If you accidentally fall off the plane, do you know the best place to land?
This scenario is the basis for the current megavirus memes created by the original Tamal Company, a family-owned small business in Los Angeles, with a bit of help from ChatGpt.
The 46-second social media spot has been viewed over 22 million times in about three weeks and has 1.2 million likes. Celebrities such as sports analyst Emmanuel Aco, professional boxer Emiliano Vargas and actor Peter Gadio from “The Queen of the South” have commented on the post.
This is an ad victory that once was the only range of marketing institutions and established influencers, but it's now possible for anyone with access to AI chatbots and social media feeds. For restaurants with a thin margin of razors, a big hit can make all the difference.
“I made it in 10 minutes and posted it, and it exploded,” Christian Ortega, who oversaw marketing for his family's Tamale Shop, told Business Insider. “We got so many followers from that one video.”
The video shows a man falling from a plane without a parachute and plunging to Earth. The narrator calmly shares doubtful advice on what to do in this situation. For starters, it suggests avoiding landing in waters.
“The problem is that the water doesn't compress well and drops to miles above 200 mph. The impact feels the same as hitting concrete,” the narrator says.
As the man descends rapidly, the narrator proposes an alternative landing site. “For example, the original Tamal company,” the narrator says.
The PSA-style video transforms into a restaurant's digital ads and features a B-roll showing tamale and other menu items.
“God loves good ads,” one person wrote in the comment.
“I don't think anything is bad with AI. I think it's a tool.”
The original Tamar Company is located in Los Angeles. Christian Ortega
The original Tamar company operates in its neighbourhood Pacoima, located in the San Fernando Valley. Ortega, the owner's nephew, said his family has been in the food business for nearly 30 years.
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“I basically grew into that,” he told Business Insider. “I started on the frontline selling Tamales at the farmers market and having big events.”
Ortega said he is always creative and enjoys making videos. So managing the restaurant's social media accounts felt like a natural fit.
He posts original content, but some of his videos make use of popular memes and trends. The viral ad posted in July is a version of the meme that was spinning.
“If you see the idea that you know you're clicking with your company or your audience, you'll create something as quickly as possible and post it,” Ortega said.
But Ortega said it's important for brands to put a personal spin on their ads. He said you have to ask yourself, “How can I do that job for my business?”
Ortega relied partially on AI to create videos, including the voice of the narrator and scripts written by ChatGpt. However, Ortega usually tries to balance AI with using his own skills. Sometimes he doesn't use AI at all.
“I understand how people are going, 'AI sucks up all your creative process,'” Ortega said. “I don't think of AI as anything bad. I see it as a tool, and it definitely helps speed up the process.”
Ortega said the viral video has led to an increase in business at his family's restaurant.
“We had customers talk about the video and they said that was the only reason they came because they made them laugh,” he said. “And because they see the reviews and a lot of people are raving about Tamale!”
“It's so much fun,” he added. “I work especially with my family.”
