Moe and Scott discuss how to build a brand–and change the world–by sparking cultural movements.
When Marketing Becomes a Cultural Movement
When Malcolm Gladwell introduced us to the concept of ‘The Tipping Point’ in early 2000, most of us were convinced that ‘little things’ can indeed ‘make a big difference.’ The evidence is everywhere – whether it’s the measles spreading in a kindergarten class; A dying Hush Puppies brand exploding after a few cool kids in New York wearing them, or most recently ‘The April 6 Youth Movement’ that forever shifted the labor power in Egypt – movements are contagious and are often triggered by a few, connected individuals.
For marketers in a digital world, Gladwell shared with Fast Company, this is ‘extremely seductive…It is the very premise of viral and word-of-mouth campaigns: Reach those rare, all-powerful folks, and you’ll reach everyone else through them, basically for free. Loosely, this is referred to as the influentials theory, and while it has been a marketing touchstone for 50 years, it has recently reentered the mainstream imagination …” In his book – Uprising: How to Build a Brand–and Change The World–By Sparking Cultural Movements – StrawberryFrog Founder Scott Goodson has discovered that the willingness to face and solve daunting challenges is the one thread that all movements have in common. Here’s why.