The Evolution of Dance and Advertising

One of my good friends sent me a link to a video known simply as the Evolution of Dance. My immediate reaction was, "How have I never seen this?" It's hilarious and makes Napoleon Dynamite look like an amateur.

The Evolution of Dance has been on YouTube for only three months and it is already the No. 1 all-time most-viewed video on YouTube. As of right now, it's been viewed 29,261,212 times. That's more than double any other video on YouTube.

The man behind the moves is the real story here. Judson Laipply, the self-titled "inspirational comedian," has got ridiculous amounts of free press because of this video. He wisely started a Web site to capitalize on this opportunity and to build his brand and monetize his viral fame. He's been featured to the Today Show, Good Morning America and written up in Rolling Stone.

Any client or agency would kill for this kind of viral success. Well, take notes. If you want people to care, give them something entertaining. No fake blogs or lame social networking sites. I'm not saying you have to know how to dance, but create some compelling content. If all else fails, just hire Jud.