The rise of the prankvert: a controversial
emerging content trend
Matt Davies
Brands are well aware that they should be producing
entertaining and shareable content; but with over one
hundred hours of video uploaded to YouTube every minute,
the competition for attention is high. In a quest to crack
the content challenge, this year has seen a host of content
strategies launched, with mixed results.
There has been one emerging trend in particular, most
notably in the US, which has proved both controversial and
successful in creating buzz and shareability – the ‘prankvert’.
In the style of Trigger Happy TV, prankverts are branded
content videos that use hidden cameras to ‘prank’ the public.
Defined by the Pita Group as involving those “who have no
idea that they’re playing a part in the creation of a video or
TV spot that will (hopefully) go viral.”
Pepsi in the US has arguably had the most success with a
prankvert. As sponsors of NASCAR racing champion Jeff
Gordon, they created a prank video of Gordon, with the
help of prosthetics to disguise his identity, taking a Chevrolet
Camaro for a test drive with an unsuspecting dealership
salesman (pictured). However, as you can imagine, this was
no normal test drive; with Pepsi positioned as the brand that
pushes things to the max, they did not hold back.
With Gordon driving at high speeds around a course that
involved hairpin turns, jumps and near collision passes,
the salesman is seen shouting and screaming for the car to
stop. At the end of the video, Gordon’s identity is revealed
to laughter and relief for all. To date, the video has been
viewed over 38 million times and shared over 79,000 times.
Belgian bank Febelfin, successfully raised awareness about
safe online banking by filming a ‘mind reader’ predicting
customers’ bank details. In reality, it was a team of hackers
accessing their details online. However, it still successfully
communicated the importance of safe online banking and
the need for consumers to take precautions.
When Carlsberg tested customers’ friendships with their
prankvert, they received over six million views on YouTube,
and a host of press coverage. Unsuspecting individuals were
called at 3am by a friend to bail them out of an underground
poker game. When they arrived they were welcomed by
bouncers into a very intimidating environment. Thomas
Moradpour, VP global marketing at Carlsberg explains, “it
,
will more than pay for itself in earned media and share of
conversation. That, in turn, translates into brand worth,
which in turn drives sales”.
The most high profile UK prankvert came from Think! who
are no strangers to creating shocking content. The aim was
to make people reconsider the consequences of drink driving
through a frankly terrifying portrayal of injury. The video
takes place in the toilets of a pub and recreates the effects of
a car crash using the mirrors as a fake windscreen as people
wash their hands. It has achieved almost 9 million views to
date and 12,000 shares.
All of these examples reveal the potential of prankverts to
drive significant earned value, with millions of potential
customers watching, debating and recommending engaging
and entertaining content. They also demonstrate that to get
it right, the brand has to be very focused on what they want
to achieve, and crucially, with content born from the brand’s
authentic attitude.
Is it not risky to create something like this? In short, yes. It
is critical that brands take precautions to ensure the wrong
people are not exposed. For example, Carlsberg cleve &ǐ