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Shot on 35mm film, with a production budget of anywhere up to £40,000, this seems to
be a normal car advert. But its subject matter would be unlikely to pass television advertising
guidelines anywhere in the world.
It appears calculated to offend as many people as possible. Volkswagen have - obviously - denied
commissioning, making or funding it, saying they will sue the people who did.
The VW suicide ad is the latest and most controversial in a line of what's known as viral advertising.
In January, the first ever 'viral awards' were held to celebrate key players in the
burgeoning industry.
Viral -- or buzz - marketing relies on people finding the funniest ads on the 'net, and
forwarding them to their friends. The friends tell their friends, who tell their friends...
The Viral Factory is one of the world's leading producers of viral adverts. They have won
numerous awards, including a Gold Lion at Cannes, for their creative and humorous ads.
For them, like other viral advertisers, the far edges of taste often prove to be the most
successful.
Up next the Ukrainian pair of Mosienko and Bubka, going for their fourth Trojan gold...
This is one of the ads that has won so many awards for the Viral factory. It's part of
a series of online videos for Trojan condoms.
Cleverly aping the BBC coverage of the Athens Olympics, it has a far from BBC feel.
"There's the spread. And there's the hoik... Now can he hold it? Can he hold it? Surely
he'll get three lights...?? Yes he has! Brilliant! Unbelievable scenes here. Mosienko still casting
a daunting shadow across the sport of pelvic powerlifting."
The Viral Factory also made a series of adverts for Ford, that depicted an 'evil' car. One
involved a computer generated cat having its head cut off. Like the Polo ad, it, too, caused
a stink.
More and more companies are climbing on the viral wave. Even the green and conservative
parties in the UK have plans to use viral marketing in the next election. In controversy
or nay, viral marketing is set to grow and grow.