Chasing Viral Success: From Times Square Models to Toilet Bowl Sailboat Races

Chasing Viral Success: From Times Square Models to Toilet Bowl Sailboat Races

A few posts ago, I wrote about my most popular YouTube video to date.

It was totally unplanned. I had just exited the subway in Times Square, NYC, when the entire scene basically unfolded right before my eyes.

The Accidental Viral Hit

A light rain began to fall when, suddenly, a ridiculously tall model ran past me wearing a bikini.

It took me a moment to figure out what was happening. It turned out she was part of a photo shoot and couldn't get her hair and makeup wet. Despite wearing sky-high heels, she bolted past me to take cover under nearby scaffolding.

I was shocked when that quick clip started racking up hits on YouTube.

That success sparked an idea: why not purposely try to create a viral video? I convinced myself it couldn't be that hard if my effortless video had attracted so much attention.

Brainstorming the Next Big Idea

Racking my brain for concepts, I drew inspiration from the America's Cup World Series sailboat races. They were taking place in Newport, Rhode Island, and drawing a massive amount of media coverage.

I have an odd sense of humor, but every so often, other people find it funny too. And funny content tends to do well on YouTube.

Knowing a bit about the famous yachtsman Sir Thomas Lipton, I decided to shoot a comedic skit using a small model sailboat I had lying around the house.

My initial plan was to film at a local lake, but I quickly scrapped that idea when I realized the logistics were too complicated. Shooting on a basic Sony Cyber-shot camera meant keeping things as simple as possible.

An Unconventional Film Set

Thinking, thinking, thinking... then it hit me like a freight train.

I was in the bathroom, of all places, staring down at the water in the toilet bowl. The blue drop-in cleaner I used had turned the water a brilliant, vivid blue.

It was perfect! I would use the toilet bowl as a makeshift ocean.

To set the scene, I leaned a painting of a sailboat against the toilet tank and placed the model yacht right in the bowl. For an extra touch, I arranged a few tiny toy ships along the toilet seat. It actually looked surprisingly good!

I wrote a completely absurd script. Putting on my best Sir Thomas Lipton voice, I shouted dramatic yachting commands while slipping in a few historical facts for good measure.

The Verdict So Far

So far, the video is far from viral. It has a grand total of six views—though, to be fair, one of those viewers was all the way in Australia!

I've learned that some videos take time to build up steam, while others take off immediately. Hopefully, this one is just a late bloomer.

Check it out and enjoy!