Virality can be engineered by combining three key ingredients: something controversial, something funny, and something taken out of its usual context. According to Eric Zhu, blending these elements makes for a powerful and shareable story, as exemplified by the concept of sperm racing.

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A repeatable framework for creating viral stunts is to take a familiar concept—like a toy store, meditation app, or musical—and create the "world's first" version specifically for your target audience. The inherent absurdity of a "meditation app for CISOs" or a "dating app for accountants" generates curiosity and makes the campaign highly shareable.

Viral growth isn't luck; it's an iterative process. When a piece of content shows even minor success, immediately abandon your content plan and create a variation on the winning theme. This business-like A/B testing approach magnifies momentum and systematically builds towards parabolic growth.

Eric Zhu's virality stems from a formula: intentionally create or lean into outrageous situations (e.g., running a business from a high school bathroom), document the chaos as content, A/B test various angles, and then push it out for mass distribution, creating a "viral machine."

Gamma's AI launch succeeded not just because of the product, but because they intentionally crafted a "spicy" and provocative tweet designed to spark debate. This drew engagement from influential figures like Paul Graham, massively amplifying their reach beyond what a standard announcement could achieve.

A viral video's success hinges on more than just a strong opening hook. It must be inherently shareable, elicit comments, maintain engaging pacing, and conclude with a satisfying "button" that provides a clean, memorable finish and encourages a rewatch.

The IVF company Nucleus ran a subway campaign with provocative slogans like 'Have your best baby' to deliberately anger a segment of the population. This 'rage bait' strategy manufactures virality in controversial industries, leveraging negative reactions to gain widespread attention that would otherwise be difficult to achieve.

Creating viral content requires a formula: identify a dominant fandom driving conversation, understand the target platform's user base, and find a brand-relevant angle within hours. It's a strategic process of connecting cultural moments to your brand in near real-time, not a random act.

When launching creative campaigns, Wiz uses unique domains (e.g., Cisotopia.com) rather than company subdomains. This makes the project feel like an independent, fun creation, not a direct marketing play. The intentional disconnect from the corporate brand piques interest and makes people more willing to engage and share.

A successful formula for creating shareable AI ads involves three ingredients. Start with recognizable, public domain IP (e.g., Pompeii), create comedic contrast through juxtaposition (e.g., selling a timeshare before a volcano erupts), and tap into current internet-native trends (e.g., meme stocks).

The ultimate test of a viral concept is when it attracts inbound investor interest. Eric Zhu published a manifesto for sperm racing and had VCs reaching out to give him money before he had a business plan, indicating the idea itself possessed immense cultural resonance.

Combine Controversy, Humor, and Out-of-Context Elements to Engineer Virality | RiffOn