On a plane ride from Las Vegas to New Jersey, I remember being totally wrapped up in a book, laughing and critically reading something that I could not put down. This book was entertaining, informative, and straight to the point with case studies, examples, and direct theory. The author has a way of being very concise on the way he presents the information and theory while injecting his entertaining and funny personality into the delivery of the message.
The book “Contagious” is a book about the theory behind how an idea and/or marketing campaigns can become viral and spread like wildfire throughout the population using Word-of-Mouth. He uses the acronym theory STEPPS to explain this phenomenon. The book is broken down into six different chapters with each chapter being about one of the letters in the acronym with a prologue and an epilogue. The six STEPPS for a viral campaign as described by Jonah Berger are: (S)ocial currency, (T)riggers, (E)motion, (P)ublic, (P)ractical value, and (S)tories.
Johan Berger (2013, p. 207) explains the practical applications of his theory by stating “Whether it’s about getting people to save paper, see a documentary, try a service, or vote for a candidate, there is a recipe for success. The same six principles, or STEPPS, drive to catch on”. He supports his theories with real-world case studies ranging from a phone booth in a hot dog restaurant being the entry to an extravagant “hidden” bar to Steve Jobs figuring out how to orientate the Apple logo onto their MacBook Laptops.
To summarize the chapters, the first chapter is all about social currency and Berger (2013, p. 207) explains it by saying “We share things that make us look good”. He supports this statement with case studies including the $100 cheesesteak and “Will It Blend” viral videos. Other examples of social proof could be sharing information on the importance of recycling or sharing articles with topics your friends or family members may find interesting.
The second chapter is about triggers and Berger (2013, p. 207) summarizes this chapter with the catchy statement “Top of mind, tip of tongue”. He supports this ingredient in his recipe with the case studies Rebecca Black’s “Friday” song and how NASA increased the sales of Mars Bars. This chapter is all about choosing triggers that are high impact, relatively common, and as close to the point of purchase as possible.
Emotion is the topic of the third chapter and Berger (2013, p.207) summarizes the chapter with the statement “When we care, we share”. He supports this chapter with “Getting teary eyed about online search’ and ‘Why breaking guitars can make you famous”. This chapter is all about getting your audience emotionally invested in the message so that it will stick better and leave a more lasting impression.
Chapter four is about Public, or the visibility of a message. Berger (2013, p. 207) summarizes this chapter with the phrase “Built to show, built to grow” and he reinforces this ingredient with case studies of Steve Jobs figuring out how to orient the apple logo on their MacBook laptops in order to preserve the user experience, but still show off the branding. The other case study Berger uses is the no shave November campaign that brought a less visible cause, cancer, to light through something tangible that is noticeable by the public, the moustache. This chapter is all about how to get ideas and messages in front of more individuals and expanding the reach and impact of a campaign.
The fifth chapter is about Practical Value, or how useful something is. This could be sharing an article about improving one’s golf swing with someone who has an interest in golf or sharing a YouTube video that teaches a neat life hack with your friends. The case studies the author uses to reinforce his points are “How an eighty-six-year-old made a viral video about corn” and “E-mail forwards are the new barn raising”. Berger (2013, p. 207) summarizes the chapter with the phrase “News you can use”. Yes, these phrases rhyme, are very catchy, and entertaining all at the same time.
The final chapter before the epilogue is all about stories. Berger goes into a quick history lesson about how stories used to be passed down and the impact it had on our ancestors. The main point Berger (2013, p. 207) is trying to make is “Information travels under the guise of idle chatter” and references stories such as “why good customer service is better than an ad” and “when a streaker crashed the Olympics”. The author explains that the story is similar to the Trojan Horse from the Odyssey and the message is similar to the soldiers inside. The message should be so integrated into the story that even after a game of “telephone”, the original intended message is preserved within the story.
This book was an absolute pleasure to read and had me immersed in the pages and stories. The delivery of theory through this medium is enjoyable and you will enjoy learning from this book. I cannot recommend this book enough. If you are an influencer, marketer, business owner, or investor this book is an absolute must-read.
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References:
Berger, J 2013, Contagious Why Things Catch On, Simon & Schuster, New York, NY, USA.
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