Why “Too Many Cooks” went viral, and what it means for your content

By now you may have heard about the viral video “Too Many Cooks” (link to CNN article. NOTE: video has mature content, if you decide to click through please keep this in mind).  The video aired in the overnight hours this past week on Adult Swim, Cartoon Network’s  off-peak time period.

 

The video is a throwback to the 1980’s when shows like “Growing Pains”, “Alf”, and “Family Matters” aired in prime-time.  Why did the video go viral, and what can you do to make your own content do the same?

 

Some reasons we believe the video is popular:

 

The length was probably just right – At 11 minutes, the content was not so long that the viewer would click out, yet long enough to tell a ‘story’.
Grassroots growth – A post on Reddit first brought the video to life – then Reddit users took it from there. Reddit is a great platform to spend time in.
Over analyzation leads to discussion and sharing – On multiple platforms and in the YouTube comments for the video, consumers from around the world are analyzing the meaning of the video, “What does it all mean?”, “What was the director thinking?”, “Is it a message for the TV/Film industry?”  This creates discussion which shares out of YouTube and on to other platforms.
The music brings the viewer back to their childhood (good/bad/otherwise)

 

We’re asked quite often how to make content go ‘viral’.  There’s no magic answer.  At MCP we subscribe to the following methodologies:

 

Wear a “white hat” – keep things above board.  Don’t purchase likes, views, shares, or other growth metrics.  Don’t pay bloggers to promote your brand.  Find bloggers who believe in your brand and want to share your content because it’s great content.
Be diverse – There’s more to social media than Facebook.  Use other platforms in your program including Reddit, Wikipedia, Vine, Keek, Snapchat, etc.
Influencers matter – Take the time to research influencers in each social platform.  If that Vine star loves to share content in your business vertical, reach out and make friends
Be patient.  We’ve seen content go viral weeks or months after publishing.

Like it or hate it, there’s a case study in “Too Many Cooks”.