Ed to the Mac to the Mahon to the Forget It!
I love those freecreditreport.com commercials with the guy singing about his credit misfortune. He’s had to move in with his in-laws, he’s driven a Yugo, he’s bought a 1960s bike, all because he didn’t monitor his credit.
Those videos have gone viral in part to the fact they weren’t designed to become viral classics. Now the credit report service bureau has released viral videos starring credit-unworthy celebrity Ed McMahon, or “Ed McGangsta,” trying to get his “big checks” back (just in case Publisher’s Clearinghouse tried to take whatever’s left in his empty pockets).
They’re catchy after you watch them a few times, they get McMahon paid, and they’re timely. But can you really make a video with the intent of making it viral? It’s a long shot, Jaffer Ali of Vidsense recently told me while doing research on a separate article for Multichannel Merchant.
Viral happens. Things like “Don’s Tase Me Bro:”
Or something created for television that gets people talking… like Lazy Sunday:
Sure, McGangsta could have been a great TV campaign. Everyone over 40 knows who Ed McMahon is. Those under 40 need to be real news junkies or have tapes of Tonight Show from the Johnny Carson days to understand it’s not just a random old white dude getting gangsta.
Good luck, freecreditreport.com
