According to a recent viral video announcement that went live at the weekend, soon you’ll be able to order a parcel from Amazon and get it delivered to your door within 30 minutes via a flying robot! I know, sounds like something out of a sci-fi film right?
The online retail giant is calling the service ‘Prime Air’ and apparently it’s an actual REAL thing, (or it will be soon). The press release comes not long after similar revelations from the likes of Yo Sushi and Dominoes Pizza, both of whom have recently experimented with their own unmanned drone delivery services.
With the video clocking up nearly 10 million views already, some are describing the announcement as a well-timed publicity stunt. But according to a statement by Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, the company could be planning to launch a beta testing phase as early as 2015. Should we expect to see a swarm of flying little robotic postmen taking over our skies anytime soon? Probably not, but watch this space is all Amazon has to say for now.
The line between UGC and branded videos is becoming increasingly blurry as more and more YouTubers are teaming up with ad agencies to help produce promotional content. The world of homemade interweb awesomeness is a literal gold mine for marketers if they know where to look and the Doritos brand is certainly no stranger to its creative potential.For the 8th year running, the brand has invited aspiring filmmakers to submit their video entries for it’s annual Super Bowl Ad Competition – the grand prize being the promise of $1 million. It’s a clever way for a company to leverage the power of word of mouth promotion, with the public voting system generating plenty of buzz across social media channels. The quality of entries never fails to amaze me but one little gem in particular has stood out this week. Submitted by Thomas Noakes, it’s both hilarious and disturbing in equal measure – I don’t want to give the punch line away but the moral of the story is NEVER stick your finger into a mysterious hole! #DoritosFingerCleaner
Continuing the UGC theme this week, cat food manufacturer, Purina, has teamed up with BuzzFeed Video to create an amusing little ad spot to promote its new line of lightweight kitty litter. Done very much in the style of the hugely popular viral hit, Sad Cat Diary, the video follows a bemused kitteh as he puzzles over the odd behaviour of humans. Ok, it’s a far cry from the witty dialogue of most of Ze Frank’s other viral hits but it’s still pretty fun and a smart way for a brand to tap into an existing viral fan base. The video is hosted on BuzzFeed’s own YouTube channel and has already notched up over 3 million views and counting.
Also trending this week are yet more Christmas ad campaigns; Sainsburys has finally unveiled the 50-minute full length version of Christmas in a Day; KFC has released a festive musical tribute about the pains of holiday shopping; and my personal favourite, the Harvey Nichols – ‘Sorry’ Collection, a handy gift range for when you’d rather spend your hard earned cash on treats for yourself than your loved ones.
Top trending UGC and entertainment videos:
Steve Kardynal is back at the top of the UGC Chart this week, continuing his previous Chatroulette hits with more hilarious pop parody action. This time it’s Miley’s Wrecking Ball getting the classic Kardynal treatment in possibly his most disturbing video yet.
Tom Daily has also been trending across the internet this week, speaking publicly for the first time about his relationship with a man in a moving video statement on his YouTube Channel.
Elsewhere; a two year old YouTube superstar takes on Channing Tatum & Bradley Cooper in an awesome basketball showdown, Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali fight it out in in another epic rap battle and stunning footage of an eagle stealing a motion sensor camera goes viral.Join the #KittenCamp Snackz mailing list for weekly updates on top trending videos and follow @JoinVAN for the latest viral gossip and industry news!
