Zvinhu Zvirikufaya viral videos and social media marketing

There really is no stopping this “Zvinhu Zvirikufaya” craze that has gripped social media is there? More and more amusing videos are being churned out by Zimbabweans and being posted on the popular Facebook page.  

The latest video on Facebook features this snazzy dude drinking home brewed masese (opaque traditional Zimbabwean beer) from a wine glass in the heart of England. Claiming that “zvirikufaya” summaries the evolution of these viral videos which has seen them undergo a drastic change in content within a short space of time.

The once narcissistic displays of cars and lifestyles have now metamorphosed into Anne Kansiime-like comedy clips which have increased the velocity of social media conversations.

The popularity of these Zvirikufaya videos is unquestionable if one is to judge by the number of shares and comments that accompany most of them. Unfortunately, brands in Zimbabwe have not shown an willingness to capitalise on their virality by creating their own Zvinhu Zvirikufaya videos that enable them to leverage this grand social media opportunity.

Some, like Eric Knight, might argue that these videos have created animosity between zimbos at home and in the diaspora and thus represent a minefield for brands to venture into.

However, i beg to differ as these video selfies are clearly nothing more than the expression of harmless fun and a manifestation of their makers’ creative sensibilities. This is actually the essence of social media’s self-publishing and self-broadcasting capacities.

In short, Zvinhu Zvirikufaya videos represent a great opportunity for Zimbabwean brands to show their human and social side in the same way that Nando’s does effectively in its numerous social media campaigns.

For example, when Luis Suarez bit Giorgio Chiellini in the 2014 FIFA World Cup group stages clash between Uruguay and Italy, social media platforms were set alight by an avalanche of memes showcasing the disgraced star in various biting poses. Nando’s released their own satiric image with the words “Suarez, why eat Italian when you try something else?” Genius.

Trending conversations are the building blocks of effective social media marketing and Zvirikufaya videos are a classic opportunity for companies to build brand awareness and talkability about the products or services.

I guess it’s time to make my own video showing the world how “Zvinhu Zvirikufaya neTechzim.”