THE DOWNSIDE OF VIRAL?

It’s safe to say the online advertising realm has accepted the use of viral video as a regular tool in their digital arsenal. But what happens when a viral campaign goes too far and induces fear? Slate examines an interesting case of a series of videos by Cardo Systems doing just that. Featuring cell phones popping popcorn, the videos have managed to create a mini-hysteria due to old fears that cell phones cause cancer. Another result has been over 10 million views to date. Although viral is not supposed to induce a halcyon reaction, is the outcome of Cardo’s campaign such a bad thing? Does negative PR from a viral campaign equate to bad PR when the conclusion is increased traffic and attention? You tell me.