Herd it through the Grapevine

The idea of viral or 'buzz' marketing, and its most discussed implication, the possibility of targeting influencers, has reached a zenith in recent years;

and large research agencies, as they do, have responded by productising the theory into prêt a porter cross-sector insight and solutions.

In 2003, Keller and Berry of RoperASW famously claimed that "one American in ten tells the other nine how to vote, where to eat, and what to buy". Whatever broad truths are contained in their analysis, for frontline marketers it is patently over-simplified.

In fact, the demographic profile of influencers varies profoundly between sectors, and each stage of the purchase process is influenced by different kinds of relationships. Furthermore, different influencers focus on different attributes - some influence on price, others on service, etc.

Lastly, influence might be transmitted by 'telling' - but generally it is 'softer' than this. Influence is a momentary relationship, which almost all consumers participate in. Reducing the influential to a discrete, readily targeted consumer segment? Dream on.

Marketing Week 3 July 2008