They are a relatively unknown Canadian band with one hit in their home country under their belt.  Yet today, Hollerado’s video for “Americanarama” has almost a half-million views on YouTube in it’s first week on-line.  Reasonably impressive.  The video brings up memories of the creative stuff that the band OK Go has done, building a name for themselves and a strong career without taking the traditional paths of radio stations and music TV networks, where hits have traditionally been made.

Videos like this have inspired marketers who are desperate to tap into the power of social media and create their own viral videos to promote their brand.  Proctor and Gamble did so brilliantly with their Pantene brand ”You can shine” short-form video about overcoming adversity.

Why do some viral videos take off, and others bust?  Proctor and Gamble, OK Go, and Hollerado have done something very simple.  They’ve entertained us.   They don’t try to sell us anything.  They tell stories, make us laugh or cry, and inspire emotions.  The marketing message is not overt.  In the Pantene video, there is no product placement or logo placement.

If you want your video to go viral, forget about marketing.  Become a storyteller.  Become an entertainer. Connect with people on an emotional level, and let that connection be your sales pitch.

Star Wars fans might enjoy this “dark side” perspective on viral marketing.

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One trait of rock star brands is finding new territory to own.

Pepsi shocked the cola wars in the 1972 when they became the first foreign product to be legally marketed in the USSR.  They did well in Russia until the Cold War ended end the game changed.

Chrysler was the first North American manufacturer to build minivans, and for two decades retained market leadership with their Dodge Caravan.

A relatively unknown band from small town Ontario is doing exactly that, becoming legitimate rock stars in China, where passion for Western brands is immense and access to them is severely limited.

Hollerado hasn’t just toured in China, they’ve made opening up this new territory a centerpiece to their business plan.  Their website (http://www.hollerado.com/) exists in Chinese (http://www.hollerado.cn/).  They’ve turned their tour of China into a pilot for a  travel TV show that you can watch on their website.  And in a stroke of simple marketing brilliance, they’ve recorded two songs entirely in Mandarin.

The People’s Republic just happens to be the largest country in the world, with 1.3 billion people and 19% of the world’s population.  Yet their exposure to Western rock music isn’t deep.  When Hollerado toured China, they compared it to what North America was like in the 1950′s as a generation of young people discovered an entirely new and controversial kind of music.

That’s finding new territory, and staking a solid claim to it.

Your brands new territory doesn’t have to involve a transoceanic flight.  Finding new territory means exploring new ways to tell your story to a new group of people who are eager to hear it.

For example, a laundry and dry cleaning business might consider marketing to athletes for clean their sports equipment.  It takes special skill and equipment to wash football gear and hockey equipment.  That’s opening up new territory.

It could be as simple as a local pizza place marketing to corporate meetings during the day, when demand for their delivery is extremely low.  That’s opening up new territory.

While rock star brands always remain focused on their core business, opening up new territories that never compromise the core values of the brand is brilliant.

The UK has recognized the demand and recently organized a mission to bring rock bands to China.  The British Council’s BritPop brought two acts to the country for shows in Shanghai and Beijing.

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