Tag: Contagious: Public

Virality

If you want to prevent a behavior, make that behavior private…

Chris Labs

Take the music industry. It thought it could stop illegal downloads by showing people how big the problem is. So the industry association’s website sternly warns people that “only 36 percent of music acquired by U.S. consumers . . . was paid for” and that in the past few years “approximately 30 billion songs were illegally downloaded.” But I’m not sure that message had the desired effect. If anything, it may have the opposite effect. Less than half of people are paying for their music? Wow. Seems like you’d have to be an idiot to pay for it then, right? … Continue reading If you want to prevent a behavior, make that behavior private…

Virality

Make products that advertise themselves

Chris Labs

Every time people use the product or service they also transmit social proof or passive approval because usage is observable. Many companies apply this idea through prominent branding. Abercrombie & Fitch, Nike, and Burberry all garnish their products with brand names or distinctive logos and patterns. But large logos aren’t the only way products can advertise themselves. Take Apple’s decision to make iPod headphones white. When Apple first introduced the iPod, there was lots of competition in the digital music player space. […] But because most devices came with black headphones, Apple’s white headphone cords stood out. -Contagious, p.142 Continue reading Make products that advertise themselves