Consumer media firm MedTrackAlert has partnered with CNET to develop a measuring tool that quantifies the likelihood an ad message will be passed on organically.

The "tool" makes use of a "shareability scale," which is proffered to consumers in testing groups. The results are used to determine whether a given ad or set of ads will go viral.

Items covered in the shareability scale include:

1. Considering the claims made in the ad, how likely are you to share the ad with others?
2. Considering the uniqueness of the information provided in the ad, how likely are you to share the ad with others?
3. Considering the uniqueness of the product described in the ad, how likely are you to share the ad with others?

Whitepaper "The Sharability Measure: What Makes Consumers Share Viral Marketing Communications" (PDF) outlines the tool's merits. It will be available to marketers and academics for free until the end of June.