Point of View: Beyond diffusion

Molly Flatt

An over-focus on the 50 year old diffusion model of word-of-mouth is limiting brands and consumers. Social media is saturated with marketers scrabbling to connect with a few powerful voices, while organic, passion-based networks are deluged by branded freebies.

Beyond diffusion

Molly Flatt

1000heads

What makes Old Spice Man such a success? Why is everyone suddenly talking about acai berries? And how come every woman worth her sartorial salt is currently rushing out to buy a camel coloured coat?

'How stuff spreads'. Over the past five years, those three words have come to represent the Holy Grail of marketing wisdom. As the rise of social media and peer-to-peer communication has put word-of-mouth at the centre of brand success, the science of stickiness has blossomed. But for all the books and the blogs, most social marketing is still based on...

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