Contagious Why Things Catch on

Contagious : Why Things Catch on
ISBN: 9781451686579
Publication Date: 5 March 2013

The New York Times bestseller that explains why certain products and ideas become popular.

Jonah Berger knows more about what makes information go viral than anyone in the world. Daniel Gilbert, author of the bestseller Stumbling on Happiness

What makes things popular If you said advertising, think again. People dont listen to advertisements, they listen to their peers. But why do people talk about certain products and ideas more than others Why are some stories and rumors more infectious And what makes online content go viral

Wharton marketing professor Jonah Berger has spent the last decade answering these questions. Hes studied why New York Times articles make the papers own Most E-mailed list, why products get word of mouth, and how social influence shapes everything from the cars we buy to the clothes we wear to the names we give our children.

In Contagious, Berger reveals the secret science behind word-of-mouth and social transmission. Discover how six basic principles drive all sorts of things to become contagious, from consumer products and policy initiatives to workplace rumors and YouTube videos. Learn how a luxury steakhouse found popularity through the lowly cheesesteak, why anti-drug commercials might have actually increased drug use, and why more than 200 million consumers shared a video about one of the most boring products there is: a blender.

Contagious provides specific, actionable techniques for helping information spreadfor designing messages, advertisements, and content that people will share. Whether youre a manager at a big company, a small business owner trying to boost awareness, a politician running for office, or a health official trying to g...