Contagious: Why Things Catch On

The publication of Contagious in 2013 coincided with a transformative period in digital marketing and social media. In 2012, Facebook surpassed one billion active users, Twitter established itself as a major platform for real-time information sharing, and Instagram rapidly gained popularity after its 2012 acquisition by Facebook. This digital landscape created new opportunities and challenges for marketers seeking to understand how content spreads online.

The early 2010s marked a shift in marketing priorities as organizations recognized the declining effectiveness of traditional advertising methods. Television viewership was fragmenting across multiple streaming platforms, print media circulation continued to decrease, and younger consumers increasingly used ad-blocking technology. These changes prompted businesses to seek alternative ways to reach audiences, particularly through social sharing and viral content.

During this period, several high-profile viral marketing campaigns demonstrated the potential of social transmission. Dollar Shave Club’s 2012 launch video garnered millions of views and transformed the company into a major player in the grooming industry. The “Real Beauty Sketches” campaign by Dove became the most viewed online advertisement in 2013, spreading through social sharing rather than paid distribution. These successes intensified researchers’ interest in understanding the mechanics of viral content.

However, the marketing industry’s focus on digital metrics and “viral potential” often overlooked fundamental questions about why people share content in the first place.