TTC Video – How Ideas Spread

What makes a novel a hit? There are a few baby names that are the same. Everyone is talking about the same video.

The science of social epidemics is the study of why some ideas, products, and concepts spread quickly.

Anyone who has ever had something to sell, a cause to promote, or a message to spread knows that there are enormous obstacles in doing so.

Enormous sums of time and money have been spent trying to answer the question of why some ideas catch on. It is an ever-present challenge for businesses, governments, and organizations as well as a source of inquiry for psychologists, economists, and sociologists.

Now, in. How ideas spread. What researchers studying the science of social transmission have discovered is that some messages stick in our memory and can be shared with others. The course is taught by a best-selling author, expert in social dynamics, and Associate Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Across 12 half-hour lectures filled with absorbing stories and intriguing information, you will learn the psychological and sociological mechanisms that lead products, ideas, and behaviors to catch on, plus specific techniques that can be applied in your personal and professional life, whatever your field or interest.

Along the way, you will hear of clever publicity ideas, failed government campaigns, and doomed product launches. There are a lot of provocative questions.

• Can someone you’ve never met have an impact on your behavior?
• Can merely seeing something multiple times make you like it more?
• What makes some messages “tastier” than others?
• Can negative publicity actually increase sales?
• Is there an elite group of “influencers” responsible for ideas and products catching on? And are companies who pay a certain reality star hefty sums for online mentions getting their money’s worth?

The art and science of social epidemics are studied.

Do you remember Livestrong bracelets? More than 80,000,000 were sold and demand was out of supply. The Livestrong bracelet is an example of a social epidemic. Seemingly out of the blue, this accessory was everywhere.

How ideas spread. Despite enormous publicity, the Just Say No campaign to prevent drug abuse by children failed. You will learn why a simple video about corn-husking can be shared millions of times. You will find out if Disney or Cheerios generate more word of mouth.

The lectures teach you how to use psychology, social influence, and social networks to design infectious messages.

You will come away with actionable techniques and practical information.

• four key principles that make information more memorable;
• why word of mouth is more than 10 times as powerful as traditional advertising;
• how triggers in the environment can influence everything from what we buy to how we vote;
• which types of sales messaging drives consumers to act; and
• why your looser social ties are more likely to help you find a job than closer ones.

First-hand research is groundbreaking.

Professor Berger shares findings from a decade’s worth of his original research into why things catch on, as well as describing noted studies and illuminating the wisdom of figures such as Steve Jobs. Along with colleagues from Wharton, he has looked at thousands of pieces of online content, tens of thousands of brands, and millions of purchases. The New York Times. How social influence shapes everything from the cars we buy to life-or-death decisions about healthcare is most-emailed list.

Professor Berger and his colleagues used scientific methods to answer important questions about why people share. You will learn the six key factors or psychological principles that came up again and again in this research, whether looking at products, ideas, news, or even rumors.

The best-selling author is a consultant for Fortune 500 companies. Contagious: Why things stay the same. Professor Berger, an award-winning researcher and lecturer at one of America’s elite business schools, brings both real-world expertise and a scholarly perspective to this course, making it a highly relevant, rewarding, and entertaining experience.

Whether you are a small business owner or a nonprofit professional seeking guidance on crafting products and messages that grab hold, or you just want insights into how viral trends work, this course will open your eyes to the power of contagious ideas.