Online TV viewing has significantly grown in popularity, particularly in the past year. This trend is best exemplified by websites such as Hulu, Fancast, and the numerous broadcast sites, (ABC, NBC, etc.) The convenience and ease of online TV viewing is both attractive to consumers and advertisers. Online TV viewing allows advertisers the opportunity to insert brief, (or sometimes not-so-brief,) advertisements at periodic intervals throughout the program. I personally watch several TV shows online on a fairly regular basis and have noticed a definite increase in the frequency of advertisements shown during my "viewing experiences." Furthermore, there is a lot of repetition associated with online TV advertisements, (which although extremely annoying can effectively spread awareness of the advertised brand/product/service.)
The Tipping Point
In his book, The Tipping Point, Malcom Gladwell explores the concept of change and why/how it happens. Gladwell places emphasis on three primary laws regarding the tipping point, all of which are applicable to social media.
1. The Law of the Few: change or movements that result in reaching the tipping point are caused by a small group of influential individuals. This concept reminds me of "the talkers" of a company or brand. It only takes a few influencers or effective brand ambassadors to create awareness of a company, brand or emerging trend.
2. The Stickiness Factor: when something, (a brand, company, product, service,) is communicated or introduced in a unique manner, it is much more memorable. The result is greater influence and a higher likelihood of something gaining popularity and becoming the new phenomenon or trend. This notion is clearly illustrated by viral videos, such as the Blendtec "Will it Blend?" guy or the Old Spice man.
3. The Power of Context: the environment a trend is introduced into has a huge impact on the success of said trend. The Broken Windows Theory Gladwell mentions certainly applies to social media—it is important to maintain a hospitable and welcome online environment, (whether it be a website, Facebook, or Twitter.) It is in a company's best interest to keep its online forums current and up-to-date and control spam or other unwanted distractions.
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