Make no mistake, Fridays are very productive here at SDG. Especially when the big boss is on a movie set in a remote location with limited (not really) blackberry reception, we crack our own digital whip to move the needle on web innovation.

Yawn. Friday is also a good day to research online video patterns. Especially when it comes to debating the best videos out there.

I have two that I watch over and over again. You may have seen them before. They’re both considered memes, that’s webspeak for something that becomes a viral phenomenon. They’re both worth another view.

There’s something in these videos that can help us understand the nature of the viral video market. Is it the spectacle of seeing something so unique? Is it the fascination with being a voyeur? Is it the same qualities that made the first use of public display of films that captured footage of a couple kissing or , box office sensations?

But when I say nature, I don’t just mean the essential qualities or characteristics. I mean nature as in beast vs. beast vs. beast in a Darwinian fight for survival. This first video is all about the wild world of nature, herd mentality and high drama on safari.

From the official Battle at Kruger website:

The Battle of Kruger — an epic fight for survival between a pride of lions, a herd of buffalo, and a crocodile — was filmed in South Africa at Kruger National Park’s Transport Dam, a watering hole between Pretoriuskop and Skukuza camps and commonly visited by numerous species. However, Transport Dam was surprisingly quiet that fateful day. Upon our arrival, a herd of buffalo grazed on one end of the watering hole while a pride of young lions sunbathed on the damn ridge. We waited patiently for over an hour before the buffalo started to move along the shore. The video was filmed by David “Buzz” Budzinski.

This next video is a trip on a variety of levels. It’s compelling because the viewer a voyeur with a line of sight into a very bizarre scene. The the pectorally-proud character who shows up at the 40 seconds mark has been dubbed the Techno Viking online. One can only imagine his story, what he does when not acting as the self appointed pied piper of the Berlin raver crowd, and how he got such rhythm! Watch closely as he establishes himself quickly as the leader of the pack, to whom all defer, offer hydration and flyers for the after-after-after party. All Hail the Techno Viking!

Do you have other favorites? Let me know in the comments.