"Feel me Flow"

There's a theory that was created in the 1940's called "Two Step Flow Theory." Let's go back and re read that number again...nineteen forty...1940!!!!???

No PS5, Netflix, YouTube "Kids! Go out and play. Throw that rock around I got you for Christmas!!! Be back when those lamplighters run out of oil! We are having your favourite tonight...gruel!!!"

Back to the Two Step Flow theory. Here's what it is;

Media moves in two distinct stages

1. Individuals (opinion leaders) who pay close attention to mass media or product information and then form their own opinion on it.

2. Opinion Leaders spread their own interpretations of the content to those around them (anyone willing to listen)

Let's break this down a bit further (and there are a number of articles on this so let's cut to the chase).

In marketing/advertising they (whoever 'they' are) tend to utilize a figurehead that they truly believe will influence their messaging. This does work but only for a finite amount of time because ultimately the influencer will start losing their...influence. Here is the most obvious piece.

They are human.

They are not infallible. They have faults and those faults will immediately be attached to your messaging or product. What's the old saying? "Be careful hitching your wagon to..."

I believe we've moved on from wagons to electric vehicles but you get my point. There's no easier way to make your product more prominent but also fragile at the same time. You can have all the background checks before you move ahead but as with everything...evolution takes over for better or worse with the wagon you've attached your messaging to.

Yes, Michael Jordan was the pinnacle back in the day but how many Michael's are out there? I remember one Michael promoting Pepsi and that ended up being....well....I'll just beat it now.