting aspects of the campaign is the sheer volume of conversations it has sparked globally. The number of articles, blog posts, news reports, verbal debates and social media conversations about Kony has turned the audience’s attention to the issue, which is exactly what the campaign set out to do.
The viral spread of the campaign has also ensured widespread popularity on social media. Here are the stats one week after the release of the video:
- 370,729 followers on Twitter,
- 3 million fans on Facebook,
- 2 million plays on Vimeo, and
- 43,354,020 million views on Youtube and 2,246,157 subscribers to Invisible Children’s Youtube channel.
The video itself was well made and it was almost impossible not to be moved by it. It is, and will most likely remain for a long time, one of the most brilliant demonstrations of the power of digital media, and of how to get your message heard.
Besides the high quality of the video, there are some other lessons that can be learned from this campaign.
- Know your audience
Any marketing strategy needs a clearly defined target. This requires knowing who your audience is, where they are, and what motivates them. A through understanding of these factors will allow you to make informed decisions about your campaign and to maximize the benefits of each platform. Invisible Children has a solid grasp of their target, American youth. Teens and college students with deep convictions and a mastery of social channels are an excellent source of momentum in an online campaign. Viral spreading of information is crucial for Kony 2012. The goal of the campaign is to make Joseph Kony and his crimes with the LRA infamous. Invisible Children hope his newfound notoriety will lead to his capture in 2012. By using a 30-minute video that presents the conflict in Uganda in simple (as some have argued, oversimplified) terms, the message has been quickly communicated. With supporting social media tactics it was easy to share from the start–creating millions of campaign evangelists in a matter of days.
Within days of the launch, the hashtag, #Kony2012, was a nationally trending topic on Twitter, Facebook statuses reflected support for the movement, and profile pictures and wallpaper images were changed to crimson “Stop Kony” digital posters. The campaign aligned itself with a desirable identity–a young activist who is passionate about the world–and used it to quickly gain popularity via social channels.
- Use key thought leaders to spread the message
Invisible Children launched the video by targeting “Culture Makers.” Twenty celebrities and 12 policy makers were identified on the website, and supporters were encouraged to tweet at each one about Kony 2012. Celebrities who responded by tweeting further included Rihanna, Ryan Seacrest, Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift. Day 1 of the launch saw 66,000 views. However, it was Oprah Winfrey’s tweet to her 10 million followers that broke the one million-view mark on Day 2. By the end of the first week of its launch, the video had received more than 70 million views.
Not every brand can rely on celebrity sponsorship. However, every target demographic has key influencers, and almost all of them are on social media. A “grass roots” approach to digital word-of-mouth marketing requires discovering which bloggers, experts, and public figures your audience is listening to, and attempt engage them first. Creating brand ambassadors out of established figures lends legitimacy to your message and gives your campaign viral wings.
- Reach for a global appeal
One of the biggest selling points the Kony 2012 campaign has is that it appeals to a global audience. As a piece of content it speaks to every individual in every country because it covers an issue that everyone in the world can relate to: the safety of children.
As a brand and as a marketer the question you will be faced with is “how can our web video appeal to a global audience?” Admittedly creating a video that appeals to the entire world isn’t easy, but what you can do is create a video that appeals to “your” audience in “your” world.
For any marketer the audience they care about (the audience that is their “world”), is their target audience. That target audience is who your video will impact the most and achieve the goals you have set out to achieve through your Internet video marketing strategy.
In order to appeal to that demographic you need to know two things; the goal of your video and what makes your audience tick. Traditionally determining your goal is the easy part, but finding out what makes your audience tick can sometimes be a bit tricky.
The audience need to enjoy and appreciate your video otherwise the chances of it being shared online and engaged with are very slim. Research the habits of your audience through social listening tools. Try to find out what are they talking about, what they need help with and what would they like to see from your company and your niche. This will help you to generate content ideas that are very appealing to your audience.
- Give your audience calls to actions
While teens aren’t being told to physically pursue Kony themselves, they have been given a clear call to action outside the virtual realm. Fans became activists by purchasing “Action Kits” that included a t-shirt, posters, bracelets, stickers, buttons and an “Action Guide.” The half a million action kits sold out almost immediately.
A digital tool, the LRA Crisis Tracker website, was created to keep people engaged with the campaign and provide a source of ongoing information. The tracker displays a map and real-time updates on the movements of the Lord’s Resistance Army, including sightings, abductions and deaths. The website is also outfitted with a donation button and a mobile app, so activists can access the LRA Crisis Tracker at any time from any location.
A brand can tweet, blog and post Facebook messages all day, but if there’s no incentive for consumer interaction, there won’t be any. Decide what kind of response defines success for your campaign–whether it’s getting people to talk about your brand, buy a product, or share their experiences. Be sure to include a call to action when appropriate, such as asking fans an open question (not one that can be answered with “yes” or “no”), or urging them to share your message in a unique way. In addition, incorporating creative tools or apps that display your brand identity can be an excellent way to keep interested customers connected.
References
Cummings, S. (2012, March 15). 9 Marketing Lessons from “Kony 2012” Retrieved November 9, 2015, from http://blogs.imediaconnection.com/blog/2012/03/15/9-marketing-lessons-from-kony-2012/
Frith, J. (2012, March 16). Viral marketing – a lesson from Kony 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2015, from http://www.marketingmag.com.au/blogs/viral-marketing-a-lesson-from-kony-2012-11863/
Havard, A. (2012, March 8). 3 Golden Viral Video Marketing Lessons To Learn From Kony 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2015, from http://www.skeletonproductions.com/blog/learning-zone/video-marketing-tips/3-golden-viral-video-marketing-lessons-to-learn-from-kony-2012/
Kony 2012 [Motion picture]. (2012). USA: Invisible Children.
Planb, A. (2012, April 3). What Your Brand Can Learn from Kony 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2015, from http://socialogicmarketing.com/2012/04/03/what-your-brand-can-learn-from-kony-2012
6 Responses to How did Kony 2012 go viral?