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How Jimmy Fallon Won the Internet
The Tonight Show host has won over American audiences and famously optimistic Millennials.
Scroll through your Facebook feed, your Twitter feed or turn on the television - you probably saw Jimmy Fallon’s face. Your friends know who he is, your neighbors know who he is. My foreign grandmother knows who he is.
The former SNL performer and comedy writer has taken over your TV and Internet browser with comedic, digestible clips from The Tonight Show that transfer seamlessly from tube to laptop. Even iconic comedian, actor and director Carl Reiner said Fallon is the most versatile talk show host in history.
When Fallon took over The Tonight Show spot, he gathered more than 10.4 million total viewers. This is the biggest overall audience for the program since Jonny Carson hosted in 1992.
His successful equation? Millennials + Internet = Results
His videos spoof actors, actresses, musicians, television shows, music, film, politicians and pop culture, and these clips are the viral hits that media consumers and viewers crave. The virility of his videos and his social media-savvy have garnered him thousands of followers, skits viewed in the millions and a bigger name in late night television than any of his predecessors.
His trending hashtags on Twitter and his content’s ability to seamlessly move from entertainment sites to YouTube videos to Facebook posts has allowed him to connect with Millennials even though he himself is 40 years old. His videos never tread water, but are pushed through media channels with a viral intensity, making for high visibility and relatability with audiences.
Fallon stays away from traditional late-night monologue bits, focusing instead on group sketches, fun games and music. His energy is uplifting and never mean-spirited - two factors that resonate with the notably optimistic Millennial generation.
His videos blow past the million-view mark in hours. As of about an hour ago, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon’s YouTube page had 6,198,691 subscribers and a total of 2,278,919,469 views. This number is climbing as you read.
“Jimmy Fallon Went to Bayside High with ‘Saved By the Bell’ Cast,” one of his latest bits, received 28,106,736 views on YouTube. His “Lip Sync Battle with Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart” received 29,722,598 views. Everyone at my editorial desk asked if I had seen it.
Compare this to funnyman and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. His Jimmy Kimmel Live! YouTube page rounds out at 5,372,396 subscribers and 1,813,741,222 views.
Fallon’s show on NBC premiered February 17, 2014, while Kimmel has had his nightly hour-long spot on ABC since January 26, 2003.
Fallon – you’re speaking our language.
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About the Author
Nick Powills
FollowNick Powills, CFE, founded No Limit Agency in 2008 and serves as Chief Brand Strategist for the Chicago-based firm. No Limit is a full-service communications agency that establishes and elevates brands by bridging Public Relations, Social Media, Marketing, Advertising, Digital, and a lot of creativity, to best strategize well-rounded and successful campaigns for 50+ global franchise brands. By presenting visionary ideas and building real relationships, No Limit is able to create effective media branding strategies to help companies grow. Nick currently leads a staff of writers, media strategists, designers, social media experts and digital producers in an office think-tank where brands are humanized for strong, compelling media stories. Prior to starting No Limit at the age of 27, Nick spent four years working at a franchise PR agency where he mastered the art of building rapport with media outlets and creating newsworthy pitches for earned media placements. He holds a Bachelor of Journalism from Drake University in Iowa.
