What was the last reel that stuck with you?
Was it a clever joke with a strong punchline? A short tutorial that made you smarter in 60 seconds? Or was it something completely unexpected, like an AI dog riding a bike?
Our brains are designed to notice anomalies. When something unusual happens like a visual twist, a quirky moment, or a surprising dialogue, it disrupts our mental pattern. Psychologists call this a schema violation. In marketing terms, it’s a creative tool to break attention fatigue.
Let’s put it simply.
A person is walking down the street and notices a man in a monkey costume casually eating a banana. Would he ignore him? Probably not. He’d stop, smile, maybe take a picture and most likely share it. That’s exactly what unexpected content does. It gets noticed. It gets shared. And that’s what makes it viral content.
Two Viral Marketing Campaigns That Nailed the Twist
1. Indiranagar Ka Gunda – CRED
CRED’s ad featuring Rahul Dravid didn’t go viral because of product features. It became a phenomenon because of one bold idea: showing the calmest cricketer in India lose his temper on the road.
That contradiction of Dravid as the “Indiranagar ka Gunda” was both humorous and unforgettable. The creative twist aligned perfectly with CRED’s larger brand strategy of delivering smart, quirky campaigns that subvert expectations.
The campaign proved one thing clearly: in content marketing, surprise is a superpower.
2. Flipkart’s ‘Kidults’ Campaign
Back in 2011, Flipkart launched its now-iconic campaign featuring kids dressed and acting like adults. In a time when brands relied on celebrities and polished visuals, Flipkart introduced something totally fresh and delightfully odd.
The result? Viewers paused, watched, and shared. The creative approach was not only cost-effective but also deeply impactful. The brand strategy behind it was rooted in relatability and novelty, the core ingredients of viral content.
What Marketers Can Learn
The lesson is clear: when everything looks the same, unexpected content stands out. If content marketing feels too predictable, the audience will scroll past without a second thought.
This doesn’t mean being random, it means being intentional with unpredictability. Even stand-up comedians know that the best punchlines are the ones people don’t see coming. The same principle applies to social media marketing
So, how should brands make it work? Start with a solid brand strategy. Know your audience. Then break their expectations with just enough to get them to look twice, laugh once, and share often.
In today’s high-speed digital environment, attention is earned by those who dare to be different. Whether by crafting a reel, launching a campaign, or building a brand.
Let content marketing reflect the personality of the brand. Because at last, the best viral content doesn’t just entertain, it surprises, engages and sticks.
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