Written by Janko Roettgers
Posted Tuesday, August 11, 2009 at 9:30 PM PT

 

The Megawoosh Waterslide Viral: How It Was Really Done

One of the hottest viral videos of the last couple of days shows a man in a neoprene suit on a DIY waterslide, flying 115 feet and then landing safely in a kiddie pool. It’s accumulated more than 1.4 million views since it got uploaded to YouTube last week, and reactions were all over the place, ranging from dropped jaws to sheer amazement to a more cynical, “Nah, this can’t be real.”

And, after a bit of investigating, we’ve verified that it indeed wasn’t. The video was a carefully crafted viral ad for Microsoft’s Office suite Project 2007, and the production of the clip involved, among other things, a stuntman, a lot of editing, and a long piece of rope. Read on for more details about the campaign as well as an exclusive snippet of unedited video from the waterslide shoot.

Here’s the back story of the waterslide video in a nutshell –  or at least, what we were supposed to believe: German engineer Bruno Kammerl came up with a special type of neoprene material dubbed Softslide that his web site describes as “almost frictionless.” Kammerl’s goal was to build the longest and most exciting waterslide in the world. He started off with some tests, published videos about it on YouTube, and publicly searched for investors. Then an “influential sponsor” came along and made it possible to test the slide in the German Alps, which led to the video we’ve all seen.

Of course, that’s all bogus. Kammerl’s web site was registered in May by an employee of the German subsidiary of marketing giant MRM Worldwide. Chatter about this connection popped up online only a few days after the waterslide video started to become popular, and MRM Worldwide quickly decided to lift the curtain. Microsoft’s logo was added to Kammerl’s Megawoosh.com web site late last week, and MRM Germany CEO Alexander Ewig finally fessed up to his company’s involvement in a press release emailed to us today, saying: “We developed Megaswoosh as a viral campaign for Microsoft Germany.”

“This revelation was supposed to come a little later,” I was told by Maik Koenigs, whose Hamburg-based viral marketing agency Elbkind was hired by MRM to seed the video onto more than 60 sites. However, bloggers were too quick to make the connection, so there had to be a change of plans. “Viral communication is a dynamic process,” he explained, adding that the outcome was still beyond everyone’s expectations. The campaign was just meant to be for a German audience, but has gotten Twitter, blog and mainstream media responses from all over the world.

So how was the video really done? As some bloggers guessed, it’s a case of creative compositing, meaning that the clip we get to see is based on multiple elements that were combined together to create a final video. A stuntman slides down the slide, secured by a rope. Then there’s a body flying through the air, which is animated. And finally, the big splash. “He actually jumped from a wooden ramp into the pool,” explained Koenigs. Of course, you don’t get to see any of this in the final clip, thanks to careful editing that makes it look like a single take.

Here’s a short, unedited clip that shows how the stuntman filling in for Kammerl is sliding down part of the slide for a first segment of the final video:

So yeah, all you doubters are right: It’s fake. But it’s a pretty elaborate deception, and it certainly looks real enough for a willing suspension of disbelief. Of course, one can debate whether this will really help to sell Microsoft Office, but it’s undoubtedly been a successful viral video.

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Topic: Online Video

Comments (74)

  • Oh. Thank you for the story.
    Never knew it was meant for MS-Office.
    I wanted to believe the video was real….

    CoCreatr — 10:11 PM on August 11, 2009 Reply

    • The Wahii WaterSlide is a “real” giant backyard waterslide that is awesome. Check out the Wahii Waterslide video on youtube.

      wahii — 9:12 PM on August 12, 2009 Reply

    • HOW MICROSOFT OF THEM…

      BOB KUCERA — 2:54 PM on August 13, 2009 Reply

    • No matter how many viral videos are made they will not make up for Microsoft’s weakening position in all of their major product lines. Nor will it erase their over sized ego of their product capabilities. From their OS’s, including Win 7, Bing, and the Office programs, their performance, usability, and internet-ness is sorely lacking in vision and execution. There is no overall MS vision especially in usability for the average user.

      Lions Paw — 11:06 PM on August 31, 2009 Reply

  • ya it was a good viral video but it did nothing for Microsoft and absolutely nothing for Office.

    The only thing it did do was put the marketing company MRM Worldwide back into the news. They will benefit greatly from the video. And they got a phat payday $$$.

    To me this video is a big fat viral fail.

    I need someone at Microsoft or MRM Worldwide to explain how they thought this viral video of a guy in a neoprene suit on a DIY waterslide that ends with a kiddie pool was going to increase business for the Office suite….

    B. Moore — 10:12 PM on August 11, 2009 Reply

    • You are absolutely wrong. The goal of the video wasn’t “buy office”, it was brand awareness and association with something cool. The very fact that you’re talking about Microsoft and Office in your post means the campaign was 100% successful.

      Brien — 9:45 AM on August 12, 2009 Reply

      • Microsoft do not need brand awareness, the idea that there are people that are not aware of Microsoft in the west is ridiculous. They can only have that awareness harmed by things like this where they are seen to associate with fakes. There is no possibility of success and only a possibility of failure. A stupid move.

        Zemran — 8:10 PM on August 19, 2009

      • This is actually a fantastic way to market and anybody who believes otherwise doesn’t understand marketing.
        It’s not about getting somebody to buy one product.
        It’s not about convincing anyone that MS is good.
        It is amazing and controversial at the same time and lots of people are sharing it and talking about it and that creates buzz.
        Good or bad publicity is always good…unless you’re Enron of course…

        Jo blo — 7:45 AM on August 27, 2009

    • RE: “I need someone at Microsoft or MRM Worldwide to explain how they thought this viral video of a guy in a neoprene suit on a DIY waterslide that ends with a kiddie pool was going to increase business for the Office suite….”

      Gee, I don’t know. Given that you recalled “Microsoft” and “Office Suite” I’d say you’re proof positive that the advertising retention rate is fairly successful.

      Doh Doh Head — 12:43 PM on August 13, 2009 Reply

    • The idea was to promote MS PROJECT, not MS OFFICE. The idea being that it took a lot of PLANNING to make something like this happen flawlessly. I think it was a GREAT idea!

      Laurent — 2:16 PM on August 22, 2009 Reply

  • What the hell is wrong with companies? Does this make anyone want to buy Microsoft Office? The only thing it makes me want to buy is a slip and slide, and unless Microsoft bought shares in that company, this was a waste of a lot of money.

    But, it was really cool, so they’ve got that.

    http://www.twitter.com/devinkunysz
    http://www.wordpress.com/whowhatwherewheny

    Devin — 11:29 PM on August 11, 2009 Reply

  • B.Moore, what they were trying to get at is that attemping a complex stunt like that would require lots of PLANNING, which is what MS Project helps with.

    Scott — 12:59 AM on August 12, 2009 Reply

  • @scott
    Project is not part of Office. It is sold separately.

    Why do you sound like a Microsoft marketing person?

    Mark Harris — 1:09 AM on August 12, 2009 Reply

  • This was on the NZ news tonight – looks bloody real!

    haydenwalker — 1:47 AM on August 12, 2009 Reply

    • It made the NZ evening news because NZTV executives are lazy, were short of real news stories and have no talent.

      rparker — 6:10 AM on August 12, 2009 Reply

  • @mark your probably right and it does not come in the suite.

    I use Office07 at work because I have too… Not to happy about that at all but thats another story.

    Anyways I have never heard of Project until your post. That pretty bad considering i have been using the past 3 versions of office suites.

    I think microsoft has bigger problems with promoting that application than what a viral video can do to help solve. They need to redo the marketing plan for that app if they want it to succeed. Microsoft couldn’t even pay me to use that app.

    B. Moore — 1:59 AM on August 12, 2009 Reply

  • Hah, I knew it couldn’t be real. The flight, if I may call it that, was too long, and I doubt that anyone can fly that high and that long and survive a landing in a kiddie pool.

    Wonder if Mythbusters can do a followup on this. That would be awesome.

    Girl™ — 3:45 AM on August 12, 2009 Reply

  • Haha, that’s awesome! A beautiful piece of editing =P

    liv
    http://www.livlovelaugh.wordpress.com

    livvyjane — 6:25 AM on August 12, 2009 Reply

  • Obviously very slippery water. See http://waterprocessor.wordpress.com for more

    HO — 8:00 AM on August 12, 2009 Reply

  • Whether it sells the product or not, it was truly entertaining. Thanks for getting to the truth!

    http://kbjoran.wordpress.com

    kbjoran — 8:47 AM on August 12, 2009 Reply

  • Awesome – this is nicely edited.
    I love it :)

    Cillia Johnson — 10:57 AM on August 12, 2009 Reply

  • I’m not saying it is fake or not fake. But I’m certain that this article doesn’t give proof of anything.

    The video with the man on a rope could easily be a test run, you can tell by the man’s position at the start that it is NOT the same starting clip as used in the final version.

    And what difference does it make who or when it on what websites? That doesn’t add any evidence to it’s authenticity what-so-ever.

    This article proves NOTHING.

    GaryP — 11:36 AM on August 12, 2009 Reply

    • The article wasn’t supposed to “prove” anything. Everybody already knew it was fake, this article was just explaining how it was done.

      I’m saying with 100% certainty that it’s not humanly possible to land in a kiddie pool and surive after flying that high.

      I’m also 100% sure that Apple could top that animation. I’m stuck with Windows because it’s cheaper.

      And it wasn’t a great advertising tactic because 90% of the people who have seen this video are talking about the video, not Microsoft, or their ability to come close to Apple’s graphics abilities. And people who know what the video is made for may be talking about Office, but this video- in no way- makes me want to buy any of their products. It’s silly.

      Elijah — 4:00 PM on August 13, 2009 Reply

      • “I’m also 100% sure that Apple could top that animation. I’m stuck with Windows because it’s cheaper.”

        Apple could top that animation? with what? The software used is multi platform, guessing Nuke or Shake for composting… and Maya for modelling and animation. Both of which run equally as good windows and osx, but above all on linux as its fully customizable and perfect for building a procedural pipeline between each piece of software for a job like this.

        if apple did a viral campaign for iwork, which is there version of office, you bet it’ll be clean and rounded at the edges, which is the problem with apple, looks aren’t everything. this works well, like the gorilla did for cadburys.

        oliver — 3:28 PM on October 5, 2009

  • i think the slide should launch into a canyon

    keseric93616 — 11:37 AM on August 12, 2009 Reply

  • It was still an awesome video nonetheless. We’ll never really know if it was a fake stunt or a real one until an official statement is made- and Lord knows if we’ll ever get that.

    Agent J — 11:42 AM on August 12, 2009 Reply

  • That video was still real intense haha :P

    Robert — 12:00 PM on August 12, 2009 Reply

  • send the real guy down the slope and stop him with a rope partway down. Next send a dummy down the slide over and over until it lands in the pool.. (might take all day to get the dummy in the pool), then put the guy in the pool and have him jump to his feet. Splice the three clips together. Perhaps it was an add for the video editor in Microsoft rather than “office”. hmmm.

    David Brown — 2:07 PM on August 12, 2009 Reply

  • This is virál? No :-)

    Méďák — 2:20 PM on August 12, 2009 Reply

  • the very fact that Microsoft (see I’ve done it too now) have been mentioned several times on this page and in goodness knows how many other pages on the net means this stunt was a massive success for them. Advertising is about product placement and making sure the company’s name is on the tip of everyone’s tongue. As much as we all apparently hate Microsoft they’re an incredibly successful company so they’re clearly doing something right!!!

    Nicholas San Taclaus — 3:16 PM on August 12, 2009 Reply

    • Check out the Wahii WaterSlide if you want to see a “real” giant backyard waterslide. It’s $129.

      wahii — 9:10 PM on August 12, 2009 Reply

    • The mention of MicroSoft ten times in two minutes does not promote “brand awareness”. You’d have to be living under a rock not to be aware of what MicroSoft means. It was a very cool viral video, but scotch-taping the MicroSoft brand thing at the end only serves to make MicroSoft look deceptive. Last year’s Bill Gates/Jerry Seinfeld commercials were also meant to create brand awareness but were an Epic Fail.

      Biff — 2:01 PM on August 13, 2009 Reply

  • Great article! Very well written and factual.

    Thanks,

    Ben

    Ben Chaplin — 4:52 AM on August 13, 2009 Reply

  • The official word is that it was NOT Microsoft Office they intended to promote, It was Microsoft PROJECT.

    CrookedCrook — 5:55 AM on August 13, 2009 Reply

  • I am doing a research on viral marketing for my master. The purpose of this masteris to analyze three successful viral marketing campaigns. If you want to participate, plase click this link:

    http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=kir1HOU0ur4YjWIbqTy1QQ_3d_3d

    Thank you

    Magnolia Medina — 10:14 AM on August 13, 2009 Reply

  • Now that it has been exposed as a corporate backed advertising, Microsoft had better protect themselves by slapping a “Caution: Do not try this at home.” label on the video.

    I can picture bored suburban teens trying to replicate the stunt just to prove that it can be done and injuring themselves then the parents suing Microsoft.

    In any case, did it really build brand awareness for Microsoft, probably just from the “buzz” of who paid to create it. Though it may be interesting to know whether the video was edited using a Microsoft program or something running on a Mac.

    Hmmmm….

    Rio — 2:39 PM on August 13, 2009 Reply

    • Of course it worked. Look at the number of views it has had. Then check out all the discussion boards such as this. It worked very well for all parties concerned. The objective of any advertising campaign is to gain attention.
      Well done I say. However, I agree a note Not to try this at home would be appropriate. Not for Microsoft’s sake. But for the sake of the parents who are going to have to spend hours in a hospital waiting room and for the kids who will spend the rest of their lives as Disabled.

      Brian — 5:42 PM on August 13, 2009 Reply

  • This article does not clearly make the case that it’s fake. No one is quoted saying it was faked. Perhaps MSFT signed on as sponsor, w/ the PR firm, fine. The rest of the story is pure speculation on the stunt was “faked.” I’m not sure if it’s real or fake – I lean toward real – but this article does not make a clear, convincing case.

    BD — 3:13 PM on August 13, 2009 Reply

  • I cant wait for someone to really pull this one off…you just have to have some big balls!

    marxxtreme — 4:59 PM on August 13, 2009 Reply

  • It clearly states that this spot was created in Germany and to stay in that country, nonetheless. What wasn’t anticipated, though, is the fact that the world wide web has no boundaries and it might ricochet around.

    Sammy'Oh — 7:52 PM on August 13, 2009 Reply

  • lol some of you idiots think its real….please…what are you all talking about its just a cool video…dont be jealous cuz you didnt do it

    twistofate — 8:21 PM on August 13, 2009 Reply

  • this is an awesome example of how After Effects can be put into an awesome and creative use. I saw some awesome stuff like this being done for a snowboarding trick. Who cares what this has to do with anything, props to the team that put the video together and did the editing et al.

    sean steezy — 6:49 AM on August 14, 2009 Reply

  • I would rather be staked to the ground over a fire ant colony, while crows plucked out my eyes, than use a Micro$oft product. The fact that Microsuck chose to hide their identity with this ad, implies that I am not alone.

    TGAP Dad — 10:48 AM on August 14, 2009 Reply

  • Real? Not real? Microsoft? None of that matters. The video itself is a work of art.

    MemoFromTurner — 5:10 PM on August 14, 2009 Reply

  • I really don’t care…it was cool to watch anyway.

    Richard — 7:42 AM on August 15, 2009 Reply

  • It’s a pretty obvious fake, but a cool one. I’m going to assign it as a problem for my high school physics students. Determine if it’s real or fake, and use what you’ve learned in physics to support/prove your conclusion.

    Joe

    Ps. It would have been a much better ad if Microsoft could put it together using only Microsoft Office software.

    Joe Morin — 8:13 AM on August 15, 2009 Reply

  • Hope all the copy-cats see this part — the rest of the story.

    Wonder how many spinal cord injuries the YouTube video will inspire?

    Jim — 1:25 PM on August 16, 2009 Reply

  • video looks just as real on my Mac as on a PC. No reason here to switch.

    Mark — 10:46 PM on August 16, 2009 Reply

  • seen SPIDERMAN OR SUPERMAN movies ? If not see one.

    bikram — 11:17 PM on August 16, 2009 Reply

  • If they wanted to really impress people let the fakeness run for a while. Then come out with a campaign showing how they planned the stunt: resources, people, equipment, dollars, permits, editing, etc all in Microsoft Office Project.

    At that point people will see how complex a ruse like this is and see how to plan it in MS Office Project. Of course that would take some real thought and planning and would need something like Primavera…

    Demolishun — 12:08 PM on August 22, 2009 Reply

  • Now you know why microsoft products cost so much money.

    Jon — 1:45 PM on August 22, 2009 Reply

  • I’d love to see the cast of Jackass try this one!
    Unedited of course.

    Crayzi Lady — 5:36 PM on August 22, 2009 Reply

  • It’s funny to read the comments about the advertising, etc. The ULTIMATE viral ad was the dissassembled Honda rube goldberg ‘contraption’ (google Honda “Cog”) that kept moving until you got to the final product–the car. I’m just a dirt lawyer in GA, but to me, that is what makes the ad amazing-it’s something cool AND shows the ultimate product. While this clip created the buzz (and it is getting forwarded like mad) I guarantee that only a few (like us obviously :) will care enough to research true/false. Therefore, very few people will know that there is ANY connection to MS Office, etc. (I didn’t, until now). So I have to agree that this (as a marketing tool branded to/with Microsoft) is a big FAIL. As for an amazing viral video? Huge success. my 2 cents…

    Bo Wagner — 10:04 AM on August 27, 2009 Reply

  • Oh fine! Now tell me there’s no Santa Claus! Bastards!

    percy chow — 10:36 AM on August 27, 2009 Reply

  • Was an amazing video nonetheless! It really demonstrates that in the course of one week a viral video spreads to those that can debunk it, and post info for all to see.

    plokoon — 6:10 PM on August 27, 2009 Reply

  • Microsoft should be spending more time improving their products instead of making silly viral videos.

    Joseph Scandura — 8:32 AM on August 30, 2009 Reply

  • Are you for real? I was just calling up my enginer friends to get this set up in my home town of West Virginia. Screw it! Were going for the big Slide. I will get back with all of you and keep you posted.

    Capt.Korn — 7:07 AM on August 31, 2009 Reply

  • Big give away is that if you were going to do this you would not have the edge of a wooden plinth in the landing zone.

    Other than that, i wish Microsoft would spend some effort making project a little better than a spreadsheet with gantt chart!

    Nice editing, but can’t most 12 year olds do that now with a digital camera and an iphone

    Big Ging — 10:09 AM on September 1, 2009 Reply

  • it took place on a grassy knoll. there were multiple sliders. I saw the puff of smoke between the two locations of lift-off and landing. I know it’s a conspiracy to change history and move time in a side ways motion and will cause my computer to puke. I just knows it.

    maitre'd — 1:01 AM on September 22, 2009 Reply

    • “it took place on a grassy knoll. there were multiple sliders. I saw the puff of smoke between the two locations of lift-off and landing. I know it’s a conspiracy to change history and move time in a side ways motion and will cause my computer to puke. I just knows it.”

      This comment was absolutely hysterical. Nearly as good as the fake slide. Great job!

      Cat_Therien — 8:16 PM on October 21, 2009 Reply

  • I love all the folks that say MS and a plethora of other companies out there are going down in flames or similar claims. I worked for an ecommerce that we started in 1999 and even though people are still to this day saying it will fail or it will go under, most of us who started the company have made enough to retire very young. But most of us keep working because we are charged up…

    Today it is used globally! Millions of times everyday, people use it or log in to it or get a message from it or take advantage of it.. Every quarter generates profit and growth potential.

    Even if it did go under as I type this, the company is publicly traded today, wildly successful and is having a great run.

    One engineer did in fact move to South America and opened one of the nicest bars in a famous city down there and is a big success in that too.. And having a BLAST!!! Nicely done Tom!!

    I guess there are some folks out there that would sit around and piss and moan and talk down the accomplishments of others and there are those who ignore it and go forth and do it… I don’t understand the piss and moan types.

    Is MS the greatest software? No far from it. Does it have issue? Certainly all consumer products made to operate across a wide variety of uses has issues. It is not an easy feat.

    The simple fact is MS made it possible for users from heavy duty power users through OMG I have no idea WTF I am doing users to create docs, expand their view of the world, communicate, design, fabricate…

    To you who bash MS whenever you have a chance… What have YOU done today?

    And to all you people, who constantly claim something is failing or will fail even when the evidence is to the contrary in the extreme to you naysayers and pissers and moaners. I say Cheers!! I hope you enjoy yourselves because I know that we are!!! Success is grand.

    John

    JohnK — 6:52 PM on September 29, 2009 Reply

  • I wanted to believe it was true. I’m mad it’s not. I watched it over and over to see if the guy in the air was real or not and couldn’t determine. Now I know

    Black man — 9:39 PM on September 30, 2009 Reply

  • After all these comments, has no one else noticed that he began his trip head first but left the ramp feet first? That’s all one needs to know to see it’s fake.

    However, aside from that, it’s a wonderfully entertaining, conversation piece of work. It really startles the first time viewer. I have no idea exactly how MS tied this to the video in Germany because I haven’t seen the actual ad. In the US, I’ve only seen the completed video. Speculating on how MS tied this to Project is pointless until we see the final ad. Who knows? Maybe they plan to show how Project assisted them in making it happen. Either way, at least one guy above learned of Project’s existence because of this entire effort. I say good work in the advertising dept until some discounting facts come to light.

    And to those incessently knocking MS for their products. Let’s hear your nomination for a one-size-fits-all, works on most systems, does most everything, is compatible with most everything software application that has so many features. (Don’t even go towards the ‘ixes. I’ve tried many and their doc compatibility sucks for anything advanced.)

    Astute — 7:57 AM on October 5, 2009 Reply

  • slippery slope

    robbo — 1:52 AM on October 11, 2009 Reply

  • I watched the vid over and over. Amazed like everyone else but concluded it had to be fake for the simple reason the guy would have to be a freaking nut to put his life on the line for a stunt like that.

    Al — 9:58 PM on October 25, 2009 Reply

  • I can imagine sending a Windows PC down a big slide.

    andrew burke — 10:42 AM on November 16, 2009 Reply

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