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charvi_not_just_fiction's review against another edition
DNF.
I'm just not into this...
I'm just not into this...
itsandieferrer's review against another edition
5.0
rating five stars not because this blew my mind with groundbreaking information but I feel that this is a good first read for anyone looking to venture into any field where they need ideas to be “contagious”
hsinjulit's review against another edition
3.0
Interested in business, marketing, and advertising, I found 'Contagious' recommended across the Internet while searching for related books to study. Immediately checking it out of my local library, I delve into the book.
Since word of mouth is the most common media for conveying information, the question shifts to 'how to make people share (about a particular product/idea)'. Berger identified the keys for producing virality or boosting sales, called STEPPS.
2. Triggers: Conversations are triggered by things people see, and a good example pointed out in the book is that KITKAT has successfully linked their chocolate bar with coffee so that whenever people see coffee, they are more likely to think about KITKATs.
3. Emotion: Things with higher physiological arousal level (awe, excitement, amusement; anger, anxiety) tends to get shared more, not necessarily those that induce positive emotions.
4. Public: Things must be visible for more people to see. In other words, 'make the private public'.
5. Practical Value: Usefulness is one of the reasons something gets shared.
6. Stories: In Berger's words, 'Information travels under the guise of what seems like idle chatter.'
With all the wide-ranging advertising examples and the 6 points of STEPPS Berger put together, I regard this book as an entertaining read indeed.
Since word of mouth is the most common media for conveying information, the question shifts to 'how to make people share (about a particular product/idea)'. Berger identified the keys for producing virality or boosting sales, called STEPPS.
Spoiler
1. Social Currency: People tend to share things that make them look good, not stupid. Therefore, remarkability, superiority, and exclusivity matter.2. Triggers: Conversations are triggered by things people see, and a good example pointed out in the book is that KITKAT has successfully linked their chocolate bar with coffee so that whenever people see coffee, they are more likely to think about KITKATs.
3. Emotion: Things with higher physiological arousal level (awe, excitement, amusement; anger, anxiety) tends to get shared more, not necessarily those that induce positive emotions.
4. Public: Things must be visible for more people to see. In other words, 'make the private public'.
5. Practical Value: Usefulness is one of the reasons something gets shared.
6. Stories: In Berger's words, 'Information travels under the guise of what seems like idle chatter.'
With all the wide-ranging advertising examples and the 6 points of STEPPS Berger put together, I regard this book as an entertaining read indeed.
jnmph76's review against another edition
4.0
If you've read Gladwell's "The Tipping Point," then I suggest you read this also. This book digs a little deeper and presents concepts slightly differently. After most of the examples in this book, I found myself thinking, "oh wow...yeah!" So much put into marketing is so subtle. Epilogue provides a great content summary.
eiliux's review against another edition
4.0
Muy ligero de leer y divertido, me gustan los libros que, mientras los lees, vas pensando cómo aplicarlo a tus negocios. No me gustó que siento que los conceptos básicos son buenos pero muy cortos, y al intentar hacer un libro más grande le puso un poco de paja, pero recomendable en general.
maxdug's review against another edition
1.0
A book of common sense insights, written with hype and lots of lines like "I bet you didn't know...". This seems to be a very basic cliff notes of a egotistical professor's presentation to corporate sales reps.
tbhasin's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book. It was a tad slow, but the usage of anecdotal examples made it more interesting and relatable. I learned lots of new information, but what I found more valuable / helpful was the way the author put concepts I knew existed into proper terms.
What I liked:
The author uses examples that I found relatable and easy to understand. (Restaurants, cat videos, fantasy football)
The tone was serious but had a lightness to it that made it easy to read and smile whilst reading it.
I LOVED the variety of examples — it made the overall thesis / summary feel much more applicable than the examples that the author had chosen. It didn’t feel like the author specially picked examples to prove his point true, it felt like the author drew conclusions from the available data.
What I didn’t find quite so elite:
The book felt a tinge repetitive. I think that the author was trying to prove his point, but at times the book felt slow.
What I liked:
The author uses examples that I found relatable and easy to understand. (Restaurants, cat videos, fantasy football)
The tone was serious but had a lightness to it that made it easy to read and smile whilst reading it.
I LOVED the variety of examples — it made the overall thesis / summary feel much more applicable than the examples that the author had chosen. It didn’t feel like the author specially picked examples to prove his point true, it felt like the author drew conclusions from the available data.
What I didn’t find quite so elite:
The book felt a tinge repetitive. I think that the author was trying to prove his point, but at times the book felt slow.
drewhawkins's review against another edition
4.0
Had a lot of good learnings regarding marketing triggers and what makes some ideas stand out from others. I can tell the author has some influence from Chip and Dan Heath.
christinamm's review against another edition
4.0
Fantastic and brief insight on the psychology behind how to market products to go viral.