24 Viral Rivalries

Cue the catfight: From Beyonce and Etta James to Apple and Microsoft, there’s clearly nothing like a good viral rivalry.

These rivalries often start out innocently enough. Beyonce, for example, sang Etta James’ "At Last" at the Inaugural Ball. James struck back in a firestorm of words, saying that Beyonce had "no business" singing her song onstage and that she deserved to receive a beating for her audacity.

Not all rivalries end in physical threats, however. The CEO of Domino’s took the passive-aggressive route to answer Subway’s cease-and-desist letter by tossing it in the pizza oven and creating a viral campaign around that action. It’s far less divalicious, but equally effective. Are you listening, Etta James?