The top May 2016 viral marketing ideas highlights the ways in which brands are leveraging consumer behavior on social media in order to deliver campaigns that truly resonate.
Beecher's Fault, an indie rock band based in Queens, recently released a music video almost entirely shot using Snapchat lenses. The innovative concept was used for their single, 'Like Cartoons,' while the band fittingly used the animated Snapchat lenses to illustrate this theme.
Separately, in a unique Snapchat-inspired print ad, National Geographic recently used face-swapping technology to drive home a message about learning about the world we live in. The clever campaign is an example of a pattern in viral marketing that can also serve as inspiration for an offline concept that grabs the attention of consumers.
Top 20 Viral Marketing Ideas in May
20
VR Kitchen Simulators
IKEA's Virtual Reality Kitchen Experience Introduces Dream Kitchens
19
Gold Star Snapchat Lenses
This Starbucks Snapchat Lens Marks the Launch of a New Loyalty System
18
Narrative Experiential Tv Campaigns
This Mr Robot Campaign Sent Fans Hunting for Hidden Cash Drops
17
Face Swap Advertisements
These National Geographic Face Swap Photos Encourage Learning
16
Social Media Coloring Books
'Color Me Book' Turns Instagram Pictures into Adult Coloring Books
15
Integrated Social Racing Campaigns
This New Nascar Campaign Incorporates Twitter and Snapchat
14
Utility Vehicle Snapchat Campaigns
The Jeep Snapchat Campaign Encourages User-Generated Content
13
Snapchat Television Revivals
The Cribs Snapchat Series Will See the Relaunch of the MTV Hit
12
Ephemeral App-Install Campaigns
Cookie Jam is the First to Roll-Out App-Install Ads on Snapchat
11
Integrated March Madness Campaigns
This Allstate Campaign Includes Real-time Tweets and Snapchats
10
Instagram-Inspired TV Ads
This TV Advertisement from Menlook is Constructed of Instagram Photos
9
Social Media Custom Stickers
Snapchat Purchases Bitstrips for Personalized Comic Creations
8
Commemorative Social Media Filters
Snapchat's Purple Rain Filter Serves as a Tribute to Prince
7
Messaging App Music Videos
Beecher's Fault's Snapchat Music Video Makes Use of Popular Filters
6
Stamp-Collecting Soda Campaigns
'Coke ON' Challenges Fans to Collect Stamps for Free Drinks
5
Political Geofilter Ads
The Bernie Sanders Snapchat Geofilter Was a Paid Ad on NYC Primary Day
4
Off-Road Exploration Campaigns
Audi's 'Catch the Unseen' Inspires People to Visit Remote Places
3
Celeb Gloss Music Videos
Kylie Jenner Premiered a Music Video to Announce Her New Nude Lip Glosses
2
Social Media Mail Deliveries
Project GramGram Sends Social Media Messages to Grandma's Mailbox
1
Social Sports Livestreams
NFL Fans Can Now Livestream Thursday Night Football on Twitter
Related Ideas
Nostalgic Winter Intimates Campaigns
SKIMS' Holiday Campaign Was Inspired by Vintage Magazines
Social App-Connected Smartglasses
The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses Can Now Post onto Instagram
AI-Lead Car Ads
Ford Launched an AI Campaign Dubbed 'Be Surreal, Be Ford'
Retro Mascara Kits
Maybelline's Sky High Mascara PR Kit is Styled Like a Brick Cell Phone
Halloween-Inspired Pretzel Campaigns
Snyder’s of Hanover Debuts the 'Pretzelface' Campaign
Ingenious De-Influencing Ads
Cuyana's De-Influencing April Fool's Campaign Highlights Greenwashing
GenAI Flip Phone Campaigns
Motorola's Styled with Moto Features AI-Generated Virtual Models
Gen Z IRL Campaigns
Hinge's Phonebook Encourages Gen Z to Connect IRL for Global Day of Unplugging
Uplifting Social Media Campaigns
Optimism Your Feed Helps Social Media Users Retrain the Algorithm
Viral Social Shopping Apps
The Claim App Helps Gen Z and Brands Authentically Discover One Another
Athlete-Backed Shoe Campaigns
Nike Released Awaken Your Madness with International Soccer Players
Illustrative 420 Campaigns
Vizie Unveils His Latest Work for Grassroots' 420 Campaign
In-Game Billboard Advertising
Gameloft Enables Partners to Advertise Natively in its Games
Purposeful Consumer-Focused Campaigns
IKEA's Sleepfluencers Campaign is a Clever Way to Give Back
Advanced Social Advertising Tools
Invoca is Now Integrated with Pinterest, Snapchat, & TikTok
Age-Appropriate Skincare Campaigns
Dove's #TheFaceof10 Addresses Unsafe Gen Alpha Skincare
Versatile Hot Honey Campaigns
Mike's Hot Honey Launches the 'You'll Love It with Mike's' Campaign
AI Food Photography Apps
MenuSnap Helps Restaurants Capture, Edit & Optimize Images
Humorous Payment Campaigns
Paypal's Latest Campaign Features Actor Will Ferrell
Inspiring Leftover Ads
Hellmann's Mayo Cat Super Bowl Ad Uses Mayonnaise to Fight Food Waste
Seasonal Phone Booth Activations
Spotify's Q4 is Calling Urges Brands to Start Holiday Advertising
Interactive In-Store Ads
Visibubble Brings Mobile Messaging Capabilities to Store Shelves
Gen Z-Centric Campaigns
Urban Outfitters' Shift Happens Campaign Has Three Phases
Iconic Character-Inspired Campaigns
Etsy's Christmas Ad Celebrates Personalized Gifting
Convention-Challenging AC Campaigns
Samsung's WindFree Ad Stars a Savvy Grandma-Fluencer
Gen Z Hotline Campaigns
Simply Spiked's 'Peach Responsibly' Campaign Addresses Generational Gaps
Provocative AR Campaigns
NotCo's 'Not So Happy Animals' Presents Food Logos in a New Light
Gen Alpha Marketing Campaigns
Claire's is Targeting TikTok Growth for its Latest Ads Spending
Offbeat Fashion Campaigns
ASOS 'Inspired By' Delivers Non-Traditional Inspiration to Style-Seekers
Young Travellers-Targeting Campaigns
Progressive Insurance Has Introduced a New Campaign
Craveable Soda Packaging
Sprite is Reviving Its Obey Your Thirst Campaign for a New Generation
Marketer-Targeted Cereal Ads
Surreal's Out-of-Home Campaign Speaks to Marketers, Not Consumers
Data-Driven QSR Campaigns
Burger King's BK Unwrapped Reveals Customers' 2024 Ordering Preferences
Quirky Athlete-Centric Mayo Campaigns
Hellmann's New 'Mayotivations Campaign' Features Will Levis
Active Lifestyle-Supporting Campaigns
Kellogg's® Vector® Launches the Become Your Player Campaign
Gen Z-Influenced Marketing Campaigns
Kraft Heinz is Studying Gen Z's Preferences with New Launches
Rom-Com Dating App Campaigns
Tinder's It Starts With a Swipe Reimagines Meet Cutes
Encouraging Jar-Reusing Campaigns
Kraft Mayonnaise's Initiative Encourages Consumers to Repurpose
Scented Fast Food Billboards
McDonald's Set Up a French Fry-Scented Billboard
Visualized Social Streaming Features
Spotify and Snapchat are Launching the Share Track Lens
Vintage Camera Experiences
Nikon’s Vintage Pop-Up Diner Teases the Past at Yorkdale Mall
Real-Time Trending Spot Features
Roadtrippers Introduces the Trending Spots Feature to Its App
Social Video Reaction Apps
The 'Seen' App Lets Users Capture Footage of Themselves Viewing Content
Shoppable CPG Ads
Instacart-Powered Shoppable Video Ads are Coming to YouTube
Rebranded Food Delivery Apps
Skip Revamps Its Brand Identity to 'Skip to the Good Part'
Gen Z-Focused Coachella Campaigns
Pinterest Partners With Coachella to Connect With Gen Z
Authenticity-Promoting Social Media Apps
The Viberse App Emphasizes Authenticity and Spontaneity
Super Bowl Drive-Thru Commercials
Taco Bell Debuts Its Live Más Drive-Thru Cams Campaign
AR Music Concerts
The Rolling Stones Bitmoji Show Lens Promotes a New Album
Fandom-Friendly Campaigns
WhatsApp & Netflix Unite for a Squid Game Fandom Celebration
Hyper-Targeted Shoppable Posters
Glossier and Shop Launched Posters with Geo-Gated Location Tech
Anthropomorphic Store Campaigns
IKEA's Short Social Films Promote Its Click-and-Collect Service
Emotive Smartphone Camera Covers
Yifan Hu Designs the Emoji-Inspired Smartphone Accessories
Immersive Virtual Pop-Ups
Benefit Launches Virtual 'Benemart' Concept for Holiday Shopping
Mental Health Snack Initiatives
Pringles Relaunched a QR Design for Exclusive Movember Tubes
Viral Video Databases
Viral Ideas Offers Inspiration for a Content Creator's Next Big Video
AI Advertisement Additions
Meta Introduces a New Suite of AI-Powered Advertising Tools
Micro-Influencer Marketing Services
SCREENSHOT Micro Boost Refines the Brand-Creator Experience
Gamified Eyecare Campaigns
LensCrafters Debuts Blinky's Eye Odyssey with Adventure & Eye Care
Connected Beer Jerseys
Miller Lite's Running of the Beer Ads Turns Fans into Walking Billboards
Product-Integrated Filters
NYX and Snapchat Launched the 'Beauty Bestie' Shopping Filter
Gen Z Breakfast Campaigns
'Start the Day the Totino’s Way' Targets Teens Who Skip Morning Meals
Global Holiday Campaigns
David Beckham Stars in SharkNinja's 'Ninja the Holidays' Campaign
In-Store Audience Engagement Solutions
Social Shelf® Has a Novel Approach to Customer Engagement
Musical Nut Campaigns
INC's NutTunes Campaign Reaches Gen Z Through Spotify
Integrated Influencer Marketing Platforms
SocialTalk Helps Users Discover, Track, and Connect
Record-Breaking AR Mirrors
Maybelline New York & FFFACE.ME Debuted a Large Interactive Experience
Marketing Idea Generators
Thunderbucket Provides Marketing Ideas and Observations at Speed
Digital Avatar Cosmetics
e.l.f. Cosmetics & Snapchat Debuted the First Bitmoji Beauty Drop
Virally Inspired Virtual Menus
The Creator's Kitchen As Seen on TikTok Menu is Ever-Changing
Image-Based Alternative Social Medias
'Noteit' is a Snapchat-Inspired App for Gen Alpha Users
Customer-Exclusive Brand Trips
Cocokind is Hosting a Customer Brand Trip to Napa Valley in 2025
Social Media Political-Content Limitations
Meta is Reducing Political Content Recommendations
Peeling Cheese Packaging Billboards
This Babybel Billboard is Inspired by the Product's Packaging
Brand-Boosting Social Media Contests
Iconic Beverage Group Debuts the Iconic Agua Challenge
Interactive Influencer Features
YouTube's New 'Hype' Feature Allows Viewers to Share in Success
Travel-inspired Brand Campaigns
Michelin Launches the On the Road and Beyond! Campaign
Gen Z Waffle Campaigns
The Belgian Waffle Co Targets India's Gen Z Community Using Palak Tiwari
Social-First Car Campaigns
Škoda's Reddit Car Share Amplified the Voices of Passionate Fans
Social Soda Mixer Campaigns
Level Up With 7UP Inspires Gen Z and Millennial Consumers
Artistic Multi-Beverage Ads
The Coca-Cola Family is Spotlighted in this Unique Ad
Social Marketplace Updates
Instagram Launches a Marketplace to Better Connect Brands and Creators
Swipable Curated Ad Inspiration
Swipify Lets Users Swipe Through the Latest Ad Campaigns
Interactive AR Experiences
The Sendit App Engaged Gen Alpha on Valentine's Day
Influencer Snack Bar Campaigns
Nature Valley Launches a Social-Oriented Digital Marketing Campaign
Brand Photography Marketplaces
VSCO Unveils a New Marketplace for Photographers to Find Work
Professional Short-Form Video Feeds
LinkedIn is Testing a TikTok-Like System on its Platform
Anniversary-Celebrating Storytelling Ads
The Walt Disney Company Mark Marvel's 85th Anniversary
Social Shopping Networks
Stage TEN Empowers Creators to Build Their Own Live Shopping Channel
Content Repurposing Tools
Swift Share Converts Blogs into Shareable Social Media Posts in Seconds
Recycled Ad Campaigns
Mars is Reusing Fan-Favorite Ads to Bring Attention to Climate Change
Social Media Music Festivals
TikTok 'In the Mix' is a First-of-Its-Kind Music Festival
Friendship-Inspired Desserts
Snapchat and Gelato Messina Created a Special Flavor for Mates Day
In-App Face Swaps
SwapMyFace Lets Users Insert Their Own Faces into Any Picture from the Web
Reality-Bending Car Ads
CarGurus Ad Features Melting Lego and Gourmet Chef Toddlers
Image-Sharing Social Applications
Lapse is a New Image-Sharing App Loved by Gen Z Consumers
Short-Form Foodie Feeds
Uber Eats is Testing Out a New Vertical Feed Like TikTok and Instagram
Private Social Photo Apps
The 'Retro' App Focuses on Mindful Sharing with Select Others
Playful QSR Campaigns
Cossette Forms the New McDonald's Campaign to Closest Restaurant
Social Camera Fitness Apps
SnapFit Lets Users Document Their Journey with Photos
Global Storytelling Initatives
Vans Announces its Narrative-Centric Always Pushing Campaign
Hard-To-Read Health Campaigns
A Specsavers Campaign Encourages Movie-Goers to Check their Sight
Resourceful Digital Platform Events
Meta will Host an Immersive Instagram Family Pop-Up in NYC
Photo-Collecting QR Codes
GuestSnap Uses a QR Code to Collect Guest Photos at Events
Marketing Social Advocacy Tools
Nut Tree Helps Smaller Brands Boost Their Presence
Hyper-Local Gym Ads
GymBox's Made for London Life Ads Juxtapose City Living and Gym-Going
Influencer-Starring Car Commercials
Toyota's New Short Film Seeks to Resonate with Gen Z Customers
Bizarre Soda Campaigns
Dr Pepper's Try More Weird Disrupts Life's Boredoms with Weirdness
Personalized Retail Media Networks
Thrive Market Collaborates with Instacart on a New Network
Drone Marketing Initatives
LEGO Takes to the Sky with Drone Show and Aerial Messages
Custom Headwear Holiday Campaigns
Lids' 'It’s Personal' Campaign Brings Heart to Holiday Gifting
Skateboarding-Inspired Ads
Vans Launched the ‘Always Pushing’ Ad Highlighting Skating Culture
Social Media-Integrated AI Lenses
Snapchat Launches the New AR Lenses with ChatGPT
Distraction-Free Flip Phones
Consumer Cellular Unveils its 'Shot on Flip Phone' Campaign
AI Social Media Generators
Snowball FATG Can Help Create Viral Social Moments in Seconds
Inspirational Learning Management Tools
'Get Inspired' Offers Digestible Snippets of Content
Authenticated News Apps
Digital Trust Network 'Click' Challenges the Threat of Misinformation
Mango-Scented Newspaper Ads
Swiggy Instamart Launched a Scented Campaign in the Times of India
Viral Political Campaign Accessories
The Viral Harris-Walz Camo Hat Appeals to Gen Z Voters
Efficiency-Driven Digital Ad Solutions
ShopLiftr is Revolutionizing Digital Advertising
Engaging Customer Conversion Tools
FacePop Humanizes Customer Interactions Through Video
SaaS Influencer Marketing Tools
Beeing Social Launches 'Buzz Bee Buzz' for Influencer Marketing
Secondary Social Media Features
Instagram is Rolling out the Flipside Feature On User Profiles
Comedic Groundhog Day Campaigns
Lay's Flavor for Days Campaign Taps into Groundhog Day
Uplifting Virtual Influencer Collabs
The Lennnie x Dove Collab Promotes Body Positivity
Social Sticker Features
Instagram Unveils the New Sticker Features for Stories and Other Content
Debunking AI Apps
BSBot Helps Publicis Clients Tell the Truth About AI from Fiction at Cannes
Viral Content Amplifiers
CapUp Helps Creators Get Their Videos More Views in a Single Tap
Personalized Professional Content Generators
Viralify AI Crafts LinkedIn Posts to Save You Time
Cocktail-Inspired Togetherness Activations
Smirnoff's Global Connectivity Initiative Launched
Social Media Dating Profiles
LikeLike Scans Your Instagram to Find Romantic Matches
AI-Generated Social Ad Copy
the M1-Project Helps Business Owners Convert Using Social Media
Real-Time Social Maps
Mapin is a Social Map That Connects the Community Through Content
Phone-Based User-Targeted Campaigns
PlugSMS Helps Users Launch Campaigns From Their Phones
Social Media Lead Generation
IgLeadGen Helps People Find and Target Leads for Business
Food-Based Video Platforms
FoodVid Describes Itself as "The TikTok for Food"
Social Media Visibility Boosting
Instagram hashtags is a Free Service to Enhance Your Instagram
Gamified AI Quizzes
SnapQuiz Offers a Vast Library of Quizzes with Something for Everyone
Community-Driven Public Maps
Happy Face Local Updates Allows Users to Comment on Neighborhood Maps
Viral Baby Hotel Partnerships
The Four Seasons Hotel Partners a Viral Baby for a Weekend