The advantages of marketing ploys are similar to the advantages of other marketing efforts and campaigns. Successful marketing ploys generate revenue for companies by increasing customer bases and driving more sales and purchases. Marketing ploys also create more attention and awareness of a company, brand or product. A successful marketing ploy gets people talking, which also leads to word of mouth and viral marketing. Viral marketing is when a marketing message or promotion spreads from person to person like a virus, usually via word of mouth or by forwarding emails.