We love watching viral videos but just exactly how effective are they? Although the number of views accumulated is pleasing to see, it does not necessarily translate to sales.
Evian’s viral roller babies video hit YouTube and Time‘s top chart last year, accumulating more than 100 million views (as the company claims). However, the financial side of the story suggests otherwise, with Evian experiencing a 28% dip in sales in 2009. On a fair note, the recession in recent years has been detrimental to businesses, especially to those that are selling products at a premium.
Effective?
Nonetheless, this campaign has done a great job in reaching the mass at minimal cost.
So, would sales have been worse without it?
It’s always a challenge to measure ROI [sales ÷ investment]. We know exactly the cost to produce a campaign but how should one accurately attribute changes in sales to it? It’s tough because consumers have erratic buying behavior and motivation.
Have Evian’s sales slipped more or less than its competitors? Has it gained branding awareness? Perhaps these questions could help to answer the effectiveness of its entire 2009 marketing campaign better.
Sadly, measuring the monetary ROI of the viral ad alone is most of the time impossible.
