Contagious Why Things Catch On

Journal of Marketing Research
48, no. 5, 869–80.
cancer 
claims 
the 
lives:
For 
statistics 
about 
how 
cancer 
affects 
men, 
see
http://www.cdc.gov/features/cancerandmen/
 
and
http://www.wcrf.org/cancer_statistics/world_cancer_statistics.php
.
It all started one Sunday afternoon:
For the backstory on the founding of Movember, as well as
statistics on its growth and development, see 
ca.movember.com
and 
http://billabout.com/get-your-
mo-on%E2%80%A8interview-adam-garone-movember-founder/
.
Johannessen was able to decrease heavy drinking:
For a related discussion, see Schroeder,
Christine M., and Deborah A. Prentice (1998), “Exposing Pluralistic Ignorance to Reduce Alcohol
Use Among College Students,” 
Journal of Applied Social Psychology
28, 2150–80.
350 
million 
users:
For 
basic 
details 
and 
statistics 
about 
Hotmail, 
see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotmail
.
Apple’s white headphone cords stood out:
 Such visible signals are particularly important in domains
where there are network effects, or where the value of a product depends on the number of others
who are using it.
it’s called
 behavioral residue:
 The term “behavioral residue” comes from psychologist Sam Gosling.
For a discussion of his research in the area, see Gosling, Sam (2008), 
Snoop: What Your Stuff
Says About You
(New York: Basic Books).
“a stupid idea”:
Mickle, Tripp (2009), “Five Strong Years,” 
Sports Business Daily
, September 14,
retrieved 
from 
http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2009/09/20090914/This-
Weeks-News/Five-Strong-Years.aspx
.
Even Armstrong was incredulous:
 Carr, Austin (2011), “Lance Armstrong, Doug Ulman Thought the
Livestrong 
Wristband 
Would 
Fail,” 
Fast Company
, November 11, retrieved from
http://www.fastcompany.com/article/doug-ulman-didnt-think-the-livestrong-bracelets-would-sell
.
This public visibility:
 Many things contributed to making Livestrong bands a success. They cost only
a dollar, making it easy for people to try out being part of the movement, even if they weren’t sure
they wanted to commit themselves. The wristbands were also really easy to wear. Unlike breast
cancer ribbons, which you have to pin on different pieces of clothing, Livestrong bands could be
worn all the time. You could wear one all day, keep it on while sleeping, even wear it in the
shower. You never had to take it off or remember where you left it. But color also played an
important role, as discussed.
“The nice thing about a wristband”:
 Interview with Scott MacEachern, 2006.
installing these buttons:
Gelles, David (2010), “E-commerce Takes an Instant Liking to Facebook
Button,” 
Financial Times
, September 21, retrieved from 
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/1599be2e-
c5a9-11df-ab48-00144feab49a.html
.
whether anti-drug ads were actually effective:
Hornik, Robert, Lela Jacobsohn, Robert Orwin,
Andrea Piesse, and Graham Kalton (2008), “Effects of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media
Campaign on Youths,” 
American Journal of Public Health
98, no. 12, 2229–36.
“30 billion songs were illegally downloaded”:
 Recording Industry Association of America website,

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http://www.riaa.com/faq.php
, retrieved June 1, 2012.