Unless you have been sleeping under a rock for the past 2 days or don't know the web address of the World's biggest social networks like Facebook and Twitter, (Warning: Don't forget the dotcom at the end of the url) you must have at least noticed, that is if you are not already taking part, the trend/craze about a Nigerian civil defense commandants blunders in a TV interview where he did not even know the web address of his organisation's website and answers tough questions with "I don't want to say one thing and then My Oga At The Top will say another"
So what I'm sure most did not realize or see while they were having fun mocking Oga commandant, was the business opportunity and lessons every viral event like this comes with. So I want to open your eyes and discuss a few ways you can learn and take advantage of such events.
(1) If it is popular, make and sell merchandise fast!
I am really impressed by how fast Nigerian made T-Shirts with the My "Oga At The Top Meme" and began selling them in just less than 2 days from the beginning of the craze. If something is popular, you might as well monetize it.
(2) Piggybacking on a trend.
When people are already laughing at something, it is easy to give it a little twist and even get more people laughing. So if you can be imaginative and creatively insert your brand without messing up the flow or the fun, you got yourself some free marketing because people will share as long as your variation of the joke is also funny.
(3) Influence is everything.
I noticed that a lot of people were using some of the pictures as their twitter or blackberry messenger display photos and making tweets, Facebook status updates and bbm personal message updates with the MyOgaAtTheTop jokes without actually watching the video. Well, this is actually what makes a trend, when it influences people and they don't even care what started it and why it is done, they just wanna be part of it. Following wisdom of the crowd.
This means if you are looking to start a trend for your brand or anything, start by putting an effort to seed influencers. If a few of them follow, the crowd would follow. Identify influential people on a topic or market before you start a trend and make sure the a participants in it.
(4) How things go viral.
Things go viral when they are funny or amazing and interactive. That Is All! ;)
People share something with their friends if the thing is funny or amazing. But if you want your little funny or amazing experiment to really blow and go viral, make it interactive. Let people mess around a bit with it by customizing it, editing parts of it and even more. Makes people feel like they have vested interest in the trend and promote the message for you.
THAT IS ALL! :)
So tell us what have you observed or learned from Nigerians with this latest trend? I'll be reading the comments and discussing further with you in the comments area. Cheers!
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