Contagious

About the Author

Jonah Berger is a renowned marketing professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Over the past decade, he has focused his research on understanding the science behind social influence and word-of-mouth marketing. Berger has published numerous articles in leading academic journals, and his groundbreaking work has earned him a reputation as a thought leader in the field. His insights have been featured in a variety of media outlets, and his book "Contagious: Why Things Catch On" delves deep into why certain products, ideas, and behaviors become popular.

Main Idea

The central theme of "Contagious: Why Things Catch On" is that word-of-mouth and social transmission play crucial roles in making things popular. Berger identifies six key principles that drive the spread of ideas, products, and behaviors. These principles, encapsulated in the acronym STEPPS, are Social Currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical Value, and Stories. By leveraging these principles, individuals and organizations can craft content that is inherently shareable and contagious.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Why Things Catch On
2. Principle 1: Social Currency
3. Principle 2: Triggers
4. Principle 3: Emotion
5. Principle 4: Public
6. Principle 5: Practical Value
7. Principle 6: Stories
8. Conclusion

Introduction: Why Things Catch On

By the time Howard Wein moved to Philadelphia in March 2004, he had extensive experience in the hospitality industry. He was tasked with launching a new luxury boutique steakhouse called Barclay Prime. To make the restaurant stand out in a city crowded with steakhouses, Wein came up with the idea of a hundred-dollar cheesesteak. This remarkable item created a buzz and made Barclay Prime a success.

Wein's strategy highlights a crucial point: it's not always the best product or the most advertising that makes something popular. Often, it's word-of-mouth and social influence. People love sharing stories and information with their peers, and this social transmission is a powerful tool for spreading ideas and products.

“Word of mouth is the primary factor behind 20 percent to 50 percent of all purchasing decisions.” - Jonah Berger

In "Contagious," Berger explores why some stories get shared, emails forwarded, and videos go viral. He presents six principles that drive contagiousness, which can be applied to any product, service, or idea to make it catch on.

Principle 1: Social Currency

People share things that make them look good to others. This is known as social currency. We are motivated to share our thoughts and experiences because it enhances our image in the eyes of others.

There are three ways to create social currency:

• Find Inner Remarkability: Remarkable things are unusual and worthy of notice. By highlighting what makes a product or idea stand out, it becomes more likely to be shared.
• Leverage Game Mechanics: Game mechanics, such as scoring and competition, encourage people to talk about their achievements, which can promote the underlying product or idea.
• Make People Feel Like Insiders: Scarcity and exclusivity make products more desirable. When people feel like insiders, they are more likely to share their experiences.

social currency in action include:

• JetBlue's comfortable seats and free DIRECTV programming, which make the airline remarkable and worth talking about.
• Airlines' frequent flyer programs, which use game mechanics to encourage customers to share their status and achievements.
• Exclusive products and limited-time offers that make customers feel special and encourage them to share their experiences.

“People share things that make them look good to others.” - Jonah Berger

Principle 2: Triggers

Triggers are stimuli that remind people of related concepts and ideas. By associating a product or idea with common triggers, it becomes more top of mind and more likely to be talked about.

Immediate word of mouth happens shortly after an experience, while ongoing word of mouth occurs weeks or months later. Both are valuable, but ongoing word of mouth is crucial for long-term success.

effective triggers include:

• Seeing peanut butter reminds people of jelly, making both more likely to be mentioned together.
• Frequent use of Ziploc bags and moisturizer, which keeps these products top of mind and promotes word of mouth.

“The more something is triggered, the more it will be top of mind, and the more successful it will become.” - Jonah Berger

Principle 3: Emotion

Emotion plays a crucial role in sharing. Content that evokes high-arousal emotions, such as awe, excitement, or anger, is more likely to be shared than content that evokes low-arousal emotions, like sadness or contentment.

To create shareable content, focus on the emotions that drive people to take action. Activate high-arousal emotions to encourage sharing.

emotional content include: