Viral marketing is the oldest and most trusted form of advertising, and the internet is a modern-day digital watering hole. There has always been a central location where people gather just to be social and talk about anything and everything (the general store, downtown, campus union, etc.). Instead of passing along recommendations and criticisms in person, we use the internet to spread the word about what we came across during our day. Whether it's a mass joke email or an online geography quiz, the beauty of creating an online viral campaign is that the conversation channel is already open. Before, there was a delay in the spreading of information. A person had to dial the phone or meet up with friends, but now people can speak to whomever will listen via the internet, through blogs and social networking pages.

While viral campaigns can be extremely successful in creating brand awareness, they should be used sparingly and strategically. Wikipedia cites that a satisfied customer tells three people about their experience while their dissatisfied counterpart tells 11. Marketers need to keep this in mind because if the campaign does not succeed, consumers will be quick to let everyone know about it. Since there is always the risk of a backlash, monitoring consumer perceptions is imperative in staying ahead of buzz campaigns. The last thing a viral marketer wants to generate for brands is an outbreak of bad publicity.