Amusement Parks and Viral Videos

With the extreme popularity of viral videos, it’s only natural for theme park marketers to begin creating faked viral videos to generate interest for various attractions, right? In the past couple of weeks, I’ve seen two very different “faked” viral videos.

First up is Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Kids Sneak into Transformers the Ride in Hollywood!!” video. Now granted, we don’t know for sure that Universal was behind this video, but it’s pretty obvious that it wasn’t an amateur video.

Watch the video below:

Reasons for believing that it was a faked viral video:

• I doubt that anyone who shoots an iPhone video in the portrait orientation (tall) will have the technical ability to edit the video with all of those convenient cuts seen.
• It was pretty easy for the two teenagers to sneak into the Transformers ride building. Especially since it’s still technically a construction site, the liabilities surrounding a site like that would require heavy security.
• The park looked empty. Coincidence? Maybe.
• Universal Studios is copyrighted in the credits. With the amateur quality of the actual video, I highly doubt credit would be given to the park.

Don’t get me wrong. I like the premise of the video. I only wish the execution was different.

Now let’s move onto Thorpe Park’s viral marketing video for Swarm. The video looks more professional, but it still has that handheld feeling to it.

Watch the video below:

It’s quite obvious that this is a marketing video for Swarm. But it’s still an awesome video. You know that it’s a part of the story behind the Swarm coaster. It’s like watching a movie. It’s very realistic but in the back of your head you know it’s not real. It doesn’t come across as fake.

What are your thoughts? Do you like the handheld camera format but wish parks would be more upfront with the source of the video? Personally, unless the faked viral video is legitimate and very “raw,” then I’d prefer Thorpe Park’s approach: make a viral-looking video, but be upfront that it’s simply a marketing video.

Please share your thoughts using the comment system below!