Can Something Manufactured Still Be Authentic?

A few weeks ago, Coca-Cola uploaded an interesting experiment to YouTube entitled “Happiness Machine.” It’s completely contrived, gimmicky and appears to be nothing more than a blatant attempt to create something (ugh… I hate to even say the word) “viral.”

But here’s the twist… it worked.

Through supporting tweets, Facebook posts and rampant word-of-mouth on the web, this video has attracted well over a million views in just a few weeks. But even more than that, it’s gotten people talking about the brand in a positive way.

“That just? made my day”

“If only all coca cola vending machines were like this one. I love coca cola”

“I was actually clapping during this commercial. ? <3”

So why has Coke succeeded where others have failed? Why are people reacting so strongly in favor of the same type of manufactured event that has been met with disdain so many times before?

The difference is authenticity.

What makes the video generate such joy is seeing people interact with the “Happiness Machine.” Yes, the moment itself is manufactured, but the reactions of the people are genuine.

(Or at least I hope they are… for now, I’m going to let my normally skeptical brain just enjoy the moment.)

What’s also interesting about this particular endeavor is Coke’s ability (knowingly or not) to repurpose an “older” web convention for something new. Using the overplayed convention of a “viral” video, they’ve been able to create an army of brand evangelists and a wave of goodwill.

Not too bad for the price of a video camera, some flowers and an 8-foot sub…

Related articles

• 712,000 Views and Counting for New Coca-Cola Happiness Video (marketingvox.com)
• Viral Friday: Happiness Machine (viralblog.com)
• Coca Cola: Happiness Machine Viral Video? (viralblog.com)