Viral videos are everywhere these days. Every morning I listen to CNN Headline News on my way to work and they’ve even devoted a weekly segment to this phenomenon. True – it’s usually a bunch of guys performing on treadmills – but still… it’s CNN Headline News!

The most recent viral video to catch the eye of millions is lonelygirl15. The series of video diaries lasted over a four-month period and lead viewers to believe that Bree (the main character) was the home-schooled, teenage daughter of very religious parents. Bree would upload her video diary via YouTube and her Myspace page. The series of videos took the path that most good viral videos take; viewers became enthralled with the teen and her angst. People passed along her postings and her video diaries had an audience of millions. And then reality hit, as it always does.

In a press conference (yes, they really held press conference!) it was revealed that lonelygirl15 was actually a fictitious story being performed by a trained actor. The drama was - well - a drama. Did this clever ploy work? The answers that you receive will vary. Some argue that this revelation will be the demise of this webseries. Others have argued that this is only the beginning for these filmmakers. My take: this was a home run for these folks! In a matter of months, the buzz generated about this girl has been off the charts. Since the revelation that she is actually a 19 year-old actress, the popularity of the video series has skyrocketed.

Check out YouTube; the majority of the comments on the videos have come AFTER the announcement. Take a look at “Bree’s” MySpace page; the comments – for the most part – are supportive and curious about what’s going on in her world. Not only has this creative bunch been signed to a high powered talent agency, they’ve found themselves all over the media. Outlets like The New York Times, Le Journal de Montreal (the largest newspaper in Quebec), and The NBC Nightly News have jumped on this story - making the creators not only an internet phenomenon, but also a mass media phenomenon.

When you decide to take part in a viral marketing campaign, you walk a fine line. Just what will happen when you’re found out? For this group of people, the reaction couldn’t have been any better! They have managed to reach out to the youth via social media (YouTube, MySpace) and the general public via traditional media (newspapers, television, etc.). lonelygirl15 has done something that I have a feeling will be happening a lot more over the next few years: made the jump from viral video to mainstream newsmaker. And I’m talking a legitimate news maker, not just another funny video of two boys lip-synching to Jessica Simpson.

In PR we’re always searching for eyeballs - people to see to the message we are putting out on behalf of our clients. Think about the number of people who have learned about lonelygirl15 over the last few weeks alone. Add together the audience of YouTube, The New York Times and The NBC Nightly News. That’s a pretty nice reach for something that started out as a hobby for few small filmmakers. I’d say that YouTube and other social media outlets just earned a lot of credibility as a vehicle to get the attention of the mainstream media. Will your video be the next media darling?

I'M OUT!