How to get 21million people to see your new product

@jercho1 created an ad for Taco Bell (for their new cantina chicken menu) and it's hit 21.6M views. 

Have a watch if you haven't seen it:

jercho1

View more on Instagram

What makes this interesting is how rarely branded content actually goes viral. 

Most of it feels forced, but this hits different.

The guys behind it use a formula we've talked about before - keeping people surprised. 

No shot stays on screen for more than a couple of seconds, and they're constantly throwing in stuff you wouldn't expect.

It's not just about quick cuts though. 

What they're doing is building this relentless momentum. 

Each shot leads into the next one, but never in the way you'd expect. 

They've mastered this balance between pace and unpredictability.

Think about the last time you watched an ad. 

Bet you were just waiting for it to end, right? 

But these guys keep you watching because they understand something crucial about today's audience - we've seen pretty much everything. 

So they make sure to show us something new every few seconds, and never let you get comfortable.

Just when your brain starts to recognise a pattern, they break it.

This is calculated though.

Typically with content, even great content, you can predict what's coming next after watching for a few seconds. 

Your brain goes "ah yeah, I get what this is" and then decides if it wants to keep watching.

But these guys? 

They don't give your brain that chance. 

Every time you think you've figured out what type of video this is, they switch it up. 

• New angle

• Unexpected prop

• Different energy

They're always one step ahead of your expectations.

This is harder than it looks. 

You've got to understand patterns well enough to know exactly when to break them. 

• Too random and it feels chaotic

• Too predictable and people scroll past

They've found that sweet spot.

A couple of less obvious reasons for this content’s success:

When you see the effort someone's put into making something, you're more likely to engage with it. 

You almost feel like you should show some appreciation for their work. 

They're using this psychology to boost their engagement rates.

And the comedic timing? 

Spot on. 

They're not trying to make a funny ad. 

Instead, they're making an engaging piece of content and using humour to enhance it. 

It's all part of that "never let them get comfortable" approach.

To summarise what makes @jercho1’s content go viral:

• Keep the pace relentless

• Make each moment unpredictable

• Show visible effort in the production

• Use comedy as a tool, not the main focus

• Never let the viewer settle into a pattern

The most impressive part for me is that they do this consistently. 

What's the last ad you actually enjoyed watching?

Hit reply and let me know - I’m curious about this one.

Chat soon, 

Jeremy

P.S. If you want to take the next step beyond this newsletter and truly master the systems behind viral content, check out my new content accelerator.

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