Wrigley's chewing gum brand Extra achieved what many marketers strive for in today?s social media-centric industry by going viral with a recent video ad depicting a love story through the years and tugging at the heartstrings of consumers. 

Consumers took to social media to discuss and share Extra's video featuring a young couple?s relationship, ending with the man proposing with gum wrappers. Users discussed the emotion of the piece, and the marketer was able to reach a huge consumer base and leave a lasting impression. 

?The obvious benefit of a campaign going viral is the tremendous amount of exposure the brand will receive,? said Matt Bretzius, president of FischTank. ?The goal behind any campaign is to see your targeted audience help share your message and become ambassadors for your brand, but a campaign that goes viral takes that concept to a whole different level, growing your audience exponentially through organic means. 

?Viral campaigns also generally garner some type of national mainstream media attention, which is beneficial for brands that may struggle to get that type of coverage normally,? he said. 

It seems every marketer?s goal is to go viral in a positive light on social media. A variety of news stories, pictures and content tend to take off with on these platforms, and if a brand is able to get a piece of its content moving similar to this it broadens awareness for the campaign as well as promotes a positive brand sentiment. 

For instance, one Twitter user posted ?did I really just cry over a gum ad,? while another mentioned ?so this gave me all types of feels and I am mad it is just a gum commercial.?

Originally airing as a television spot and shared on the brand's YouTube, the video shows the young couple meeting in high school when the girl drops her papers on the floor and the boy helps her pick them up and she offers him a piece of Extra gum. The storyline follows them while they grow up and the woman moves away, and in each scene the man is shown writing something down on a gum wrapper. 

The final scene shows the man surprising his girlfriend with all the wrappers framed, revealing that he had be sketching their biggest moments on the packaging. The last wrapper depicts the man proposing, and the woman turning around to see him kneeling with a ring. 

Extra's video ad leverages qualities that can easily get a campaign to trend. Users enjoy the emotionality of the piece and share it with others throughout various social media platforms. 

Similarly, Unilever's Dove continued its streak of viral video successes with a new entry in advance of Father?s Day that depicts men first learning their partners are pregnant while simultaneously promoting the brand?s Men+Care line (see more). 

Marketers should focus on brand loyalty when creating content for social media, as consumers are more likely to share content from a brand they are dedicated to, according to a new report from Acquity Group (see more). 

?I think the most important thing to consider is that it is really difficult to just make something go viral,? Mr. Bretzius said. ?When creating a campaign, the focus should be on the content and the intended audience, is this going to resonate, will we reach our targeted group, will they react positively.

?Sometimes focusing on trying to be too clever just to make something go viral can backfire because the content just does not connect with the consumer and there is a negative reaction,? he said. ?That is another consideration to remember, a good campaign can go viral just as easily as a bad one. 

?No one wants negative attention on a massive scale. Focus on the content and the consumer and let the rest take care of itself.?

Final take
Brielle Jaekel is editorial assistant at Mobile Marketer