Greetings GLAD WORKS friends!  We’ve been doing so many heavy posts about very serious things that we thought we should lighten things up a little bit. After all, it’s almost summer time and the livin’s easy! Today, we have some really fun videos for you as we’ve chosen four of our favorite viral ads to share. They all have a few things in common that we think greatly contribute to their virality. Can you guess what those elements might be?

No skipping to the end to find out the answer!

Carlsberg- Standing Up For a Friend

One of the world’s leading brands of beer has a fantastic online campaign called “Carlsberg puts friendship to the test.”  In this video, a group of volunteers are placed in a very dramatic scenario and asked to call their best friend to bail them out. Which friends will show up in the middle of the night in a seedy neighborhood and which ones will hang up the phone and go back to sleep?  You’ll have to watch the video to find out who stands up for their friend and enjoys a moment that “calls for a Carlsberg” in the end.

Kmart ‘Ship My Pants’ and ‘Big Gas Savings’

Nothing makes folks blush and/or laugh more than an ad with perfectly innocent words that when said together sound naughty. That’s exactly what Kmart has done and to great effect!  Some people may think these ads cross the line into inappropriateness, but we think it’s great that there’s a bit of controversy. After all, it’s got people talking about Kmart. When was the last time you talked about Kmart?  They have a bit of a fuddy-duddy reputation, but this campaign boosts their hip factor a bunch!  We dare you not to laugh when the man at the end ships his bed!

Spock vs. Spock!  Leonard Nimoy vs. Zachary Quinto: The Challenge

This ad was perfectly timed to coincide with the release of Star Trek Into Darkness. Audi clearly knows how to make a successful video and if they continue to make ads like this one, they’ll certainly live long and prosper (Sorry. We couldn’t help it!). In this online commercial, Audi pits the two Dr. Spocks against each other in a car race to the golf course. The loser buys lunch, but sadly, Nimoy’s car doesn’t seem to be up to par with Quinto’s Audi, and Quinto beats him to the club. Will Nimoy get the last laugh?  There’s a surprise ending you’re going to love!

It’s often said that there’s no formula for a viral video, but we think there are a few things that help increase your chances big time. Your video needs to be topical, it needs to have some element of surprise, it should evoke an emotional response, and it should be short and sweet. All of the videos we talked about today have those elements in place and that’s a big part of their success.

Have you seen any online “commercials” or viral ads that you thought were really effective?  Don’t be shy, share!