The Harlem Shake is Rocking the World

The latest in internet fad videos is called the Harlem Shake. It is being billed as this year’s Gangnam Style, but is taking the internet by storm and very quickly, inspiring others to do their own Harlem Shake videos. Oddly enough, the originator of the Harlem Shake video does not come from the city in New York, but from right here in Australia. When researching the origins of the video that inspired this post, we found out that the original video comes, in fact, from a skateboard business on the Sunshine Coast of Australia: The Sunny Coast Skate.

Millions of Views, Thousands of Copycats

As of 15 February 2013, over 40,000 spinoffs of the TheSunny Coast Skate meme have been uploaded to YouTube, generating a staggering 175 million views! The original video has over 13 million views at the time of writing this post on February 20, 2013. The video is just 31 seconds long. Clearly there are no guidelines for “making” a viral video; and this is yet another example of the obscurity and unpredictability of popular videos.

How Can This Apply To Your Business?

With this type of viral video, there is no reason not to jump on the bandwagon and make your own Harlem Shake viral video for your company at your office. Of course, it may not be appropriate for every type of company, but it is so customizable that it is easy to make a Harlem Shake video that fits within the style of your business. Very little resources are needed, and a very small amount of time is necessary to devote to making a video that can elevate your brand in social media and get some fun, lighthearted attention for your company.