In his book Media Virus, Rushkoff (1994) introduces the concept of media viruses. He argues that media events are viruses, and they are essentially Trojan horses that carry hidden messages and agendas. He theorizes that media viruses aim to infiltrate the minds and lives of consumers, as well as popular culture. The “protein shell” of a media virus contains the hidden messages and agendas, and Rushkoff uses the term “memes” to label these messages (Rushkoff, 1994, p.10). Memes have the power to infiltrate every aspect of our lives, and even the way we perceive reality. Rushkoff (1994) asserts that the success of memes is dependent on our “legal, moral, and social resiliency” (Rushkoff, 1994, p.10). For instance, if we adopt an ambivalent attitude towards racism, our minds are easily susceptible to the infiltration of memes contained within the media virus to which we are exposed. More often than not, the spread of ideas and messages can occur without or against the user’s consent, and he/she may be tricked into relaying a hidden agenda while spreading the content (Jenkins et al., 2008, p.11).
Running counter to viral media is the concept of spreadable media. Spreadable media stresses the activity of consumers in shaping the circulation of media content (Jenkins et al., 2008, p.3). It “assumes that the repurposing and transformation of media content adds value” and “allows media content to be localized to diverse contexts of use” (Jenkins et al., 2008, p.3). Consumers play a crucial role in spreadable media as they act as carriers which spread messages, and more importantly, they assist in producing meaning. Spreadable media, unlike viral media, recognizes that consumers possess and exercise agency in spreading content; they actively choose the media content that they wish to circulate, and how this content is repositioned and circulated.
The video above was posted by SPCA Auckland in December 2012, to persuade viewers to adopt rescue dogs from the SPCA and to communicate the message that rescue dogs are highly intelligent and are able to learn new tricks. It was produced for SPCA Auckland’s Driving Dogs campaign, and features three SPCA dogs in total. The video above showcases Porter, a rescue dog from SPCA, being successfully taught to drive a Mini around a racetrack on its own. As of today, the video has generated over 14 million views, and almost ten thousand comments on YouTube. There are also two other videos showcasing two other SPCA rescue dogs named Monty and Ginny driving cars independently like Porter.
A majority of the comments expressed how dogs may be better drivers than humans. Some of the comments veered on being sexist, with users commenting “that dog can actually drive better than a woman”, or “my wife has a lot of explaining to do”. The top related video is a compilation of dogs who are intelligent and perform unexpected acts.
The video also generated coverage by blogs and news websites, such as http://www.autoblog.com/, nzherald.co.nz and dailymail.co.uk.
SPCA Auckland’s video is an example of spreadable media, rather than viral media. The video possesses spreadability as it not only contains humour, but also expresses themes of “community and nostalgia”, as pointed out by Jenkins et al. (2008, p.6). Moreover, the video motivates viewers to circulate the message, allowing it to be localized to different contexts of use, as seen in the related videos of intelligent dog compilations. It aims to increase consumer awareness by allowing viewers to spread the message, and decide how they wish to spread it. Online coverage by blogs and news websites demonstrate spreadability as well, as it shows that the video is being circulated across as many different channels as possible.
At the same time, the video possesses certain characteristics of stickiness. Stickiness, according to Jenkins et al. (2008), emphasizes “centralized control over distribution and attempts to maintain ‘purity’ of message’” (p.3). While the video does not stress the need for centralized control over distribution, it very much wishes to communicate the singular message that SPCA rescue dogs are intelligent and are deserving of loving homes. As such, while the video is an example of spreadable media, it possesses stickiness as it wishes to retain its core message amidst circulation.
The business advantages of spreadability are also apparent in this video for SPCA Auckland’s Driving Dogs campaign. Firstly, the spreadability of this video has the potential to increase consumer awareness of SPCA, and more importantly, to change their existing perceptions that SPCA houses rescue dogs who are incapable of learning new tricks. The video aims to communicate the message that SPCA’s rescue dogs are equally as intelligent as normal dogs, and every bit deserving of a warm home. Secondly, the spreadability of this video is likely to heighten consumer loyalty by increasing one’s emotional attachment to SPCA (Jenkins et al., 2008). The video serves to reinforce loyal SPCA customers’ positive feelings and emotions towards the brand, which helps to increase brand loyalty and is beneficial to the organization in the long run.
Reference List
Jenkins, H., Li, X., & Domb, A. (2008). If it doesn’t spread, it’s dead. Creating Value in a Spreadable Marketplace. Retrieved from: http://www.convergenceculture.org/weblog/2010/04/conver gence_culture_consortium.php
Rushkoff, D. (1994). Introduction (pp. 3 -16). In: Media virus! Hidden agendas in popular culture (1st ed.). New York: Ballantine Books.