Top 10 Viral Videos from the First Half of 2011

Here we bring you the best of viral videos from the first half of 2011!

1. Forest Xylophone [森の木琴]

This beautifully orchestrated video is both simple and elegant. Set against the backdrop of a pristine forest, a familiar tune is played across a carefully choreographed xylophone set. This video was made for the Japanese mobile company DoCoMo’s new Touch Wood phone.

2. The Chase Film

Intel built this innovative video campaign around an action-packed chase sequence where characters run, drive, and fight each other through the clever use of application windows in a computer screen. This video became a hit because of the smooth transitions and cheeky interplay of reality versus virtual scenes.

3. Talking Twin Babies

With 25 million views, this video is certainly one of the most impressive frontrunners in this year’s top viral videos. And it only goes to show any video featuring cute babies conversing in baby-talk is one of the surefire ways to boost views!

4. Tokyo Gas Series

Tokyo Gas Company created a series of heart-warming videos that highlight the ways in which their services inadvertently affect the lives of all Tokyo citizens – from their childhood all the way through adulthood. The touching story lines and true-to-life feel of these videos contribute to their appeal.

5. Tall Painting

This enthralling making-of video shows process in which the artist, Holton Rower, makes his paintings. It’s mesmerizing to watch the flow of paints across various elevated surfaces in a rainbow array of colors, and one of the main reasons this video has gone viral is the freshness of the artist’s work itself.

6. One Minute Puberty

In one minute, this hand drawn animation takes you through the joys and pains of going through puberty. The wacky, humorous narrative is made all the more poignant by the visual presentation, which is devoid of words, making it understandable to anyone who has gone through the same growth process regardless of where they may come from.

One Minute Puberty from bitteschön.tv on Vimeo.

One Minute Puberty from bitteschön.tv on Vimeo.

7. Video game convention dance [戰鬥哥]

This video, captured by a bystander at a video game convention, reaches a climax when we realize the geeks and nerds have memorized and are able to imitate every single chant and move of the dance being performed onstage by pretty models. They are endearing in their completely unabashed and enthusiastic display of devotion to their favorite video game.

8. Home

The heartfelt cover done by a father and daughter duo has over 11 million hits because of its pure simplicity – just a young dad strumming the guitar and singing with his little girl. Alexa, only six-years-old and incredibly adorable, captures your heart the moment she sings, and the lyrics of the song (“Home is wherever I’m with you”) really stick, leaving you with a warm feeling and a desire to call home.

9. Volkswagen: The Force

Volkswagen has created an incredibly viral video campaign to promote its 2012 Passat with a combination of a mini Darth Vader and the unforgettable Star Wars score. The little boy in his Darth Vader suit is immediately lovable and plays to the Star Wars fantasies we all remember having as children.

10. Doritos

For Super Bowl 2011, Doritos and Pepsi teamed up to create a series of user-generated online videos entitled “Crash the Super Bowl”. The videos are immediately appealing because they were made by ordinary people, not by an ad agency, and they are quick, humorous, and catchy.