SUPREME VIRAL RESONANCE COMMANDER
Originally published at Kimberly Sabatini. You can comment here or there.
SUPREME VIRAL RESONANCE COMMANDER
viral |ˈvīrəl|
adjective
2 relating to or involving an image, video, piece of information, etc., that is circulated rapidly and widely from one Internet user to another: a viral video ad | the video went viral and was seen by millions.
resonance |ˈrezənəns|
noun
1 the quality in a sound of being deep, full, and reverberating: the resonance of his voice.
• the ability to evoke or suggest images, memories, and emotions: the concepts lose their emotional resonance.
I’ve been thinking about a a concept I’ve privately termed VIRAL RESONANCE. When something or someone explodes into awareness, seemingly blowing over the tipping point between obscurity and popularity, I believe a key component (making that person or content stick) is personal connectivity. There is something honest in the transaction that resonates with the receiver. Then everyone wants to share their connection with someone else, creating that glorious snowball effect.
I know, I get excited too.
But this theory, as fabulous as it is, has certain pitfalls. Connectivity can’t be mandated and honesty lives in the eye of the beholder. Truth can be as unique as a fingerprint-as maddening as that may seem. One person can’t decide what inspires and sets a fire under another person.
If viral resonance could be controlled and I was elected the SUPREME VIRAL RESONANCE COMMANDER, Donald Trump would be fading into obscurity right before your eyes. In fact with my grand position, I’d build a 30 foot wall around Donald Trump, a cone of silence. No, wait-make it 40 foot wall and HE can pay for it. *pauses for a moment to enjoy the tingles*
Sadly, I am not the SUPREME VIRAL RESONANCE COMMANDER. But I am curious…
In your life time-whether it’s books, movies, art, people, toys, fads-whatever. What are some of the most fascinating things you’ve seen resonate with people and then go ape shit viral? And why do you think that particular thing or person made such a huge connection and had such an impact? Give me your best and your worst viral examples. Let’s discuss. Can this phenomenon be predicted in any way? Replicated? What do YOU do to bring viral resonance to your work? And can I please be elected SUPREME VIRAL RESONANCE COMMANDER?