Research into Viral Adverts | Amber Smales

Viral Marketing/Advertising is a marketing technique that uses social media services and other technologies in order to advertise a brand, product or a service. In recent years this marketing technique has become more common due to the popularity increase in social media sites and apps. Viral marketing can be through word of mouth or through companies paying for advertisements to appear online. For low-budget films viral marketing is very accessible as it doesn't always cost money. Therefore, it is a way for films to get more recognition without the company actually advertising it. However, big Hollywood companies have taken advantage of the power of viral marketing as well as their large brand name in order for adverts to be made for online.


The film 'The Dark Knight Rises' by Christipher Nolan used a viral marketing technique in order to get fans excited for the final Batman film in the trilogy. Warner Brothers announced that in order for fans to see the trailer they would have to help the Gotham Police Department locate Batman by finding the graffiti of white bats in cities all around the world. Once they had found the bats they would then have to post a photo of it onto social media with the #TDKR07202012. For every photo of graffiti that was posted onto Twitter a frame of the trailer was released. In just under 24 hours the full trailer was released. The marketing technique was named a success.