CREATING CULTURAL CONTAGION: THE “WHY
NOW” & THE “HOW” MARCH 27, 2014

Changes Misdirect Solutions

ACT I
CHANGES

“Admit that the waters Around
you have grown And accept it that soon You'll be drenched to the bone”

There was a time when
brands thought creative agencies were the authority on idea generation

The best mass storytellers

The most effective attention-grabbers

BUT EVERMORE, BRANDS ARE STARTING
TO DOUBT THAT...

Because new players are controlling
how content is delivered

Because new players are shaping
how everything is evaluated

Because new players are changing
the way content is created

This state of uncertainty and
instability is only a matter of perspective

We’ve seen this play out
in music as well, when labels were making HUGE investments in the creation of content

Long hours in big studios

The hottest producers

The best engineers

Best directors

Big budget promotions

All in the hopes of
people consuming content...

Things were going really, really
well...

The industry was on rails,
until things changed

1. Ubiquity of technology

2. Access to tools

3. Rapidly decreasing learning curve

4. Removal of arbitrage

5. Content parity

6. Distributors as the arbiter
of value

7. Vehicles that enabled the
by-pass of the traditional system

All of which established new
players to lead the new world order in music content

As a result: ‣ Soulja
Boy makes hay ‣ Justin Bieber emerges ‣ Frank Ocean breaks away ‣ Vevo is forged ‣ Beats is established

Advertising is at the same
point of inflection

1. Ubiquity of technology

2. Access to tools

3. Rapidly decreasing learning curve

4. Content parity

5. Removal of arbitrage

6. Distributors as the arbiter
of value

7. Vehicles that enabled the
by-pass of the traditional system

All of which is giving
rise to new models of production, distribution, and procurement

As a result: ‣ OMD
launches Final Front ‣ VICE Acquires Carrot; Droga 5 + WME ‣ Poptent has a Budweiser spot in the World Series ‣ Complex powers pepsi.com @ 30x content pieces/wk

Inevitably altering the economic landscape
of our industry as creative product becomes more and more democratized... ! and commoditized

Publishers can create faster, cheaper,
and more frequently

With a built-in, established audience
for content distribution

Meanwhile, platforms are telling brands
to invest heavily in content production

Because “you, brand, have a
content manufacturing problem on your hands”

So get a publisher to
help produce content for you

And use our targeting tools
to get the right message to the right audience

While all that is happening,
this is also taking place...

And this...

And this...

And this...

While the old guard carries-on
with the false perception of control

They commission it

They conquest it

Which only exposes the fact
that they are simply the middleman

With content creation and “ideas”
in abundant supply, the command for historical premiums just don’t make economic sense

And before long, brands will
start asking questions like...

Is this one really “better”
than that one?

Why would I limit my
supply line artificially?

Why am I spending so
much money?

And agencies will be stunned
once brands start reevaluating scopes and FTE’s, accordingly

New seating charts at “family
dinner”

ACT II
THE MISDIRECT

But while everyone’s
talking content…

Clients actually want ‘action’

As marketers, that’s really what
we want also, right?

So much so that behavioral
norms are established

Like Corona with a lime

Or propose with a diamond

The focus then is to
satisfy the conditions that catalyze cultural contagion

ACT III
THE SOLUTION

“MEME”

“OUT THERE”

“EVERYBODY”

“BUZZ”

“TRENDING”

“EARNED”

“VIRAL”

Source: Youtube Insights 2013

Source: Youtube Insights 2013

Source: Youtube Insights 2013

Source: Youtube Insights 2013

Source: Youtube Insights 2013

IN JUST OVER 2 WEEKS.
Source: Youtube Insights 2013

HOW???

THE VIRAL ACCELERATION OF “THE
HARLEM SHAKE” EXPOSEDPOPULATION JAN. 30TH College student creates a video FEB. 2ND A few kids recreate it in Australia & Orlando FEB. 3RD Thanks to the Super Bowl, the marketing community gets thirsty for the next big thing in social media FEB. 7 TH Maker Studio sees opportunity, creates a version, and promotes it across their Youtube channels and Twitter FEB. 8 TH EDM blogger, @EDMsnob, sees the video, notices the song, and tweets it with an @mention to Baauer Baauer, Diplo, and the Mad Decent label tweets and promotes the video FEB. 10TH Buzzfeed and College Humor sees the video picking up so they create and promote their own FEB. 13TH Brands create and share their own versions Mass adoption ensues

ONE MIGHT ARGUE THIS WAS
LIKE “CATCHING LIGHTENING IN A BOTTLE” WHERE DIFFERENT PARTIES TOOK ADVANTAGE OF A SERENDIPITOUS OPPORTUNITY

WHAT IF I TOLD YOU
THERE WAS A WAY TO PLAN FOR THIS

Instead of throwing spaghetti at
the wall and seeing what sticks

BACK TO THE HARLEM SHAKE…

5 CONDITIONS CRITICAL TO THE
GROUNDSWELL OF THE HARLEM SHAKE AND SEEN IN MOST PHENOMENA THAT CATCH ON IN CULTURE THE IDEA THEMATIC ITERATION PUBLIC PROGRESS BARAPPROPRIATE “MESSENGER” FERTILE CONDITIONS

WE’VE SEEN THIS DYNAMIC HAPPEN
IN NATURE AS WELL WHEN WE CONSIDER CONTAGION THROUGH THE EYES OF AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST THE ACTUAL VIRUS THE PERFECT CARRIER STRAND MUTATION CONTROLLED AIRSPACE TOGETHER, THESE CONDITIONS CREATE THE PERFECT RECIPE FOR CONTAGION THE RIGHT SEASON

THE SAME GOES FOR A
SOCIAL EPIDEMIC WHERE IDEAS, BEHAVIORS, MESSAGES, AND PRODUCTS DIFFUSE THROUGH A POPULATION TOGETHER, THESE CONDITIONS CREATE THE PERFECT RECIPE FOR CULTURAL CONTAGION CONTENT THE IDEA CREDENCE APPROPRIATE “MESSENGER” COVERS THEMATIC ITERATION CO-INCENTIVES FERTILE CONDITIONS PERCEIVED UBIQUITY CONCURRENCE

THE CONTAGION COOKBOOK COLLECTIVELY, THESE
PRINCIPLES ARE REFERRED TO AS CONTENT THE IDEA CREDENCE APPROPRIATE “MESSENGER” COVERS THEMATIC ITERATIONS CO-INCENTIVES FERTILE CONDITIONS CONCURRENCE PERCEIVED UBIQUITY

This was a discovery, not
an invention

INVITED TO PARTICIPATEAUDIENCE AT THE
CENTER TRUE TO BRAND SOURCE THEY TRUST PERSONALLY INVESTED SOCIALLY INCLUDED CULTURALLY LICENSED ENABLES DIVERSITY PERCEIVED UBIQUITYSETS THE TABLE COVERS CONCURRENCE THE CONTAGION COOKBOOK: CONTENT CREDENCE CO-INCENTIVES

Let’s unpack this

CONTENT: Objects designed to inspire
action.

THESE “OBJECTS” AMOUNT TO MORE
THAN JUST ART + COPY BRAND COMMUNICATION IS MUCH MORE THAN MESSAGING

THESE “OBJECTS” SHOULD BE BUILT
TO SHARE LEVERAGING BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE TO PIN POINT CONSISTENT FACTORS OF CONTAGIOUS CONTENT 1. Generates social currency: we share things that make us look good ! 2. Evokes emotion: “this is unbelievable, you have to see this!” ! 3. Provides utility: practical value that taps into our intrinsic need to help other people ! 4. Tells a story: facts we forget, stories we retain and retell

CONTENT CREATION CONTENT AUDIENCE AT
THE CENTER TRUE TO BRAND CONTENT CREDENCE COVERS CO-INCENTIVES CONCURRENCE BLENDTEC: WILL IT BLEND?

CREDENCE: Transferable cultural authority and/or
trust.

Online banner ads 33% Online
video ads 36% Ads on social networks 36% Ads served in search engine results 40% TV program product placements 40% Before Movie ! Ads ! 41% Radio ! Ads! 42% Newspaper Ads 46% Billboards & outdoor Ads 47% TV Ads 47% Magazine Ads 47% Branded websites 58%Editorial Content 58% Consumer opinions posted online 70% Recommendations from people I know 92% Display ads on mobile devices 33% Emails I signed up for 50% Brand Sponsorships 47% Source: Neilsen: Consumer Trust in Online, Social and Mobile Advertising Grows - htt;p://ctap.it/peerinfluencer4 TRUST ISN’T GIVEN TO JUST ANYONE, OF COURSE WE ARE ESPECIALLY INCREDULOUS WHEN IT COMES TO MARKETING

CULTURAL AUTHORITY CAN BE TRANSFERRED
FROM SOURCE TO RECIPIENT SOURCES ARE AWARDED AUTHORITY CONDITIONALLY, WHEN: 1. Impartiality: apparent absence of bias ! 2. Expertise: acknowledged mastery of subject matter ! 3. Proximity: accountability via persistent relationships

ESTABLISHING CREDENCE CREDENCE SOURCE THEY
TRUST CULTURALLY LICENSED CONTENT CREDENCE COVERS CO-INCENTIVES CONCURRENCE THE JCER: THE GREAT SCHLEP

Covers: The repeated expression of
an idea through derivative works.

WE KNOW THIS INTUITIVELY, THE
NOTION OF DERIVATIVE WORKS ESPECIALLY AS IT PERTAINS TO MUSIC COVERS

INVESTMENT IN CREATIVE DIVERSITY IS
WELL SPENT AND THERE’S A LOT OF WAYS TO DO THIS 1. You create many: broad creative diversity made by the brand/agency ! 2. You commission many: invite partners to iterate upon your idea ! 3. You inspire many: relinquish for public participation

ENABLING COVERS COVERS INVITED TO
PARTICIPATE ENABLES DIVERSITY CONTENT CREDENCE COVERS CO-INCENTIVES CONCURRENCE FACEBOOK: PERSONALIZED ANNIVERSARY VIDEOS

CO-INCENTIVES: The environmental dynamics which
can’t be controlled but can be exploited.

VESTED INTERESTS ARE EVERYWHERE AND
WHEN LEVERAGED PROPERLY, CREATES A WINNING PROPOSITION FOR ALL PARTICIPATING PARTIES

THIS IS MORE THAN ESTABLISHING
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS ALL OF WHICH CREATE EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES IN CREATIVE DEAL-CRAFT PRODUCTION DISTRIBUTION WILD CARD

IDENTIFYING CO-INCENTIVES CO-INCENTIVES PERSONALLY INVESTED
SETS THE TABLE NETFLIX + DAVID FINCHER + BEAU WILLIMON: HOUSE OF CARDS CONTENT CREDENCE COVERS CO-INCENTIVES CONCURRENCE

CONCURRENCE: The apparent ubiquity of
an idea.

CREATE THE SENSE THAT “EVERYONE
IS TALKING ABOUT IT” THOSE WHO KNOW WILL FEEL “IN THE KNOW” AND THOSE WHO DON’T WILL WANT TO KNOW “TWERKING” “THE RED WEDDING” “THURSDAY NIGHT SCANDAL”

TO ACHIEVE THIS, THERE ARE
3 KEY ELEMENTS TO CONSIDER ALL OF WHICH ARE CRITICAL FOR ESTABLISHING AN ENVIRONMENT THAT FOSTERS CONCURRENCE 1. All ubiquity is feigned: there’s no such thing as “everybody” ! 2. The greeks knew best: create theater in the round ! 3. Concurrence is the principal: reach is the interest

CASTING FOR CONCURRENCE CONCURRENCE SOCIALLY
INCLUDED PERCEIVED UBIQUITY CONTENT CREDENCE COVERS CO-INCENTIVES CONCURRENCE MOVEMBER FOUNDATION: GROW A STACHE

INVITED TO PARTICIPATEAUDIENCE AT THE
CENTER TRUE TO BRAND SOURCE THEY TRUST PERSONALLY INVESTED SOCIALLY INCLUDED CULTURALLY LICENSED ENABLES DIVERSITY PERCEIVED UBIQUITYSETS THE TABLE COVERS CONCURRENCE THE CONTAGION COOKBOOK: CONTENT CREDENCE CO-INCENTIVES

THANKS!
Marcus Collins
@MarcToTheC