In our original script we had an interesting comment that unfortunately due to time we had to take out but I thought I would discuss it here and explain its significance. We were talking about why users like and take part in viral campaigns and that was supposed to be asked was “Are we lemmings or something?”. For those who don’t know what a lemming is they are a small rodent that are usually found on the Arctic tundra. These creatures are known to most for their alleged mass suicides that supposedly occur during migration. It is said that while migrating the lemming will blindly follow the lemming in front of it. So, if the first lemming of the back jumps off a cliff, so do all the rest without hesitation. For most of us we know Lemmings to be little green men that we have to save in the 1991 PC game ‘Lemmings’.
Unfortunately, this fact is false. Lemmings do not commit mass suicides. Walt Disney produced a documentary about these rodents and staged a clip of a pack of lemmings jumping off a clip into the cold Arctic waters below. Although this fact is not real is has given us this powerful statement that questions our mental abilities to think for ourselves. An early apple commercial used this statement to make a powerful ad.
Now that you understand what lemmings are, we can go back to the big question, why do users like and take part in viral campaigns? I don’t believe that it is simply a mindless behaviour. Especially if you think about it. If we were to mindlessly take part in every viral campaign we come by it would take over our life. No, we pick and choose what we want to take part in and decide what products we like and think that others might enjoy as well. Also, as mentioned in the video people just like to communicate. Marketing is about invoking conversations and engaging with people.
