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Library/Music/United Breaks Guitars
Grade B17 sourcesHIS-01608

United Breaks Guitars

Music · 2009 · Viral

65Editable slideCertificate

Dave Carroll’s airline complaint video drew 4.6 million YouTube views by the end of July.

Original · Dave Carroll / sonsofmaxwell
Clip · Taylor Guitars on YouTube
Clip · sonsofmaxwell on YouTube
Clip · sonsofmaxwell on YouTube
United Breaks Guitars: cover art
Wikipedia (non-free, fair use)
United Breaks Guitars
sonsofmaxwell on YouTube
Official cover of Carroll’s book United Breaks Guitars, from the author’s book page
Dave Carroll / Hay House
United Breaks Guitars Song 2
sonsofmaxwell on YouTube
Singer of "United Breaks Guitars" to Visit Taylor Guitars Factory | Taylor Guitars Blog
Taylor Guitars
Taylor Guitars Responds to "United Breaks Guitars"
Taylor Guitars on YouTube
United Breaks Guitars Song 3 - "United We Stand" on the Right Side of Right
sonsofmaxwell on YouTube

Spread Score

How it works
ReachNo data yetContagion65Breadth60Velocity73LongevityNo data yet65

Numbers

Seed to peak proxy
4 days
Jul 6 ’09 to Jul 10 ’09
Platforms
6
Started on YouTube
Origin
Seeded
Auto & mobility

Mechanics

  • UnderdogPrimary
  • Maker origin
  • Platform jump
  • Press loop
  • Controversy

How it spread

Trace the origin

Carroll posted a song about his damaged guitar after United rejected his claim. Friends, blogs and broadcasters carried it beyond YouTube. United offered compensation and donated to a music school; Taylor offered a replacement and repair help.

Proxy date; not a directly measured attention peak.

Jun ’09AugSepNovFeb ’10JunNovJun ’11NovJun ’12YouTubePressXOpen webTVAudio
YouTubePressXOpen webTVAudio

13 more events on this chart

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Timeline (16)

  1. July 2009

    Dave Carroll / sonsofmaxwell seed · Jul 6 ’09

    Carroll posted the first United Breaks Guitars music video.[1][2]

    United Breaks Guitars
    Open the first post ↗

  2. Los Angeles Times press · Jul 7 ’09

    The Los Angeles Times covered the song and United’s response.[1]

  3. Carroll’s friends / United Airlines platform jump · Jul 7 ’09

    Friends shared the video on Twitter, where United said it had contacted Carroll to make things right.[3][4]

  1. platform jump · Jul 7 ’09

  2. owner response · Jul 8 ’09

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Why it worked

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  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3

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Origin
Seeded
Sector
Auto & mobility
Region
CA
Reported figure
—
Evidence
Grade B

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