| The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the attitudes of consumers towards viral marketing. In-depth interviews with college undergraduates were used to explore the motivation to share content, specifically, videos found on YouTube.com. Four themes emerged from the analysis. First, several factors functioning as filters in the decision to forward content are identified. Second, humor and personalization are identified as major factors in this process. Third, the perception of advertising as entertainment is discussed. Finally the extent to which content is new is found to be a major factor. The significance of these findings is two-fold. Each theme affects the likelihood that content will be forwarded. More importantly, the findings uncover the motivation to share content altogether, conforming to the theory of social capital, in which information is used to establish social status. Ultimately, these findings further the practical and theoretical understanding of viral marketing. |
