What makes a brand content go viral? While Google has some helpful answers marketers would agree that it is not as easy as following a step-by-step process. There is still an intangible element – a magic involved. Having said that, marketers and agencies are following a pattern, which is both a good and bad thing. The pattern I am talking about is this: brands have come to believe that the best way to get consumers talking about you is to produce great content – be it an ad, a Tweet or Facebook post. And if that content is based on a brand action (beyond just a claim) then even better. And the action must be relevant, unique and find a fit with the brand’s core messaging. A new film for Knorr scores on all these fronts.

I am not a regular conference goer, but have visited a few tech and advertising industry related conferences. I have also participated in a few as a speaker or panelist. Both as a visitor and as presenter I have left most conferences wishing they were executed better.

Pundits say that the key difference between the advertising of yesterday and today is one of ‘saying’ versus ‘doing’. For years brand said their piece (usually about how great they were) through one way communication. The creative execution embellished the proposition. If consumers did not find the communication endearing they could ignore it and if they liked it, they may mention it to friends. In today’s context, brands believe in going beyond mere claims and doing something relevant for the consumer. Such an act, if done well then gets the consumer to talk about the brand voluntarily in social media.

Clients have often asked ‘why is this creative idea true of only my brand and not my competitors?’ The attempt was to overcome mis-attribution and help the viewer believe that the messaging can only be true for the brand. The problem is that the product is usually never imbued with any significant differentiation (think of any consumer goods product) but the advertising is usually expected to do that job. The onus then is squarely on the strength of the creative idea.

Travel ads usually fall into two categories: ones which showcase the destination and the other which dramatise the flying experience. A new ad for Siberian brand, S7 takes on a refreshingly new approach. The ad showcases the destinations they travel too but not in a conventional way – the well known landmarks of the cities and countries are not highlighted. Yet the possibility of experiencing great sights in these destinations is brought out in an imaginative, engaging way.

Lots of good things about this campaign to promote Volvo’s XC90. Firstly, the idea emanates from the product. XC90 apparently has the cleanest engine performance in its class. It also has an air filtration system, CleanZone, that regulates the car’s interior air quality. The films are very unlike an automobile ad – in fact, there are no car shots at all. The quiet, unspoilt Swedish landscape acts as a metaphor for the engine performance.

‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ is a likely reaction to seeing Kevin Bacon promoting eggs on behalf of the American Egg Board. Just the association by name brings a smile and the copywriting takes it to another level of entertainment. Always nice to see clever, witty copywriting in advertising.

The new ‘Play with Oreo’ campaign is a dream come true for marketers as far as the central creative idea goes. It is rooted in the product, the product is the hero, cannot be mistaken for any other brand and what’s more leads to a lot of creative possibilities.