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.

Launching with a provocative stunt like Chad IDE's 'brain rot' editor can generate massive attention. However, this strategy backfires if there isn't a compelling, accessible core product to convert that attention into user adoption. Without a real product behind the curtain, a stunt remains just a stunt.

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.

Intentionally add small, harmless inaccuracies or out-of-place elements to your content, such as a typo, a sarcastic miscalculation, or a hidden prop. This "tasteful rage bait" prompts viewers who spot the "mistake" to comment, driving engagement without causing actual harm or anger.

Observing a competitor's dystopian ad campaign, Dan Siroker realized the worst outcome for a startup isn't bad publicity, but irrelevance. Controversial marketing, even if it gets negative reactions, can generate crucial mindshare and get people talking, which is a prerequisite for user adoption.

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.

To prevent audience pushback against AI-generated ads, frame them as over-the-top, comedy-first productions similar to Super Bowl commercials. When people are laughing at the absurdity, they are less likely to criticize the technology or worry about its impact on creative jobs.

Simple, non-proprietary products can become massive successes through savvy use of short-form video. The controversy generated in comments fuels the algorithm, providing free, widespread distribution that makes previously unviable ideas profitable.

AI-generated videos can achieve unusually high watch-through rates (over 50%) on social media. The subtle imperfections make viewers question if what they're seeing is real, creating a captivating 'is this AI?' effect that holds their attention longer than a standard product demo.