Is Target Really Behind 'Alex From Target' Viral Marketing Campaign - Viral is Not a Strategy

Target.. by Mike Mozart, on Flickr

Viral is not a strategy. I can't say it any plainer than that. However, that said, viral success can and does happen.

'First' is controversial, but apparently people were first were tweeting a photo of 'Alex from Target', a young photogenic Target employee.

Then Alex's photo went viral on Twitter (#AlexFromTarget) as well as other social media sites.

Then Alex appeared on the Ellen Degeneres Show.

Today I've seen several posts speculating this might actually have been staged by Target, rather than being a random sequence of happy events:

• Here's Our Conspiracy Theory About The Viral Sensation 'Alex From Target' - Business Insider 
• The mystery of how 'Alex from Target' went viral - C|Net
• ‘Alex from Target’ turned out to be an elaborate social media stunt … or was it? - Digital Trends

But this is all oddly reminiscent of J&J and the 'Motrin Mom' controversy way back in November 2008 (almost 6 years ago to the day):

• How Twittering Critics Brought Down Motrin Mom Campaign - AdAge
  - Bloggers Ignite Brush Fire Over Weekend, Forcing J&J to Pull Ads, Issue Apology

Who is really behind the 'Alex From Target' internet social media sensation?
      Who knows? But right now, Target is denying their involvement.

So in the venerable tradition of marketing and advertising, perhaps this newest viral campaign is simply "rinse and repeat" of an older campaign?

And as I said, viral is not a strategy. You might think it is, but actually pulling it off successfully is something else completely.

But success with your social media marketing efforts...

- By Karl Kasca, instructor UCLA Extension (@KarlKasca @UCLAextension)

PS: Who do you think is behind this? Let me know...