DM Weekly - mad.co.uk, 25 October 2004

Digital Media Communications MD and co-founder of the Viral + Buzz Marketing Association cuts through the confusion about what is and isn’t viral, buzz and word-of-mouth marketing

There is a lot of debate and confusion in general marketing circles (let alone the wider business world) about viral marketing, and how it is differentiated from its close cousins buzz and word-of-mouth marketing (WOMM).

This confusion isn’t surprising when seemingly every online promotional activity is now being billed as ‘viral’, and even the simple act of issuing a press release is considered by some to constitute a buzz campaign.

The international Viral + Buzz Marketing Association (VBMA), formed in May 2004, is leading the thinking in this evolving field. It put its first stake in the ground on 6 October 2004, launching a manifesto that defines collectively what all its members do and states the fundamental, unifying principles that underpin their work.

So what is viral/buzz/WOMM? The most appropriate definition, according to the VBMA, is from Dr. Paul Marsden of the London School of Economics:

“Buzz, WOMM and viral are all the same - namely ‘network-enhanced word-of-mouth’. If you want to talk of nuances, viral has tended to be used by those dealing with online networks, buzz by those who exploit media networks (such as PR), and WOMM by those who harness traditional social networks. But it’s all network-enhanced word of mouth. Simple!”

This definition reflects the fact that activity in this field reaches well beyond the simple creation and distribution of funny video clips or cool online games, and into the realm of CRM where influencers are not only profiled and recruited to spread the word, but also in some cases (e.g. P&G’s new division, Tremor) become extensions of the marketing department. According to world-leading authority on loyalty, Fred Reichheld of management consultancy Bain & Co, “The only path to profitable growth may lie in a company’s ability to get its loyal customers to become, in effect, its marketing department.”

So, network-enhanced word-of-mouth marketing is a serious business indeed, with companies such as Toyota investing millions rather than tens of thousands in viral and buzz campaigns.

The VBMA was formed to help develop, validate and promote these consumer-oriented marketing trends and techniques. However, the VBMA represents a diverse group of practitioners who specialise in various techniques within this field, so its first challenge was to define viral, buzz and WOMM in a way that all the Association’s members could accept, rather than getting bogged down in debates about specific definitions for individual techniques.

The VBMA’s first manifesto has risen to the challenge. It presents the VBMA’s collective mission as a positive set of principles or guidelines that its members subscribe to, no matter which area of the network-enhanced word-of-mouth marketing industry they work in.

In a nutshell, the main principles include: identifying only individuals who will be interested in a particular marketing message; delivering marketing messages to individuals only in a way that makes for an enjoyable or valuable experience; and providing marketing messages in ways that encourage sharing among recipients and others.

The manifesto also clearly sets apart what VBMA members do from the activities of the likes of chatroom infiltrators, spammers et al - respect for and partnership with message recipients are of paramount importance to the VBMA.

This is an evolving field which will require ongoing debate in order that brands can effectively harness the power of network-enhanced word-of-mouth marketing. There is still work to be done.

The VBMA’s first manifesto can be read at: http://vbma.net/manifesto