Over the past year, there were a handfull of video campaigns that not only went viral but also inspired people in different ways. From crazy dances and Ugandan rebel leaders, to men freefalling from space, this past year had something to keep everyone entertained.
These ten videos were huge hits and created a lot of buzz. Here’s a list of ten of the top viral video successes of the past year. Can you do better?
Kony
This documentary was made by Invisible Children, a charity that aims to promote ‘Stop Kony’ movement. The 30 minute clip, published in March last year, was about Joseph Kony, a Ugandan rebel leader, and to date it has 96,561,777 views.
The video gained a huge celebrity following with the likes of Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian and Oprah Winfrey who all shared the video.
Gangnam Style
It might be slightly difficult to remember just how popular this dance was given the latest Harlem Shake fad but back in 2012, this was a worldwide phenomenon.
Published in July, the video starred South Korean rapper Psy and it became the most watched video on YouTube. Ever. It even surpassed Justin Bieber’s ‘Baby’ video, which shot the teen-star to fame.
To date, it has had 1,340,321,254 views; not bad for a guy who wears a tuxedo and sunglasses, and dances like a galloping horse.
Red Bull- Stratos
Now we all know how the saying goes, ‘Red Bull gives you wings’, but the brand took this to a whole new level in October last year when they showcased a daredevil marvel.
Felix Baumgatner broke the world record and sound barrier to travel at a speed that man has never done before. The world watched in awe when the 43-year-old man freefell out of space. The mission clocked up over 32 million views on YouTube and it was the most watched live online event ever.
Call Me Maybe lip syncing
Last year, a bunch of celebrities got together to kick start a lip syncing trend and it made Carly Rae Jepson’s ‘Call Me Maybe’ hit record, the song of the summer. Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Ashley Tisdale and more collaborated to sing along to the catchy tune.
It soon became one of the biggest global trends and to date it has had 59,553,496 views.
TNT
A TV channel in Belgium was launched in April last year and to promote it a big red button was placed in one of the Flemish towns. It read “Push to add Drama” and the inquisitive souls that pushed it had a very rude awakening.
The moment anyone pushed the button, a wealth of dramatic consequences occurred, including a man on a stretcher falling out of an ambulance, as well as a gun battle between police and a getaway car driver.
The whole scene was filmed by actors, and the core message was to encourage consumers to get their daily dose of drama on the new TV channel.
To date the clip has had 43,538,151 views on YouTube.
Dubstep Violin
In February last year, an American violinist, Lindsey Stirling, published a video on YouTube that catapulted her to fame. The musician created an amazing piece which combined dubstep with her violin and it made her a huge hit.
It has had 49,087,616 views which isn’t bad for someone who has achieved recognition simply through YouTube.
Walk off the Earth’s Gotye Cover
In January last year, a Canadian band, Walk off the Earth, published their version of Gotye’s hit single ‘Somebody That I Used to Know.’
The clip shows the five members performing and playing to one guitar, and it became the biggest cover video of 2012.
The video has had a massive 146,424,871 views on YouTube.
Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney
In October last year, the Epic Rap Battles of History (ERB) published a hilarious video of Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney.
The clip was one of many videos watched during the election season, and to date it has drawn over 57 million views.
Why You Asking All Them Questions?
In January last year, an entertainer from America called Emmanuel Hudson became a worldwide, hip hop phenomenon.
The YouTube star teamed up with another actor called Spoken Reasons to produce one of 2012’s most entertaining videos.
The rap has cultivated 44,100,418 views and was the seventh most popular video that everybody was talking about in 2012.
Facebook Parenting: For the Troubled Teen
In February last year, an American parent called Tommy Jordan decided to give his offspring some tough love.
His 15-year-old daughter had reportedly posted a letter on her Facebook profile, criticizing her mom and dad. In it, she expressed how upset she was and how unfair her life is in that she has to do chores, but never gets paid to do them.
She shared the post with all her Facebook friends but blocked her parents from seeing it; however, her dad did see the thread, and responded with a video that went incredibly viral.
The clip, which showcased a father-daughter relationship in such a socially-savvy world, sparked a storm of controversy and debate. To date it has had over 36 million views on YouTube.
And there it is.
This guest article was written by Lauren Grice on behalf of PR Fire, a press release distribution service.
