Viral marketing campaigns: Mystery & lore

Cases
60
Median Spread Score
44
Most started on
YouTube28%
First post to peak
3 days

By mechanic

All380Controversy154Newsjacking140Response chain110Transgression108Real-world spectacle75Pairing74Mystery & lore60Scarcity drop49Visible in use46Creator relay41Identity badge29Challenge26Maker origin18Underdog17Political adoption16Sell-out loop16Remixable template15Shareable output13Revival11Brand pile-on9Fandom mobilisation7Dupe economy6

Just One Cornetto (ReMAXed)

62
Susan Boyle on Instagram: "#ad | Well… it Boyled over 🔥 I couldn’t keep you all waiting – Just One is yours. Two icons back for summer. The @cornettouki track you know and love, reMAXed with the…

4.6B impressions

Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 1

62
Grand Theft Auto VI Trailer 1

268M views

Solo Stove: Snoop Goes Smokeless

61
I’m giving up smoke.

19.5B impressions

Mr. Clean retires

59
"Congrats, Damon! With your impressive degree, you can now do PR for laundry and cleaning products!” While that might not have been the most aspirational job offer I received, I’d say it’s…

21M views

IHOb

57
For 60 pancakin’ years, we’ve been IHOP. Now, we’re flippin’ our name to IHOb. Find out what it could b on 6.11.18. #IHOb

42.5B impressions

Someday

55
Pedro Pascal in Apple’s Someday film, from the agency’s ADC Awards entry.

40M views

McDonald’s: WcDonald’s

55
WcDonald’s manga takeout bag

6B impressions

Dundee: The Son of a Legend Returns Home

53
DUNDEE: The Son Of A Legend Returns Home (2018) Official Movie Teaser Trailer #1

9.2B impressions

e.l.f. Judge Beauty

53
In e.l.f we Trust | e.l.f Cosmetics Game Day Commercial 2024

105B impressions

Heinz: #FindTheKetchupBoatGuy

53
Heinz on Instagram: "To whoever finds this message, We need your help tracking down an amazing man with an amazing story. You may remember Elvis Francois as the brave sailor who survived on nothing…

3.7B impressions

CeraVe: Michael CeraVe

53
Guys run to this pharmacy in BK, I just saw MICHAEL CERA signing bottles!! 😳😳😳I'm a #ceravepartner, and I'm asking @CeraVe what is going ON #nyc #fyp #celebritysighting

32B impressions

Duolingo kills Duo the owl

52
an important message from Duolingo

1.7B impressions

Grand Train Tour of Switzerland: The Ride of a Lifetime

52
Grand Train Tour of Switzerland: The ride of a lifetime | Switzerland Tourism

872M impressions

Netflix: Alcaraz Signs

50
Who/what/where/when? “N” 🖊️ @carlosalcaraz @BNPPARIBASOPEN

1.2B impressions

Nike: The Switch

50
Nike’s body-swap football film starring Cristiano Ronaldo, directed by Ringan Ledwidge.

65M views

Orange: WoMen's Football

50
Vous avez aimé cette vidéo ? Et bien surprise surprise, c'est du football féminin. Regardez et attendez la 45e seconde : contre-pied parfait, allez les Bleues !

2B impressions

Burger King Whopper Detour

48
Whopper Detour print creative changed a restaurant sign to Billions Swerved.

3.5B impressions

Doja Cat's Mexican Pizza Jingle

48
Doja Cat’s TikTok rap about Taco Bell’s discontinued Mexican Pizza.

1K derivatives

Facebook Marketplace: Yes, Couch!

48
MOJO SUPERMARKET on Instagram: "Did we put the couch from Jeremy Allen White’s much-discussed photoshoot on Facebook Marketplace? Yes, chef. 👀 Link in Bio!!"

2.7B impressions

Fiat Operation No Grey

48
FIAT | Waiting for… operation No Grey

10.2M views

AVAVAV Fake It Till You Break It

47
Avavav on Instagram: "AW23 - ‘Fake it til you break it’ Creative director - @beate.karlsson Film director - @danielhallberg Photographer - @petroli0 Videographer - @leo.casalini Mua -…

128.1M views

Coors Light: Case of the Mondays

47
Coors Light Chill Face Roller holding a beer can.

12.8B impressions

Ford Capri: The Legend…Is Back

47
Miles Myerscough-Harris | Expired Film Club on Instagram: "Shooting 35mm film during the opening game of @EURO2024 at a German Bierkeller 🎞️🍻 the German fans went mad! Do you like the results?…

1B impressions

Merge Mansion: Pedro Pascal

46
A Twisted Game, a mockumentary ad with Pedro Pascal as Detective Tim Rockford.

1B impressions

Monobank’s “Hunt for Lemons”

46
Netflix Ukraine on Instagram: "лимони всюдиииии 😌🍋"

25M impressions

First Look at Nintendo Switch

46
Nintendo’s video introduced Switch through scenes of TV, handheld and multiplayer play.

Peaked at #1

BMW Zeus & Hera

45
Zeus & Hera (Official Video)

5.2B impressions

Coldplay's Game of Thrones: The Musical

45
Coldplay's Game of Thrones: The Musical (Full 12-minute version)

Peaked at #1

Duolingo on Ice

45
Introducing Duolingo On Ice!

97M impressions

Budweiser: Lost Dog

44
A Budweiser commercial about a lost puppy and the Clydesdales that came to its aid.

Peaked at #1

Doja Cat Eats MAC Lipstick at the VMAs

43
NOT DOJA EATING HER OWN LIPSTICK LMFAOOO THIS DIVA😭😭😭 #VMA

9.5M views

Surprise! Four Secret Novels by Brandon Sanderson

43
It's Time to Come Clean — Brandon Sanderson

1.2M views

Amazon Finds a Way

42
Special delivery... #AmazonFindsAWay #JurassicWorld

50.8M impressions

Peloton Let Yourself Go with Hudson Williams

42
Ashley Woodfolk (@ashwrites) on Threads

20M views

Gucci Twinsburg

41
The Gucci Twinsburg Fashion Show

Peaked at #6

IKEA x Chupa Chups meatball lollipop

40
IKEA UK on Instagram: "We heard you like Swedish candy 🍭 So here’s the sweetest mashup no one asked for, but everyone will want to taste!"

25M impressions

Buster the Boxer

39
John Lewis Christmas Advert 2016 - #BusterTheBoxer

22K sold

Duolingo x NIKI: Backburner

39
Platform taps NIKI for Gen Z language campaign

58M impressions

Heinz: Every Sauce

38
INTRODUCING… Every Sauce ✨ A holy grail of sauces that includes not one, not two, but 14 Heinz sauces! 🤯 The catch, only 100 bottles exist and the only way to get one is to win! Tap the link below…

220M impressions

Caverna do Dragão: O Retorno

38
A live-action Renault ad gave the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon a homecoming in a Kwid Outsider.

1B impressions

Vim Black for Men

38
Is this a joke?

330M impressions

Pickle's Back

37
Megan Thee Stallion & Nickelback - Pickle’s Back [Official Music Video]

4M impressions

Diesel x Durex condom mountain

37
Diesel on Instagram: "A very big D. The #DieselFW23 runway show set revealed a mountain of 200,000 condom boxes as part of a partnership with @durex . In the Diesel and Durex spirit of individual…

Škoda x Zepto: Ten-Minute Test Drives

37
Zepto on Instagram: "Humare pass mixer hai, phone hai, tablet hai, aur abb… Coming soon on 8th Feb! #SkodaIndia #SkodaIndiaNewEra #LetsExplore"

100M impressions

Uber Eats: Football is for Food

36
Football is for Food | Uber Eats

40M impressions

Lulumelon EOSS

35
Lulumelon Official on Instagram: "The biggest shopping extravaganza of the year is here! Get crazy daels on the latest trends and up your style with the Lulumelon End of Season Sale. Shop now!…

28M impressions

Specsavers van on a bollard

35
Should have gone to... Oh, wait

150M impressions

In Plain Slate

34
#slateyourstory #openinfluence #automarketing #influencermarketing #brandlaunch | Gem Garcin

Duo’s Sumo Showdown

32
【大切なご報告】

90M impressions

LEGO Tuxedo Cat Launch

32
Post by @LEGO_Group on X

14.4M impressions

Addison Rae x Lucky Brand

31
Official launch imagery showing Addison Rae wearing the Ultra Low Rise Flare.

1B impressions

L’Oréal Paris CGI lipstick car

31
L'Oréal Paris Official on Instagram: "Fasten your seatbelt and prepare to make a bold entrance with our Infaillible Matte Resistance liquid lipstick! Elevate your lip-game to a whole new level with…

3.5M views

Manforce DOT AI

31
Manforce Condoms on Instagram: "Introducing the new era of pleasure and protection with the world’s first AI-powered condom - Manforce DOT AI. Coming Soon. #ManforceDotAI #TheFutureOfPleasure…

CRED: Being Ravi Shastri Is Fun

30
Don't remember any of this.

1.5M views

Goop: The Diapér

28
goop on Instagram: "Meet The Diapér. Our new disposable diaper lined with virgin alpaca wool and fastened with amber gemstones, known for their ancient emotional-cleansing properties. Infused with a…

150M impressions

K18 Tumblehair

28
answering commonly asked questions about the K18 Hair Tumblehair: — the scale wasn’t arbitrary! Measuring 10’ in diameter and comprised of more than 167B human and synthetic hairs, the TumbleHair… |…

Specsavers: The Misheard Version

28
Rick Astley playing guitar in the studio, from Tangerine’s campaign case study.

Leadway’s “No Looseguard”

20
Leadway's 'No Looseguard' campaign: An interview with Diana Mulili | Leadway posted on the topic | LinkedIn

Mailchimp: Did You Mean Mailchimp?

18
MailShrimp outdoor advertisement from Did You Mean Mailchimp. Contemporary campaign creative preserved in creator portfolio.

NHS Missing Type

0
Downing Street sign with its O removed for Missing Type. 2015 campaign activation photograph republished in a retrospective.

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