The viral video is one of the most powerful tools in marketing today. But getting a marketing video to go viral is exceptionally difficult. The video has to have quirky content, mass appeal and must strike a chord with millions of people. If you can come up with a clever ad that ticks all the boxes, you might just achieve viral success. Whether by luck or by design, here are 5 of the most successful adverts that have gone viral in 2013.

1. Dove: Real Beauty

The Dove Real Beauty Sketches advert has been one of the most successful viral marketing adverts in 2013. The advert was first shown in April, and since then, it has been shared across a variety of social media channels over 4 million times. That Makes it one of the most successful campaigns ever. Real Beauty is a simple short film about how people view themselves and how others view them. The video comes with a positive message and its great to see that it has struck a nerve and reached a huge audience around the world.

2. GEICO Hump Day

GEICO Hump Day is a hilarious commercial that achieved massive success thanks to viral sharing. It first hit the internet in May and, like the Dove commercial, clocked up more than 4 million shares across social sites. The advert featured a talking camel annoying office workers with conversations about ‘Hump Day’ and ended with a wonderfully random shot two guys playing guitar. Whilst it had little to do with what GEICO actually does (it sells car insurance, if you’re not sure), the advert was a huge hit and a big win for the brand.

3. Evian: Baby and Me

Evian is no stranger to viral video campaigns, and this year’s follow up to the record breaking Baby on Roller Skates advert also went viral. The Baby and Me advert continues the winning theme of cute babies doing funny things. How could anyone resist it? The Baby and Me advert showed adults dancing in front of a mirrored window and seeing the reflection of themselves as babies. The advert has made the best of an already established theme and has reached over 3 million viewers since its release in April.

4. Kmart: Ship My Pants

Kmart’s comedy advert first hit the internet in April this year went on to reach 3 million shares. The Kmart Ship My Pants advert featured a variety of people spouting the risque “ship my pants” tagline in succession. The video was a great way to advertise one of Kmart’s new services and get the message out to millions while raising a few wry smiles along the way. On YouTube, this video has now been viewed more than 20 million times.

5. Cornetto: Yalin

The Cornetto advert, Yalin, comes in fifth with just under 3 million shares (the bulk of them in Turkey). This video tells a story of young love and its struggles. The video was set to a romantic song and followed a young girl and boy who are in love, despite the disapproval of the girl’s mother.

Using Video in Marketing

These examples show a how a level of creativity in marketing can be used to speak to vastly different audiences around the world in truly massive numbers. All you need is that one killer idea to create the next big viral success story.