Contagious: Why Things Catch On

New york time’s best seller, “Contagious: why things catch on”, by Jonah Berger, goes through many examples of the methods used to catch the attention of the majority of people, and what gets ignored. Berger says “regardless of how plain or boring a product or idea may seem, there are ways to make it contagious…”. The author presents real life examples to illustrate points in order to inform the reader on why things catch on, in a marketing perspective. Berger has studied why things go “viral” and claims that most communications of products are not through the internet, but by word-of-mouth. This book is useful when learning about why some businesses fail and others have booming businesses. It is split up by the acronym STEPPS- Social currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical value, and Stories, with examples of real businesses in each, which is also useful. Traditional marketing suggests that the factors that determine a business’ or product’s success are quality, price, and the advertising. Berger explains that it is much deeper than that, and that the more important factors are word-of-mouth transmission and social influence. Word-of-mouth is much more effective because it is persuasive, because people trust more what others recommend rather than what they see on T.V. or social media. This was very interesting to read and I agree with his points- and the numbers prove it accounts for 20-50% of all purchasing decisions. Shockingly, only 7% of word-of-mouth advertising is done through social media. The author's main arguments are split up by the STEPPS acronym, and each is successfully argued with facts and experience. The first chapter starts with Social currency. This chapter puts emphasis on being “in the know” on something, and wanting to share it with others. The example Berger used was the hot dog restaurant having a secret bar hidden with a secret door in a phone booth. The restaurant and bar have done well for years because people feel like they are “in the know” and recommend it to others, as if they are a part of some big secret. The next chapter, Triggers, is about how one thing triggers another. Such as buying coffee and donuts, peanut butter and jelly, and specifically in the book it is mentioned that the Mars candy company saw a spike in sales during the time in 1997 when NASA was organizing a mission to Mars. Emotion is all about how when something provokes emotion or inspires you, you are more likely to share it. Public is about how people imitate others, with the example of how people are more likely to choose a restaurant or store that has more people in it, and to walk past the ones that are empty. Next, practical value is about how important information is more useful to share, and relies heavily on buyer behavior because people like to help others . Finally, stories explains how a good story is likely to be told especially when it provokes emotion, and thus makes people want to share it with others. In my opinion, “Contagious: why things catch on” by Jonah Berger is a very interesting read with useful information. As soon as you pick up the book it is difficult to put it down, as it keeps the audience engaged and interested. It is very easy to understand and it allows the reader to put into perspective that marketing is deeper than just advertising on social media. This book could be particularly very useful to students who are interested in studying marketing, interested in psychology and why people are influenced by certain things and not others, or people who have plans to start a business- or just anyone on social media. “Contagious” could even be useful to people who simply do not want to be manipulated by businesses and gain the ability to see through the different marketing strategies. Not only are you given real life scenarios and statistics, but also you are shown proof on how STEPPS can help create a booming business. The stories that are provided are especially useful as they keep the reader engaged while also providing useful information. The only negative of this book I found was the way it is written, as it repeats a lot and could be interpreted as reading a children’s book, and some may get a bit bored. Readers may want to skip over parts as it repeats the same ideas during the chapter and may find it to be a bit redundant at times. Overall the information is useful enough that I did not mind it too much as I found it just makes it a quick read on why things go viral and how businesses manipulate customers. I enjoyed reading this book, and if you plan on developing a marketing plan or strategy for your business, “Contagious: why things catch on” would be useful to test the strategies to make sure it would be successful. The author successfully explains the STEPPS to making a business successful and used his own education and research to back up the claims being made. The book did not really come off as persuasive, just informative of what works and what does not. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about how marketing strategies work and how companies can manipulate you. Similar books to “Contagious” include: "Diffusion of Innovations," by Everett Rogers, “Influence” by Robert B. Cialdini, and “The Nuclear Effect” by Scott Oldford. Jonah Berger also has other books that talk about marketing and how to influence other people, such as “The Catalyst” and “Invisible Influence”. Overall, “Contagious” by Jonah Berger is an excellent book to start off with if you want to understand the aspects of marketing and advertising and what can make a company successful, especially when today it is harder than ever to find what will stick to consumers, this book brings about the most effective and prosperous ways on making your product or business contagious.

It’s a bit strange reading a book called Contagious at a time when the COVID-19 virus is in full swing. In my defense, I started reading this book a month ago after hearing Berger, a Professor of Marketing at the University of Pennsylvania, conduct a webinar. Contagious discusses viral marketing and is both insightful and practical at the same time. Berger shares many examples throughout the book of viral campaigns which made me interrupt my reading to check out some of these examples online. Spoiler alert. Check out Ken Craig’s corn video. To summarize the key points in the book:  Any product or behavior can go viral, so there is no excuse that your brand, product or service is just not capable of becoming contagious.  Next time you think you need to hire a celebrity or social influencer, think again. These people are NOT the reason something goes viral. Berger states, “…social epidemics are driven by the products and ideas themselves.”  The characteristics that are most likely to cause a product or service to be shared or talked about are captured in Berger’s “STEPPS” acronym. Social currency - -people like to share things that make them look good (i.e., smart, cool hip) Triggers – If something is top of mind people will talk about it. Triggers help keep things top of mind. A song called “Friday” gets a lot of airplay on what day? You guessed it – Friday! Emotion – when we care, we share things with others and when we are “riled up” about something we overshare. How can you get your audience “riled up”? Public – the product or service must be a public behavior in order to be shared. If your product or service is private (i.e., the toothpaste you use, the pantyhose you wear), you must determine a way to make it public. Practical Value – people like to help one another. If you have practical information that can help someone, then a person is more willing to share that information, especially when the information is about a narrower topic. Although it is counterintuitive, sharing a narrower topic will be more likely to trigger someone to share information. Stories – information travels through stories and chit chat, just make sure that the story can’t be told without mentioning the product or service. Berger has just released another book called The Catalyst which is about getting people to change their minds. Based on how interesting and digestible Contagious is, I can’t wait to read his next book.

A quick read, took me about 3 days to get through it. This book offers a few fresh ideas for newbies like myself.

I absolutely love this book! Jonah Berger does a brilliant job at weaving together examples as stories that make us laugh or cringe - emotions that cause us to share. Delightfully illustrated throughout the book, the STEPPS become easy to understand and share. Well worth reading. I’ll definitely be recommending this book to everyone who wants to make a difference that lasts.

Jonah Berger’s Contagious is an absolute gem when it comes to understanding why certain ideas, products, or behaviors catch on while others don’t. Berger’s insights into the psychology behind what makes content go viral are not only fascinating but also practical. He breaks down complex concepts into six simple principles, which he calls STEPPS (Social Currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical Value, and Stories), making the material easy to grasp and apply in real life. The book is filled with engaging stories and real-world examples, from viral YouTube videos to the marketing success of certain products. Berger doesn’t just offer theories—he backs them up with evidence and provides actionable steps to make your own content more shareable and influential. Whether you’re a marketer, entrepreneur, or just curious about why certain things “stick,” this book is invaluable. What makes Contagious stand out is its practicality. If you want to understand the science behind word-of-mouth and viral marketing, this is your go-to resource. Highly recommended!

L’auteur explique sa recette composée de 6 ingrédients différents pour créer un contenu qui se propagera le plus largement, grâce à l’effet réseau. Chaque composante de cette viralité est très bien détaillée, et toujours illustrée par des exemples concrets pour bien assimiler chaque concept. Un livre qui intéressera tous ceux qui veulent améliorer le marketing de leur produit, service, ou contenu. A vous de lire maintenant…

Probably, I have mentioned this books 10 times to friends while reading it - word of mouth. Full of examples on how to put effective marketing techniques in practice! Thanks Jonah for sharing!

I have been surprised with the deep concepts the book provides

The book gives you practical tips about what makes your content spread. The concepts are explained properly, and you can apply what he talks about to your own content. I recommend the book!

Honestly one of the best marketing books i've ever read. I brought me to some really good ideas so to me its worth every penny. The stories are fun and its definitly not a boring book.