A lot of it is about timing, Dogecoin wouldn't gain the same traction if it was launched today. As much as I'm against dogecoin and would never invest in it there is a decent size community and its actively traded on a lot of exchanges.
Next is marketing. This is the most powerful tool to pump up a price of a coin and you need wealthy individuals backing your project to pay these massive costs.
It seems to me that with the current state of the cryptocurrency market it is very noticeable. Those who have influential professionals and authoritative users of cryptocurrencies who can help in disseminating information about the project, I have a good influence on further development. So you can really attract a good investment. It is not a secret for anyone that it is this well-known that pays the most attention.