A few weeks ago I was preparing to head up to a campground just north of Tampa for a women’s retreat, along with 100 other women, preparing to serve the 35 who were coming as “candidates”, their first time at Tres Dias.
Unwittingly, either someone else serving or a candidate brought something
unexpected to the campground – swine flu.
32 of us were hit and within 2 days of getting home from the campground, the Facebook posts started flying. We became a sisterhood.
Finally, ten days later, most all have recovered.
I know now why marketers seek programs that are viral.
To be viral, you take people by surprise, you hit them hard and you make them think.
The Swine Flu gave lots of us time to think, but it did more than that. It bonded us together. I’ve never been “socially sick” before.
We shared symptoms, cures, fears of spreading it. Someone in our group that was not sick even made chicken soup for all 32 of us that we’re sick and delivered it to our homes.
As everyone returns to their lives, I have to admit I will miss them. Without the virus our communication will change. But the bond of it’s affect on us will remain. We’re even talking about getting tshirts made.
There is a marketing lesson in this.