YouTube T-shirts. You either got it or you don’t.

I love viral videos. These t-shirts pay homage to the best and most popular videos on YouTube. One is inspirational, others are just plain funny and most are painful to watch. After looking through the whole list, I noticed not a single video features a brand (in a favorable light).

What’s the reason? Viral videos are not easy to create on purpose.

Videos that actually attain viral status rarely set out to do so. I seriously doubt that the announcer who falls off a stage while stomping wine grapes meant to become a viral queen. This is why it’s so hard for marketers to create a viral video. The crux of these hilarious gems is that they happen off the cuff, and probably shouldn’t be shared publicly. An atmosphere like this is difficult to forge—not impossible, but not easy.

Viral videos cannot be forced at the drawing board. Something a marketer thinks will be funny is not necessarily what their consumers will find entertaining. To help create this elusive marketing tactic, think about how consumers relate to a brand. Go beyond the product or service being promoted, and connect to consumers in an authentic manner. This is why people like the watch and share the videos featured on these shirts. The only other option is to be downright hilarious like Adam Samberg who graces this t-shirt list three times.

What are your favorite viral videos?