Packed with sharing triggers - spectacular, funny and smart 9 / 10

Think nothing interesting ever happens in Belgium? Think again. ‘Dramatic Surprise’, which was shot in a sleepy Belgian town square for the launch of TV channel TNT, has soared up the viral video chart to become the second most-shared ad ever.

So, just why is it so popular? Well, it somehow manages to pack a lot of sharing triggers into a video less than two minutes long. As well as being surprising, offering a twist on the familiar flashmob phenomenon, it’s spectacular, funny and smart.

Its tongue-in-cheek stockpiling of small-screen staples (punch-ups, gun fights and paramedic ‘fails’) strikes a chord with TNT’s target audience: TV buffs.

The campaign also benefited from being picked up by highly influential sites 9gag and Reddit in its first couple of days, which was a huge boost to its social-media spread.

Ones to watch: Viral hits from this week

 

Tippex: Hunter and Bear Birthday Party

Tippex brings back characters Hunter and Mr Bear from its hit 2010 interactive YouTube game A Hunter Shoots A Bear. In the latest version, users can send the pair travelling through time.

Peugeot 208: Let your Body Drive

Car manufacturer Peugeot targets an audience of younger drivers with this four-minute performance by YouTube star Marquese Scott, who dances near the marque’s 208 model.

Barclays: Sort out your IOUs Sharpish

This Barclays video centres on a boy acting as a debt collec­tor and flags up its Pingit app, which allows users to make payments. It features a Facebook page to which users can send personalised clips.

This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk