Britney Spears is in one. So is President Bush. Your neighbor's dog, NBA star LeBron James and that creepy guy from accounting class are also featured.
The popularity of viral videos from Web sites like YouTube.com, Metacafe.com and Break.com has grown in a matter of months.
According to YouTube.com, users are currently viewing more than 100 million videos and uploading an additional 6,500 videos daily.
A viral video is a video that has gained popularity through Internet sharing.
"We are living in a day and age when we are exploring new types of communication," said Jeff Abramson, executive editor of Arizona Family, a local news source. "People love sharing their heart. It has become our new way of communicating in America."
Some companies, like Doritos, have embraced the viral video as an advertising tool.
Doritos officials asked "normal people" to create the company's Super Bowl advertisement. The winner, a spot called "Live the Flavor" by Dale Backus and Wes Phillips, was rated in the top five Super Bowl commercials by most ad experts and has been frequented by millions on YouTube.com.
Viral videos have also garnered their own TV show on VHI - "Web Junk" counts down the top 20 viral videos of the week.
"Viral videos are becoming more of a hit on primetime TV shows," digital media senior Ryan Bristow said. "The demand for viral video is going to be big because when you have normal people pouring their hearts into a video, it creates something genuine. And that's something people don't see that everyday."
Abramson said he believes these videos are sending the entertainment industry a wake-up call.
"This type of video puts the entertainment industry in its place," he said. "Being able to make a video and put it online is your way of showing what you can do. You don't have to work your way to the top anymore."
The viral video mindset is already being impressed upon American culture, Abramson said.
"It's the American Idol mentality," he said. "People can make their own movie or music video and maybe get discovered by a big-time producer."
Reach the reporter at: matthew.pagel@asu.edu.
