Viral Video that's Popping All Over the Internet
ROBERTS: 37 minutes after the hour. It is the viral video that's popping up all over the Internet. Cell phones on a table ring and some kernels of popcorn situated in between them suddenly pop. Is the video real? Could a cell phone ringing really pop a popcorn kernel? Who's responsible for all of this and why? Our Alina Cho joins us now with the answer.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's going to work. Give it a second.</s>CHO (voice-over): Truth or fiction? Cell phones radioactive enough to pop corn? That's what millions were asking after three videos popped up on YouTube last week, showing friends making popcorn by simultaneously ringing their cell phones. This was no scientific experiment. Instead, a stealth marketing campaign by Cardo Systems, the makers of one brand of Bluetooth headsets.</s>KATHRYN RHODES, MARKETING MANAGER, CARDO SYSTEMS: We wanted to create something that was very unique within the industry and evoke curiosity around our brand.</s>CHO (on camera): But never in these videos do we even see a Bluetooth.</s>RHODES: We wanted to leave that very vague so people would then wonder who was behind these videos.</s>CHO (voice-over): Viral videos like these are a powerful advertising tool. But a clever ad may not be enough. Just as important where the videos are posted.</s>REUBEN HENDELL, CEO, MRM WORLDWIDE: Just putting videos out there doesn't make it viral. Actually having something that's engaging enough, where friends will pass along to friends is what makes it viral.</s>CHO: The ultimate success, Internet buzz. Cardo Systems says nearly 8 million hits in 12 days, spawning parody videos and also fear. What could a cell phone do to a person's brain?</s>RHODES: We don't ever discuss or imply that there's any health risk with using a cell phone.</s>CHO (on camera): You don't state it. But I think that the message seems to be clear.</s>RHODES: No, that wasn't our intent. And in fact, it would take more than 10 million cell phones in a very small space to even attempt to create enough power to pop any type of kernels.</s>CHO (voice-over): Ultimately, Cardo Systems came clean, posting on its website, "Making popcorn with a cell phone happens only in the movies."</s>CHO (on camera): So one final question. If it wasn't the cell phones popping the popcorn, what was popping the popcorn?</s>RHODES: Well, that's a Cardo Systems' trade secret that we really want to keep a secret so we can keep the curiosity intact.</s>CHO: They wouldn't tell us. So, Cardo Systems says the company may reveal what's behind the popcorn mystery eventually. You may have to wait until they make another series of video ads. And a little bit about the process because this is really interesting. The company actually systematically rolled out the videos after each one received a certain number of hits, finally revealing that Cardo Systems was behind it. Now that drove traffic to their Web site as you might imagine. And the company says, John, that sales of Bluetooth handsets have spiked exponentially just because of these videos. If you consider this, a Web expert said 500,000 hits is considered a success. 8 million in 12 days and counting, it's become something of an urban legend, really. But not true.</s>ROBERTS: It's amazing though that it can attract that many hits with a lie. But you know -- I mean, it's a very clever marketing campaign.</s>CHO: Listen. I mean, it is clever. It fooled a lot of people including our staff. Our executive producer said she got wind of it and said -- listen, you know, you interns go check this out. So we had interns working on this for four hours trying to -- can you imagine sitting around there. We almost got video of it, but we shouldn't probably attend that, but really interesting. Listen, the whole thing --</s>ROBERTS: Are they going to get college credit for that?</s>CHO: We hope so. We hope so. Listen, you know, this Web expert said -- you know, you're a success if you fool people.</s>ROBERTS: Yes. Well, they certainly did that.</s>CHO: And they did that. Get them wondering, is it a nod or not. You're a success already.</s>ROBERTS: Right. I wonder if truth in advertising law is ever going to come to the Internet. We'll see.</s>CHO: Well, we'll have to see.</s>ROBERTS: All right, Alina Cho for us this morning. Alina, thanks.</s>CHO: You bet.</s>CHETRY: So the woman said it was a trade secret. I wonder if our e- mailers will know what it is. So e-mail us.</s>ROBERTS: It was probably the laser</s>CHETRY: Well, we'll see what people think. Americanmorning@cnn.com, e-mail us. We can try to figure out if you know the trade secret. Meanwhile, still ahead, one human rights group in the Middle East is now arming civilians with camcorders. We're going to tell you why and how they hope it will bring justice to the West Bank. Also, our Rob Marciano is here. He's tracking extreme weather. How do you get popcorn to pop?</s>ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Jiffy pop, baby. I don't know any other technology that works better than that. Old school for sure. There was some old school thunderstorms across the northeast yesterday. I don't have to tell you about it if it woke you up last night. We'll talk about that. Forecast ahead when AMERICAN MORNING comes right back.