A couple of years ago I was inspired by the Will It Blend videos on YouTube. For those of you who have never seen a Will It Blend video, this is the most viewed with nearly 6 million people seen it so far:
There’s a whole series of Will It Blend videos, where Blendtec (a manufacturer of blending machines) trial their latest high tech blenders on anything from golf balls to iPods, marbles to glow sticks. To view more of their videos visit Will It Blend videos on Youtube.
The videos are uniquely funny, but there’s a serious side to their success. They’ve been selling loads and loads of top quality blenders, because if these things can blend an iPhone then they should be able to cope with your fruit and vegetables.
The first week they added 4 videos to YouTube they sold more blenders that weekend, than the busiest month they’d ever had. Impressive stuff!!
So, back then when the Will It Blend videos were taking off, I was trying to think of something we could do to create a viral video for double glazed windows. We came up with the Break In Challenge series of videos. This example includes a macho Wing Commander trying to break through a uPVC window SAS style:
Hmmmmmm.
I can’t put my finger on it but this video just didn’t take off….with only about 3500 viewers since August 2007.
Maybe double glazing just isn’t sexy???
That’s what we thought, so we decided to spice up the Break In Challenge:
This video had better results with 30,000 viewers to date, but still a long way off the success of Will It Blend!
A bit of a failure for the amount of effort we put in. We clearly got the concept wrong.
So, is it just that double glazing is not interesting enough to create a viral video about? Saying that, who would have thought that blending machines could be interesting? I mean our industry is normally the butt of jokes, so there must be some way to create a viral video, and help sell more windows.
Any ideas?
It’s refreshing to see you attempt different marketing methods. That’s awesome.
If you can get it right then your brand awareness can spread like weeds!
You need a real viral element to it like:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4wGR4-SeuJ0
Funny, cult like videos.
Can’t wait to see your next one and make sure there is a next one just learn from this attempt
Sean
Hi Sean
Thanks for your comments. The Chad Vader video is good, but you need a full production crew to produce something like that.
Would need to do a low budget version.
RCG
Hi RCG,
Your efforts are to be applauded but … comic videos can be self defeating when the topic (security) is a serious one. Anyone can make a claim that their windows & doors are secure and so a “Safestyle” type advert hardly gives any credence where quality or security are concerned.
The video we obtained from BM Trada hardly makes good TV but seeing a higly engineered PVC patio door put through a tests that would literally blow all others to pieces was very impressive.
Third party referal or accreditation has always been a better way of demonstrating and creating confidence in a product; especially where security is concerned.
And to that end, who better than the Police to recommend your products?
We are attending the Police’s “Architectural Liason & Crime Prevention Design Advisor Development Training Conference” this year to exhibit the only Secured By Design PVC patio door in existance.
2 days advising the Police on our patio door and its benefits should result in 300 new Area Liason Officers promoting and specifying our products througout the UK!
New build and social housing contracts are already coming our way. This initiative is sure to massively increase our business – customers of Sliders UK have a lot to look forward to!!
The only funny video I want to see now is of my next holiday!
Ian
This is the best thing I have ever seen an I-Phone do!
They really are useless phones and a good example of how not to believe the hype on a product.
Apple products suck!
Hi Ian
Do you do you do a secured by design patio? I didn’t realise.
RCG
i dont know… yours just isn’t the same as blendtec’s virals. blendtec virals are more straight to the point where everything is shot in one camera shot and the “scientist” is looking at the camera talking to the viewers. The “scientist” seems like a mad-genius professional who designed the blendtec. He also uses the most hip items like the iphone, gps systems, and even a nissan gtr!
The second sexy commercial was sexy… but not viral. Notice how the girl wasn’t looking at the camera at all. So that one just seemed like a commercial rather than a viral. Would you pass that around?
Hi Rishi
I agree – we just didn’t manage to capture the interest and novelty of a Blendtec video.
If we can be bothered to try again, we’ll try be less like a commercial.
RCG