2. Case Facts
• Mekanism, a digital social media production company
– Development of viral marketing campaigns
Mekanism focuses its work on story-telling through
emerging media platforms
68% annual growth in billings.
Mostly engineered in virility , by creating an online
campaign and make it go viral
3. Becoming full service
• Closer relationship with advertisers and afford
more opportunities to leverage the content
into Television and other traditional media
Remain in Niche creative shop that specialized
in Viral Marketing
• Focus on what makes in successful and attempt
to fend off recent competition
4. Mekanism History
• In 2000, the time when media fragmentation and shrinking ad budgets
were begninning to highlight the long term limitations of the 30 second
TV ad
• Potential in emerging online media and to leverage the combination of
traditional and ‘emerging media’ to create new solution for production
and advertising
• Changes in traditional processes leads for clients began to see Mekanism
as an appealing and efficient option for broadcast-quality film
development, animate videos, websites, and interactive online
applications
• One-stop digital shop for creative, strategy, production, promotion ad
distribution of the campaigns involving digital content for social media.
5. Online Video Advertising
• Traditional Media:
– Huge and Captive audience
– Introduction of DVR
– Internet becoming alternative to TV for viewing the video
content
• Real-time sourcing of video content which is more
directed to target audience and less likely to avoid then
viewing
• Average proportion of media time consumers spent
online was rising
• Paid online media had become the prospect of ‘Viral’
video marketing
6. • Online Video advertising also offers the potential
for higher level of consumer engagement wit
brand rather than cost saving and fast reach
• Online video offered viewers more possibilities
for interactive than TV ads and amounted to
more brand related time spent by consumer
• “Engineering Virality”
3 main approaches:
1. A unique storytelling focus
2. Management of digital platforms
3. Building a network of high-profile digital influencers
to help spread a campaign
7. StoryTelling for Emerging Media
• Positive emotional associations with brand and
a desire to share the stories
• Research and understand the interest and
needs of the target group by conducting focus
groups and monitoring online buzz
Engaging the
consumer on a
deeper level
• ‘Gives something for the consumer to talk about
within their social media
• Finding and sharing the content
• Creating platforms for people to have voice to
build the relationship between consumers and
the brand
Involving the
consumer in the
process
8. Platform Management
• First step: Developing right story for a brand and target
audience
• Development of 3 pronged strategy:
– Reaching out popular blogger and high profile digital
influencers, online citizens with large followings to create
editorial buzz around campaigns and increased sharing
process
– Distribution strategy relied heavily on the use of owned
spaces on social media platforms
– Use of traditional paid and digital media
• ‘Building and fostering brand communication’ online
and ‘working at the speed of social media by creating a
constant dialogue with the consumers’ – Crucial pieces
9. Influencer Networks
• In 2006, Microsoft help in promoting launch of Microsoft
Vista
– Reaching out to a number of other popular online personalities
to promote the campaign and direct the followers to website
• Influencer network continues and become a central
components built into the majority of their campaigns -
‘seeding’ the campaign’s content on variety of blogs and
other sites that could post later
• 5 Steps characterized Mekanism’s digital influencers
strategy
Identity
Engage
Value
Exchange
Distribute
Message
Optimize
10. Measuring Success
• Mekanism focus on the goal stated in their mission-
“inspire measurable brand loyalty”
– Maximizing engagement time with brand
• 3rd Party tracking and analytics services, and monitor
campaigns progress from beginning to end by using
Goldengrant.com, Syndication: Videos views
through
– Reach: Total visits to site and number of unique visitors
– Engagement: Total completed views and % of repeat
views
– Buzz and mentions: Comments on content and number of
shares
– Brand Sentiment: % of Positive Vs Negative comments or
editorial reviews
• Measuring Client Satisfaction
12. • Major clients wanted Mekanism to provide a complete
service to cater to their needs
• Risk of diluting Mekanism’s core competency : Viral
marketing
• Conversion into an ad agency as part of expansion strategy
• Provide a closer relationship with advertisers with
increased usage of the internet
• It will be easier to attract bigger clients because as it is ad
agency
• Ad agency can provide over a standalone service provider,
it is advisable to Mekanism to become a ad agency and
thereby provide complete integrated service
