Virals take advantage of our social networks

Do virals take advantage of our social networks and web 2.0? Yes. I think viral advertising will be greatly increased as we begin to connect more with each other. Social networks allow virals to be passed around easily and quickly with technologies such as mash-ups.
We are living in a society where we love to be involved. We are no longer just a user of the web, we become a participants who love to share content. Its easy for us to pass on information, easy to send a link to you tube, and I feel social networks of facilitate this even more. We want to become active, and virals are just one way of how online users today can become active.

Also as Millward Brown points out:

"People pass along ads for the same reasons that they pass along jokes, stories, and recipes. It is a means of staying in touch, of making a connection, of sending the message "I'm thinking of you, and I hope you'll enjoy this." Ads, however, can have value that goes beyond the personal connection represented by a photo. An ad can become a unit of "social currency," transmitting the message "I'm cool and special because I'm hooked into this new, fun, interesting stuff." But if either of those messages, especially the second one, is to register and resonate with the recipient, the content (i.e., the ad) must be appreciated by the recipient, thereby reflecting well on the sender. Sending a viral ad that's considered stupid or offensive is rather like telling a joke that falls flat - embarrassing for all involved and something to be avoided"!

When within social networks, its easy for the sender to be recognized by others as the one sending it on. They can be seen as the funny one!

Virals are no way a new method of advertising online, its just the above will allow virals to be much more successful in future.