Pokemon Go went Viral!

 

 

Remember walking up and down the streets of orchard road? No, we are not shopping but hunting for our Pokemon! Pokemon Go took Singapore by storm in August 2016 and became the hottest topic/activity in town for at least a month. The mobile game was launched in over 80 countries and garnered over 100 million downloads within three weeks of its launch. This had resulted in crowds gathering in parks and shopping centres.

So how did Pokemon Go attracted so much attention within this short span of time? The answer is Viral Marketing. Going viral means news about the company is circulated considerably faster than usual and is shared and discussed more by the followers too. Today we will take a look at Jonah Berger’s Six Stepps to virality and let’s see how many does Pokemon Go fulfil!

 

 

1. Social Currency

Pokemon Go leverage on its game mechanics to ensure people can spend hours after hours on the game. Players felt a sense of achievement whenever a rare Pokemon is caught as they can “show off” to their family and friends. Player’s game level, Pokedex and Pokemon’s combat power(cp) is evidence of their progress which further encourage social comparison. These motivates the players to work harder and spend more time in order to “better off” other players.

2. Triggers

Back then when you see a crowd gathering or rushing to a place, I’m sure there’s only one thing in your mind. A rare Pokemon is nearby! As the saying goes “top of the mind leads to tip of tongue.” Following the crowd often leads to a good find.

3. Emotions

When Pokemon Go was first launched, there is a lot of excitement mainly because the game uses augmented reality which enable players to see virtual Pokemon in real-world locations so it feels like you are inside the Pokemon game. This is a rather fresh concept and what makes it stand out from other games is that it actually gets people outside to exercise and socialise with other players.

4. Public

Conformity is a human tendency to follow what the majority are doing. In the month when Pokemon Go was launched, it literally changes our lives. We played the game wherever we went, from shopping malls to parks, playgrounds, landmarks and didn’t even mind camping at the same location for hours! From young to old we played day and night, even when we were walking, jogging and even in the vehicle! I guess even if you hate Pokemon, you still have to join in the fun!

 

However, the big question here is whether Pokemon Go a success? They got off to a flying start with the fresh ideas, high anticipation and viral marketing but they did also lost a lot of players in a short period of time when more and more expectations started to pile on them. Pokemon Go could not hold the interest of the players once they caught that few “rare” Pokemon and they didn’t come up with updates fast enough. As people started quitting the game, many follow suits.

So, instead of using viral marketing, will Pokemon Go be more successful if they adopt a longer term or safer marketing approach? Please let me know in the comment below!