As I have written about before, as part of my research I’ve been digging into what makes for popular videos on sites like YouTube. One of the interesting things that seems to be popping out of the data is that while YouTube’s slogan of “Broadcast Yourself” would appear to indicate the success of the site hinges on user generated content (i.e. prosumers),  but what is proving to be the most popular content is more often than not from rather traditional sources – clips of popular shows, advertisement for major companies, and the like.

As I was scanning the web today I came across this interesting Guest post on Social Times, which was written by Michael Mossoba of Genius Rocket, that builds on some similar findings. Of particular note, the lessons from examining the top-50 viral videos of the year include the following as #1: the most viral content is usually corporate content. It’s also interesting to note that the most viral content is usually OVER a minute in length, and “Ads” more often succeed as viral content than “Politics”, “Comedy”, and even “Sexy” (which when combined with #1, challenges the conventional wisdom of 30 second advertising slots). Michael goes on to add:

These results undermine some of the conventional wisdom about viral videos. First, it contradicts the stereotype that viral hits are the mysterious province of webcam diarists. Indeed, the most viral videos are dominated by the film and music industries, and a few savvy companies like Dove, Sony, Honda, and Cadbury.

I couldn’t agree more – and it’s something people (and marketers in particular) should really think about. Too often we all get wrapped up in all the things that are changing, and don’t pay enough attention to what is staying somewhat the same. I encourage you to check out the rest of his article, as it really is an interesting read.