Whether you're making a corporate training video or a TV commercial, brands today want their videos to be seen by as many people as possible. The Internet provides a huge potential audience, but how do you stand out from the millions of other videos online? Take some pointers from Charlie Sheen for your next web video production project, and you just may end up with a viral hit.
Be different.
If it had been any other drugged out actor getting fired from a sitcom, they would have hidden from the media until the whole thing blew over. Charlie Sheen did the opposite.
Any sane person would have tried to deflect the attention and criticism; Sheen embraced it and made the criticism work for him. Must be the tiger blood.
Be crazy unpredictable.
Whether you like Charlie Sheen or not, the man is inescapable online. Sheen straddles the line between being hilarious and horrifying. This conflict keeps the viewer interested and makes sharing the content irresistible. People will aways watch a video longer and more intently when they are anxious to know what's coming next.
Follow up.
Sheen's internet fifteen minutes of fame should have been over long ago, but instead he's getting new movie offers, a roast on comedy central and impersonated on SNL. After Sheen's unbelievable interview, he took to Twitter where he amassed a huge following and started engaging with fans. He even set a Guinness World Record for being the fastest user to reach 1 million fans (it only took 25 hours).
Take a stance.
People are more likely to listen or care about your story if you are passionate about one side of an issue. "I've been kicked around, I've been criticized. I've been this 'awe shucks' guy with a bitchin' rockstar life. I'm finally just gonna completely embrace it, wrap my arms around it and love it violently. And defend it violently, through violent hatred." Sure these sound like the ramblings of a drunk maniac, but you can also tell he really means it. Crazy or not, the audience can sense that. Take a stance and stand by it, your audience will appreciate it.