Illusory Truth Effect

Brought back to my attention by a Wired article on Viral scares now  floating about the internet, and when it makes sense to respond to them.    Made me reexamine this kind of 'bias' again.  The bias towards believing the familiar via frequent exposure.

... The illusory truth effect (also known as the validity effect, truth effect or the reiteration effect) is the tendency to believe information to be correct after repeated exposure ...   From the Wikipedia.

How to Not Fall for Viral Scares  in Wired. .... This is the illusory truth effect—a glitch in human reasoning that makes things that are familiar feel true. It’s why sometimes even fact-checking a lie can ultimately lead to more people believing it, because it increases the lie’s exposure. ... " 

Identifying Viral Bots

In O'Reilly,  a considerable look at the problem of bots in social.  Like the use of network diagrams for analytics.   Bringing up the concept of 'information entropy'.   There is so much noise in social this needs to be carefully measured. Note this uses the Polinode graphical network tool, mentioned here previously.

Identifying viral bots and cyborgs in social media
Analyzing tweets and posts around Trump, Russia, and the NFL using information entropy, network analysis, and community detection algorithms.        By Steve Kramer  PhD

" ... In this article, I have demonstrated how it is readily possible to identify social bots and cyborgs on both Twitter and Facebook using information entropy and then to find groups of successful bots using network analysis and community detection. Given the extreme risks of disinformation and propaganda being spread through social media, it is our hope that this approach, along with the work of other researchers, will enable greater transparency and help protect democracy and the authenticity of online discourse. I invite researchers who wish to collaborate on studies of these data sets to request access to become collaborators on our data project hosted on data.world. ... " 

Text Mining Memes Online

Interesting progress in text mining that includes repeated memes and context.   Technical.

A system for extracting and comparing memes in online forums

Héctor Beck-Fernandeza, , David F. Nettletonb, , , Lorena Recaldeb, , Diego Saez-Trumperb, , Alexis Barahona-Peñarandaa, 

Highlights

Automatic extraction of top memes (key concepts, relations) from unstructured text.
Sophisticated meme construction and matching algorithm.
System with default/customizable control parameter set.
No preprocessing of text or manual intervention between steps is necessary.
Results show a better information retrieval F-score than other methods.

Abstract
From their origins in the sociological field, memes have recently become of interest in the context of `viral' transmission of basic information units (memes) in online social networks. However, much work still needs to be done in terms of metrics and practical data processing issues. In this paper we define a theoretical basis and processing system for extracting and matching memes from free format text. The system facilitates the work of a text analyst in extracting this type of data structures from online text corpuses and n performing empirical experiments in a controlled manner. The general aspects related to the solution are the automatic processing of unstructured text without need for preprocessing (such as labelling and tagging), identification of co-occurences of concepts and corresponding relations, construction of semantic networks and selecting the top memes.  .... "  

Sketches Selling Soap

A new Dove video called 'Sketches' now gone viral, seems to show how women's beauty view of themselves differs considerably from the view of others.  It is very entertaining, and seems to make a deep point.  I am not sure it really does that, given the unusual context that is constructed, using an FBI sketch artist.  Also a small sudy, with results selected for drama.    And secondly, the question that is asked of every clever ad: 'Does it sell soap?"   Dove soap?   A mini study described seems to say it does. But I doubt the influence is very deep.

The Alleged Spontaneity of Viral and Tremor

My former colleague Kevin Ashton writes about the 'Harlem Shake', which I admit I just noticed a few weeks ago.  My connectedness is more about the technical than the social.  He suggests that the swift movement of the meme was more about what corporations wanted to spread than the spontaneous eruptions of the  'hive mind'.  He tracks the emergence of the idea in early February, and how it was promoted by the press.  With lots of video examples.   Chicken and egg here.  It is scary, though that commercial interests may be able to build the wave to their purposes.   Or inevitable.  Reminds me of Tremor, which I had just heard has been abandoned by its corporate sponsors.  Or has it?  More about Tremor written here.

Engage With Your Superfans

In Adage:    What seem like some good advice.  On Facebook, engage with your super fans and help them go viral with two way communications.  Engage mavens and communicators.

On the Limits of Anti Virus Software

A telling post on the topic.  I recently had to deal with several episodes that were potentially the result of virus attacks.  My installed software apparently did not deal with the problem. A quick search of other similar events found that I was not alone.  The concern continues that we are on the edge of serious viral danger as governments and other well funded organizations build skills in this area.  Are we at the edge of mutually assured cyber destruction?

Game Dynamics of Customer Loyalty

Good piece on the topic. Gaming principles applied to customer acquisition using virality and examples in a number of current systems. Good to answer client questions about where this can work now.

Qreo Scanning the Cookie

Can you scan an array of cookies laid out in the form of a QR Code?   Yes, here is proof of it.  Shows the robustness of the code form.   I tried it with my phone and it scanned fine.  More in Engadget here. Other marketing ideas related to this?   You could have a group of people with black and white hats  arranged in a square. Viral effect works at least.  

An advertisement for Oreo cookies. 

Procter & Gamble Uses Pepto Bismol Social Media

A good and detailed case study of the use of Cinco de Mayo festival and a viral YouTube App to promote a consumer packaged goods video.  Good example of how big companies are using social media for marketing, replacing some of the more typical media choices.  Note the emphasis on engaging consumers, and the simple 'game' environment. 

Targeting the victims of the next big hangover-inducing holiday, Pepto Bismol has introduced a YouTube app for Cinco de Mayo.

Visitors to Pepto Bismol’s YouTube channel can find a handful of options to make their own “Pinata Smash” video. There are four different pinatas to choose from, two snacks to fill them with and two “smashers.” When the video is completed, users can share it on Facebook or Twitter.  Kristen Stutz, assistant brand manager for Procter & Gamble, says that there will eventually be 15 to 20 iterations of the video. “The idea was not just to provide content, but be able to enage [consumers] with it,” she says .... "

Extensible Ad Formulas

In AdAge: A formula for ads by Procter & Gamble's Men's grooming. Is it extensible to other categories? " ... Cracking Viral Code: Look at Your Ads. Now Look at Old Spice ... String of Hits From P&G Grooming Biz Seem to Point to Formula -- Engaging, Surprising Media That Appeals to Both Genders ... "

Selling Body Wash

A very good Ad-Age case study on changes in body wash sales after the much talked about the very viral old spice videos and related social networking plays. It reminded me of some of the conclusions of correspondent Byron Sharp in his book How Brands Grow, What Marketers Don't Know, which I reviewed previously.
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Intel Monitors Social Networks

Several reports are out about how Intel is monitoring the buzz in social networks regarding their Superbowl ads. This is hardly news, since if I had spent four million dollars on ads I also would have wanted to know how effective they are. Any company would do the same. What is interesting is the increased interest in social networking and how it can create viral reaction. Its more of an instantaneous report and indicates how much Intel may be getting into the brain of the consumer.

Lessons from a Happiness Machine

An article about Coke's new Happiness Machine viral video made me think further about the dynamics of engaging shoppers in the store. Its the vending machine whimsically taken to new levels of dynamics and offerings. See my related previous message on The Venture Lab work with store food concept manufacture.