Why Do We Share? The Impact of Viral Videos Dramatized to Sell

Abstract

<h3>ABSTRACT</h3> The decline of traditional mass-media advertising impels marketers to find new ways of engaging consumers. One innovative marketing technique of branded entertainment is the minifilm—otherwise known as microfilm advertising (MFA)—a short streaming advertisement designed to go viral. Applying media and advertising theories, this study investigated the format and the persuasive effects of MFA. Structural-equation modeling results demonstrated that “transportation” (the extent of a message being absorbed into the narrative flow of a story) and enjoyment significantly influenced attitude toward the advertisement and forwarding intention, but did not directly influence attitude toward the brand. The persuasive mechanism discovered by this study has academic and practical implications for branded entertainment advocates.