I’m sure at some point in our digital lives, we have encountered at least once with a viral marketing, whether it be a video, post, or memes.
According to Kaplan and Haenlein (2011), Viral marketing is word-of-mouth message e-marketing that is being transmitted usually through social media in an exponential growth manner.
Viral Marketing could be funny, sad, or emotional. It could also be initiated from a company or customers. One thing for sure, Businesses are taking a full action to make sure the outcome is not negative.
Negative Viral Marketing can be harmful to the business as they could not control all the complaints on Social media. It also impacts negatively and can break a business. Moreover, comments on the post can also include other negative customer’s experiences with the business.
Some of you may recall viral posts about customer dissatisfactions or complain on Facebook or Twitter.
Recently, fresh cases of needles found in strawberries were reported and made viral after complaints posted on Facebook. Photos and complaints emerged, tagging Woolworths as a retailer. Woolworths has since recalled 6 brands of strawberries, that are responsible for this. After a few more foundings of new cases, media “hysteria” had worsened the issue.
However, even after Woolworth’s explanation, the sabotage is damaging, not only to the 6 brands but on the whole industry. Sales of strawberries drastically plunged, even though the price has been cut down.
Not long after, a video was shared of trucks dumping thousands of strawberries that could no longer be sold as a result of the scare.
In awareness of this, as a show of support to strawberries farmers, hashtags like #supportaustralianfarmers has been made viral. Moreover, as like a Facebook post below, we need to Cut them up, not Cut them out!
On this post, a case where negative viral marketing, most of the times could be abused and sabotaged, can be countered by positive viral marketing. Are there any other ways to counter negative viral marketing for the business?
To wrap up this blog, I want to send gratitude to readers that have spent time reading the posts and those who have shared thoughts through their comments. Moreover, I would like to thank Kristel, Vlad, and Peter who has been a mentor, a teacher; encouraging and giving constructive advice for better posts along these past 10 weeks.
Last but not least, Do share your thoughts on negative viral marketing!
Winona Dewi 
Great blog on a very serious and relevant issue in the media at the moment! I think it does depend on how people feel surrounding the event, so so many people have gone out of their way to stand up and say, “hey don’t just think about woolies, what about all the poor farmers”, and so this has given a strong cause for people to support them. I think coming up with ways such as cut them up don’t cut them out, or videos on things to do with strawberries such as strawberry dacquiries, jams etc would all help as well in positive support
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Hi, Alex! Thank you for the comment. It is really great to see these people standing up to make a viral movement (unconsciously) to help the Australian farmers! I agree with you on ways it could be manifested like making videos about how to use strawberries. One of a bakery that I know still uses strawberries in their cakes and are supporting this movement as well, as people are not so afraid to eat strawberries that have been processed. E.g. in a cake or smoothies.
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I think whats key in addressing negative viral marketing is to respond quickly to people’s concerns. This is because a negative association has already been created in the consumer’s minds so this should be combated as quickly as possible with a positive, so at least when consumers are thinking about the issue they will consider both things together.
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Hi Ash! thank you for the comment here, I do agree that Woolies has waited some time and not a very quick response to their negative viral marketing. A quick response could also clarify things and preventing the negative viral comments or topics could be a snowball.
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It’s sad how one post can snowball and ruin a brand/industry’s image forever. It happens over and over again, and while usually brand can recover a bit, many people still think of the negative viral image they saw, as the first thing that comes to mind when they thing of that brand. Unfortunately, a brand can’t control if a negative message goes viral, but they can control how they react to it, and can choose to reshape the message in a more positive way.
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Hi Kat! I am personally have been saddened for what has been the impact in the industry. Brand could surely responses in a prompt and honest manner. Such as apologizing when the negative viral marketing has been true and evident. Moreover, I could see that negative viral marketing is a way for firm exiting the industry, as there is still a small number of cases for brands that could recover from these negative viral marketings.
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Social media is used for sharing news and the latest happenings, and it doesn’t restrict negative experiences. People will share whatever they want on social media, and when they are unhappy with your product or service, there will always be a chance of them posting online. In this case, i think that it is a good startegy for those people with strawberry businesses to respond the the problem by making the #supportaustralianfarmers hashtag as well as the video of trucks dumping all the strawberries go viral. Fight social media fire with social media water.
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Hi, Boed! Thank you for your comments. I believe that this case are also the negative impact we have on social media, where people could hold very little responsible on what are they saying online. I agree with you on how it is relatively easier for people water down it by another positive viral marketing
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Very good blog, as you mentioned in the blog, the viral has incredible power, It may result in positive and negative feedback. With the growth of social media, more and more people leverage their advantages in the social media to business commercial. especially those people, who have many followers, they should take responsibility for what their post in the blog. A viral ad may good for the business, but it also able result in crazy damage to an industry, just like the strawberry industry.
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Hi Nule! Thank you for the comment. I agree on how customers could make these business exit the industry or like in this case, ruin an industry. Moreover, as what I have said in the previous comment, there should be more strict rules to hold these comments responsible.
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