An interteresting (and I think astute) observation of online marketing trends is Mitch Joel’s Viral in Viral Marketing theory:
Stage One will be if the original creation takes hold, but the true worth of value will be Stage Two: defined by how many new iterations are created out of the original and how far and wide those spin-offs spread.
Well, there’s plenty of hype about the iPhone — that’s no secret. But what happens when mainstream media starts parodying online viral hype? Is it an indication of the campaign’s success? Does it simply show how absurd online campaigns can become? Or does it demonstrate just how truly fearful that the mainstream media is of the new media — both on the hardware and software front?
I think that it’s probably just symptomatic of TV writers surfing the net for new ideas when they’re all tapped out.
Video via Yes But No But Yes.