At the cutting edge is the viral campaign; the short video clip that is so compelling much of an advertiser's work is done for them when their prospective customers forward it to their contacts quickly building up an audience of millions.

A whole new industry has sprung up, dedicated to unravelling what makes viral ads infectious.

The buzzwords viral marketing and viral advertising refer to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives (such as product sales) through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of pathological and computer viruses.

It can be word-of-mouth delivered or enhanced by the network effects of the Internet.

Viral promotions may take the form of video clips, interactive Flash games, advergames, ebooks, brandable software, images, or even text messages.

The top five in Viral Ad Marketing

NIKE - No1 Viral Ad 2010

AGENT PROVOCATEUR

JOHN WEST SALMON

QUICKSILVER DYNAMITE SURFING

BIG AD