EP48: Dissecting the Creative Process Behind the Most Viral Ads of the Decade w/ Dan Harmon

Ever wondered what the secret to viral marketing is? What made ads like the Squatty Potty and PooPourri ones so popular, and how did they create multi-million dollar products? Well in this case, it was the Harmon Brothers.

Today’s episode was recorded from the DigitalMarketer Unplugged stage at Traffic & Conversion Summit 2019. Garrett interviews Dan Harmon, Chief Creative Officer at Harmon Brothers, and has him explain the step-by-step process of creating viral ads.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:

• 5 books that shaped how Dan tells stories in his ads and makes them go viral
• The 3 components of every viral video ad—relevance, relatability, and emotion
• How Dan decides what products his agency will work with and his onboarding process to start the creative development of the ad
• The critical steps of video advertising—casting, hiring a great producer and director, shooting in multiple formats for all social platforms, and making sure your contingency budget is more than you think you’ll need
• How to make an ad go viral with a $500–1,000 budget
• Why editing is the most important part of a viral video ad and Dan’s standard editing process

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

How To Get Ideas by Jack Foster

Hey Whipple, Squeeze This by Luke Sullivan

Building a Storybrand by Donald Miller

Creativity Inc. by Amy Wallace and Edwin Catmull

The User Method by Jeff Schwarting

Squatty Potty | This Unicorn Changed the Way I Poop

Harmon Brothers

Dan on LinkedIn

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