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Viral advertising, or How to infect the target audience with your ideas? What are viruses? Who is a virus?

Viruses. Surely you have heard this name many times, heard about the harm they pose to humans, heard about viral infections such as influenza, measles, smallpox, herpes, hepatitis, HIV... But what are viruses and why are they so dangerous?

All viruses are non-cellular organisms, that is, they do not have a cellular structure, and this is their main difference from other types of organisms.

The average size of viruses ranges from 20 to 300 nanometers, making them the smallest of all to which the word “living” can be applied. The average virus is about 100 times smaller than other pathogenic creatures, bacteria. The virus can only be seen with a sufficiently powerful electron microscope.

Once in the host cells, viruses begin to reproduce spontaneously, and the building material is the substance of the cell itself, which often leads to its death. This is why all viral infections are dangerous.

Interestingly, there are also beneficial viruses for humans, these are so-called bacteriophages that destroy harmful bacteria inside us.

How do viruses work?

The structure of viral particles is as simple as possible; in most cases they consist of only two components, less often - three:

genetic material in the form of DNA or RNA molecules is the actual basis of the virus, containing information for its reproduction;

capsid - a protein shell that separates and protects the genetic material from the external environment;

supercapsid - an additional lipid shell, which in some cases is formed from the membranes of donor cells.

Internal structure of a virus particle

What are viruses?

Based on their shape, all viruses can be divided into 4 large groups:

  1. spiral
  2. icosahedral and round
  3. oblong
  4. complex or incorrect

Typical forms of viruses

Viruses also spread in various ways, of which there are great amount: by air, by direct contact, by animal carriers, through blood, etc.

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Viral marketing is at the peak of its popularity these days. This method of transmitting information increases the number of customers exponentially, especially in online business.

Why viral advertising? Viral does not mean harmful. If you associate the word virus with computer viruses, worms, Trojans, then I will calm you down. In our case, viral advertising is considered to be something that is transmitted between users on their own initiative. This type of advertising is very popular among marketers because of its effectiveness and low cost.

The whole difficulty lies in the fact that we cannot accurately predict the behavior of our product in advertising company(whether it will go viral or not). To do this, we need to look at examples of viral products.

Examples of viral products in Russia and the world.

1. Viral clip (song). Group "Leningrad" with viral videos (on Louboutins, healthy lifestyle, drinking in St. Petersburg). Everyone liked it because it reveals the Russian soul, a lot of swearing and colloquial language, “the naked truth of life.”

2. Viral game. Game pokemon go. First of all, there are many mentions in the media. New technology additional reality. Pleasant memories of the animated series of the 2000s, when there was also mass hysteria with stickers and posters of Pokemon.

3. Funny short video (memes). Like a virus, we constantly downloaded video jokes to each other’s mobile phones (“Chumazik”, “Aha Airship”, “Irreplaceable Slavik”, “The Door Sang”). Nowadays, the popularity of a certain video does not take a long period of time due to the huge flow of new videos. But funny videos spread online at great speed, and we constantly remember and discuss many videos.

4. Viral news. In 2008, when Russia and the world were gripped by a financial crisis, a rumor appeared that buckwheat and salt would rise in price. People bought buckwheat and salt in bulk for several years in advance. The same thing happened in 2015, when people rushed to buy household appliances, someone bought three refrigerators. I think these rumors were started for a reason. A smart marketing move.

And so, we have identified several examples of viral products. Now you can identify the general similarities and main features of the virus.

Signs of viral products

A product can be called a virus when:

1. The product does not need support to grow as such. The product is self-distributed.

2. The product evokes emotions, no matter whether they are positive or negative (sexual arousal, fear, happiness, laughter, sadness, disgust, hatred).

3. The product is novel and interesting. It gives something without which it is no longer possible to imagine the modern world.

4.The product idea is simple and easy to remember.

5.The product is as accessible as possible to people. Or rather, on the contrary, any user is available to the product.

If a product has the above-described signs, it can be assumed that it has spread virally.

This is where the concept of “virus capacity” comes from.

“Virus capacity is a property that forces us to spread information about it to friends and acquaintances.

Its essence is that the greater the gap between price and quality (better quality, service, design and at the same time lower price), the greater the virus capacity of this product or establishment.

The marketer’s task is to launch a viral product with the highest virus capacity.

Now I will give some tips that you can use in your advertising programs to achieve high virus capacity.

Advertising techniques to increase virus capacity.

Celebrities.

Maximum involvement of the media.

Creative.

One of the important factors influencing the virality of a product is the creativity in its advertising. Come up with something that no one has done before and people will be interested in it. Everything new is always exciting. To achieve viral success, an advertisement must stand out from all other advertisements, and not just from its direct competitors.
Hype.

If a product is discussed by everyone, everywhere, then they know it and will advertise it. The discussion can be different, both positive and negative. Therefore, the danger of this method is that it can negatively affect the rating of the brand itself. But, as they say, it is impossible to be good to everyone.

On the verge of a foul.

This factor is best described as a video that most people wouldn't show their mom. Such videos are on the verge of social acceptability. Some may find them offensive, shocking, distasteful or have a "sick imagination". What's important, however, is that they combine this kind of brinksmanship with good humor. The shock element contained in the video is generally perceived as humorous rather than inappropriate. This also includes advertising with direct sexual overtones.

Luck.

Viruses are non-cellular infectious agents that have a genome (DNA and RNA), but are not endowed with a synthesizing apparatus. To reproduce, these microorganisms need cells from more highly organized organisms. Once in cells, they begin to multiply, causing the development of various diseases. Each virus has a specific mechanism of action on its host. Sometimes a person does not even suspect that he is a virus carrier, since the virus does not cause harm to health; this condition is known as latency, for example, herpes.

To prevent viral diseases, it is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and strengthen the body’s defenses.

Origin and structure

There are several hypotheses about the origin of viruses. Science offers a version about the emergence of viruses from fragments of RNA and DNA that were released from a large organism.

Coevolution suggests that viruses emerged simultaneously with living cells as a result of the construction of complex sets of nucleic acids and proteins.

Questions about how it reproduces and is transmitted are studied by a special branch of microbiology - virology.

Each virus particle has genetic information (RNA or DNA) and a protein membrane (capsid) that acts as protection.

Viruses come in different shapes, ranging from a simple helical shape to an icosahedral one. The standard value is approximately 1/100 the size of the average bacterium. However, most viruses are very small, making them difficult to examine under a microscope.

Is living matter a virus?

There are two definitions of the life forms of viruses. According to the first, extracellular agents are a collection of organic molecules. The second definition states that viruses are a special form of life. It is impossible to answer the question of what viruses exist specifically and definitively, since biology presupposes the constant emergence of new species. They are similar to living cells in that they have a special set of genes and evolve according to the method of natural set. They require a host cell to exist. The absence of its own metabolism makes it impossible to reproduce without outside help.

Modern science has developed a version according to which certain bacteriophages have their own immunity, capable of adaptation. This is proof that viruses are a form of life.

Viral diseases - what are they?

Viruses of the plant world

If you ask yourself what viruses are, then, in addition to the human body, you can distinguish a special type of viruses that infect plants. They are not dangerous to humans or animals, since they are able to reproduce only in plant cells.

Artificial viruses

Artificial viruses are created to produce vaccines against infections. The list of viruses that are created artificially in the arsenal of medicine is not fully known. However, it is safe to say that creating an artificial virus could have a lot of consequences.

Such a virus is obtained by introducing an artificial gene into a cell, which carries the information necessary for the formation of new types.

Viruses that infect the human body

What viruses are on the list of extracellular agents dangerous to humans and causing irreversible changes? This is the aspect of studying modern science.

The simplest viral disease is the common cold. But against the background of weakened immunity, viruses can cause quite serious pathologies. Each pathogenic microorganism affects the body of its host in a certain way. Some viruses can live in the human body for years without causing harm (latency).

Certain latent species are even beneficial to humans because their presence generates an immune response against bacterial pathogens. Some infections are chronic or lifelong, which is purely individual and is determined by the protective ability of the virus carrier.

Spread of viruses

Transmission of viral infections in humans is possible from person to person or from mother to baby. The rate of transmission or epidemiological status depends on the population density of the region, weather conditions and season, as well as the quality of medicine. It is possible to prevent the spread of viral pathologies if you timely clarify which virus is currently detected in most patients and carry out appropriate preventive measures.

Kinds

Viral diseases manifest themselves in completely different ways, which is associated with the type of extracellular agent that caused the disease, the location of the disease, and the speed of development of the pathology. Human viruses are classified as lethal and indolent. The latter are dangerous because the symptoms are unexpressed or weak, and the problem cannot be detected quickly. During this time, the pathogenic organism can multiply and cause serious complications.

Below is a list of the main types of human viruses. It allows you to clarify which viruses exist and which pathogenic microorganisms cause diseases dangerous to health:

  1. Orthomyxoviruses. This includes all types of influenza viruses. Special tests will help you find out which influenza virus caused the pathological condition.
  2. Adenoviruses and rhinoviruses. They affect the respiratory system and cause ARVI. The symptoms of the disease are similar to the flu and can cause severe complications such as pneumonia and bronchitis.
  3. Herpes viruses. Activated against the background of reduced immunity.
  4. Meningitis. The pathology is caused by meningococci. The mucous membrane of the brain is affected; the cerebrospinal fluid is the nutrient substrate for the pathogenic organism.
  5. Encephalitis. Renders negative impact on the lining of the brain, causing irreversible changes in the central nervous system.
  6. Parvovirus. The diseases caused by this virus are very dangerous. The patient experiences convulsions, inflammation of the spinal cord, and paralysis.
  7. Picornaviruses. Causes hepatitis.
  8. Orthomyxoviruses. They provoke mumps, measles, parainfluenza.
  9. Rotavirus. The extracellular agent causes enteritis, intestinal flu, and gastroenteritis.
  10. Rhabdoviruses. They are causative agents of rabies.
  11. Papoviruses. Causes papillomatosis in humans.

Retroviruses. They are the causative agents of HIV, and later AIDS.

Life-threatening viruses

Some viral diseases are quite rare, but they pose a serious danger to human life:

  1. Tularemia. The disease is caused by the infectious bacillus Francisellatularensis. The clinical picture of the pathology resembles the plague. It enters the body through airborne droplets or through a mosquito bite. Transmitted from person to person.
  2. Cholera. The disease is recorded very rarely. The Vibrio cholerae virus enters the body by drinking dirty water or contaminated food.
  3. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. In most cases, the patient experiences death. Transmitted through contaminated animal meat. The causative agent is a prion - a special protein that destroys cells. Manifests itself as a mental disorder, severe irritation, and dementia.

It is possible to determine what type of virus caused the disease through laboratory tests. An important argument is the epidemic state of the region. Finding out what kind of virus is currently circulating is also important.

Signs of viral infections and possible complications

The majority of viruses provoke the occurrence of acute respiratory diseases. The following manifestations of ARVI are distinguished:

  • development of rhinitis, cough with clear mucus;
  • increase in temperature up to 37.5 degrees or fever;
  • feeling of weakness, headaches, loss of appetite, muscle pain.

Delayed treatment can cause serious complications:

  • adenovirus can cause inflammation of the pancreas, which leads to the development of diabetes;
  • beta-hemolytic streptococcus, which is the causative agent of sore throat and other types of inflammatory diseases, with reduced immunity can provoke diseases of the heart, joints, and epidermis;
  • influenza and ARVI are often complicated by pneumonia in children, elderly patients, and pregnant women.

Viral pathologies can cause other serious complications - sinusitis, joint damage, heart pathologies, chronic fatigue syndrome.

Diagnostics

Experts determine a viral infection by general symptoms, based on what virus is currently circulating. Virological studies are used to determine the type of virus. Modern medicine widely uses immunodiagnostic methods, including immunoindication and serodiagnosis. The specialist decides which ones to take based on a visual examination and the collected medical history.

Prescribed:

  • enzyme immunoassay;
  • radioisotope immunoassay;
  • hemagglutination inhibition response study;
  • immunofluorescence reaction.

Treatment of viral diseases

The course of treatment is chosen depending on the pathogen, specifying what types of viruses caused the pathology.

For the treatment of viral diseases the following is used:

  1. Drugs that stimulate the immune system.
  2. Medicines that destroy a specific type of virus. Diagnosis at viral infection is necessary because it is important to clarify which virus responds better to the selected drug, which allows for more targeted treatment.
  3. Medicines that increase the sensitivity of cells to interferon.

For the treatment of common viral diseases, the following is used:

  1. "Acyclovir". Prescribed for herpes, it eliminates the pathology completely.
  2. "Relezan", "Ingavirin", "Tamiflu". Prescribed when different types flu
  3. Interferons together with Ribavirin are used to treat hepatitis B. A new generation drug, Simeprevir, is used to treat hepatitis C.

Prevention

Preventive measures are selected depending on the type of virus.

Preventive measures are divided into two main areas:

  1. Specific. They are carried out with the aim of developing specific immunity in a person through vaccination.
  2. Non-specific. Actions should be aimed at strengthening the body's defense system by providing light physical activity, a properly composed diet and maintaining personal hygiene standards.

Viruses are living organisms that are almost impossible to avoid. To prevent serious viral pathologies, it is necessary to vaccinate according to the schedule, lead a healthy lifestyle, and organize a balanced diet.

There is an opinion that animals, plants and humans predominate in numbers on planet Earth. But this is actually not the case. There are countless microorganisms (microbes) in the world. And viruses are among the most dangerous. They can cause various diseases in humans and animals. Below is a list of the ten most dangerous biological viruses for humans.

Hantaviruses are a genus of viruses that are transmitted to humans through contact with rodents or their waste products. Hantaviruses cause various diseases belonging to such groups of diseases as “hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome” (mortality on average 12%) and “hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome” (mortality up to 36%). The first major outbreak of disease caused by hantaviruses, known as Korean hemorrhagic fever, occurred during the Korean War (1950–1953). Then more than 3,000 American and Korean soldiers felt the effects of a then unknown virus that caused internal bleeding and impaired kidney function. Interestingly, this particular virus is considered probable cause the outbreak of an epidemic in the 16th century that exterminated the Aztec people.


Influenza virus is a virus that causes an acute infectious disease of the respiratory tract in humans. Currently, there are more than 2 thousand of its variants, classified into three serotypes A, B, C. The group of viruses from serotype A, divided into strains (H1N1, H2N2, H3N2, etc.) is the most dangerous for humans and can lead to epidemics and pandemics. Every year, between 250 and 500 thousand people worldwide die from seasonal influenza epidemics (most of them children under 2 years of age and elderly people over 65 years of age).


Marburg virus - dangerous virus first described in 1967 during small outbreaks in the German cities of Marburg and Frankfurt. In humans, it causes Marburg hemorrhagic fever (mortality rate 23-50%), which is transmitted through blood, feces, saliva and vomit. The natural reservoir for this virus is sick people, probably rodents and some species of monkeys. Symptoms in the early stages include fever, headache and muscle pain. In the later stages - jaundice, pancreatitis, weight loss, delirium and neuropsychiatric symptoms, bleeding, hypovolemic shock and multiple organ failure, most often the liver. Marburg fever is one of the top ten deadly diseases transmitted from animals.


Sixth on the list of the most dangerous human viruses is Rotavirus, a group of viruses that are the most common cause of acute diarrhea in infants and young children. Transmitted by the fecal-oral route. The disease is usually easy to treat, but kills more than 450,000 children under five worldwide each year, most of whom live in underdeveloped countries.


Ebola virus is a genus of virus that causes Ebola hemorrhagic fever. It was first discovered in 1976 during an outbreak of the disease in the Ebola River basin (hence the name of the virus) in Zaire, DR Congo. It is transmitted through direct contact with the blood, secretions, other fluids and organs of an infected person. Ebola fever is characterized by a sudden increase in body temperature, severe general weakness, muscle pain, headaches, and sore throat. Often accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, rash, impaired renal and liver function, and in some cases internal and external bleeding. According to the US Centers for Disease Control, in 2015, 30,939 people were infected with Ebola, of whom 12,910 (42%) died.


Dengue virus is one of the most dangerous biological viruses for humans, causing dengue fever, in severe cases, which has a mortality rate of about 50%. The disease is characterized by fever, intoxication, myalgia, arthralgia, rash and swollen lymph nodes. It is found mainly in the countries of South and Southeast Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Caribbean, where about 50 million people are infected annually. The carriers of the virus are sick people, monkeys, mosquitoes and bats.


Smallpox virus is a complex virus, the causative agent of a highly contagious disease of the same name that affects only humans. This is one of the oldest diseases, the symptoms of which are chills, pain in the sacrum and lower back, rapid increase in body temperature, dizziness, headache, vomiting. On the second day, a rash appears, which eventually turns into purulent blisters. In the 20th century, this virus claimed the lives of 300–500 million people. About US$298 million was spent on the smallpox campaign from 1967 to 1979 (equivalent to US$1.2 billion in 2010). Fortunately, the last known case of infection was reported on October 26, 1977 in the Somali city of Marka.


The rabies virus is a dangerous virus that causes rabies in humans and warm-blooded animals, which causes specific damage to the central nervous system. This disease is transmitted through saliva from the bite of an infected animal. Accompanied by an increase in temperature to 37.2–37.3, poor sleep, patients become aggressive, violent, hallucinations, delirium, a feeling of fear appear, soon paralysis of the eye muscles, lower extremities, paralytic respiratory disorders and death occurs. The first signs of the disease appear late, when destructive processes have already occurred in the brain (swelling, hemorrhage, degradation of nerve cells), which makes treatment almost impossible. To date, only three cases of human recovery without vaccination have been recorded; all others ended in death.


Lassa virus is a deadly virus that is the causative agent of Lassa fever in humans and primates. The disease was first discovered in 1969 in the Nigerian city of Lassa. It is characterized by a severe course, damage to the respiratory system, kidneys, central nervous system, myocarditis and hemorrhagic syndrome. It is found mainly in West African countries, especially in Sierra Leone, the Republic of Guinea, Nigeria and Liberia, where the annual incidence ranges from 300,000 to 500,000 cases, of which 5 thousand lead to the death of the patient. The natural reservoir of Lassa fever is polymammated rats.


Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the most dangerous human virus, the causative agent of HIV infection/AIDS, which is transmitted through direct contact of mucous membranes or blood with bodily fluid of the patient. During HIV infection, the same person develops new strains (varieties) of the virus, which are mutants, completely different in reproduction speed, capable of initiating and killing certain types of cells. Without medical intervention, the average life expectancy of a person infected with the immunodeficiency virus is 9–11 years. According to 2011 data, 60 million people worldwide have become infected with HIV, of which 25 million have died, and 35 million continue to live with the virus.