What better way to reach millions of turned-on and tuned-in geeks than to make guest appearances in videos of more than a dozen of the best-known YouTube channels? Clever old Weezer.
YouTube Inspired
Weezer have a strong connection to YouTube, in the same way OK Go do. Both bands have used YouTube to grow their audiences and build on their existing fanbase.
OK Go saw their popularity explode when their fantastic music video for Here It Goes Again went viral. And they’ve since tried to manufacture a repeat of that first organic success. Weezer, meanwhile, featured a host of YouTube stars in its music video for Pork and Beans back in 2008.
However, Weezer’s new effort, which the band itself is calling “the YouTube Invasion,” goes beyond anything we’ve seen before. It’s a truly mammoth viral video advertising effort in order to promote new album Hurley.
Weezer’s YouTube Invasion
This week has seen Weezer launch a YouTube Invasion to promote new album Hurley. The band have appeared in specially-made videos of more than a dozen of the most-watched and best-regarded YouTube channels.
We’re talking YouTube entities that have crossed over to the mainstream, including Tay Zonday, Fred Figglehorn, the Annoying Orange, and Auto-Tune The News.
Filming took place over two days in August, with the band allowing the YouTube talent to dictate what part they would play in the video. Some are naturally better than others, but collectively they add up to a viral video campaign that will be seen by millions of people.
Conclusions
Viral video advertising efforts are becoming more involved and intricate all the time. It’s now no longer OK just to throw a video on YouTube and expect it to spread around the Web.
Weezer’s YouTube Invasion follows hot on the heels of viral campaigns by Old Spice and Tippex. I wonder who’ll be next?
[Via WSJ]
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