Contagious Why Things Catch On

advertise themselves.
Every time people use the product

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or service they also transmit social proof or passive approval because usage is observable.
Many companies apply this idea through prominent branding. Abercrombie & Fitch, Nike, and
Burberry all garnish their products with brand names or distinctive logos and patterns. For Sale signs
broadcast which Realtor the seller is working with.
Following the notion that more is better, some companies have increased the size of their logos.
Ralph Lauren has always been known for its characteristic polo player, but its Big Pony shirts made
this famous emblem sixteen times larger. Not to be outdone in the escalation for logo supremacy,
Lacoste made a similar move. The alligator on its Oversized Croc polo shirt is so large it looks as if
it will bite the arm off of any person wearing it.
But large logos aren’t the only way products can advertise themselves. Take Apple’s decision to
make iPod headphones white. When Apple first introduced the iPod, there was lots of competition in
the digital music player space. Diamond Multimedia, Creative, Compaq, and Archos all offered
players, and music on one company’s device couldn’t easily be transferred to another. Further, it
wasn’t clear which, if any, of these competing standards would stick around, and whether it was
worth switching from a portable CD player or Walkman to buy this new, expensive device.
But because most devices came with black headphones, Apple’s white headphone cords stood out.
By advertising themselves, the headphones made it easy to see how many other people were
switching away from the traditional Walkman and adopting the iPod. This was visible social proof
that suggested the iPod was a good product and made potential adopters feel more comfortable about
purchasing it as well.
Shapes, sounds, and a host of other distinctive characteristics can also help products advertise
themselves. Pringles come in a unique tube. Computers using the Microsoft operating system make a
distinctive sound when they boot up. In 1992, French footwear designer Christian Louboutin felt his
shoes lacked energy. Looking around, he noticed the striking red Chanel nail polish an employee was
wearing. 
That’s it!
he thought, and applied the polish to his shoes’ soles. Now Louboutin shoes
always come with red-lacquered soles, making them instantly recognizable. They’re distinctive and
easy to see, even for people who know little about the brand.
Similar ideas can be applied to a host of products and services. Tailors give away suit bags
imprinted with the tailor’s name. Nightclubs use sparklers to broadcast when someone pays to get
bottle service. Tickets usually sit in people’s pockets, but if theater companies and minor league
teams could use buttons or stickers as the “ticket” instead, “tickets” would be much more publicly
observable.
Designing products that advertise themselves is a particularly powerful strategy for small
companies or organizations that don’t have a lot of resources. Even when there is no money to buy
television ads or a spot in the local paper, existing customers can act as advertisements if the product
advertises itself. It’s like advertising without an advertising budget.
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A product, idea, or behavior advertises itself when people consume it. When people wear certain
clothes, attend a rally, or use a website, they make it more likely that their friends, coworkers, and
neighbors will see what they are doing and imitate it.
If a company or organization is lucky, people consume its product or service often. But what about
the rest of the time? When consumers are wearing other clothes, supporting a different cause, or doing
something else entirely? Is there something that generates social proof that sticks around even when
the product is not being used or the idea is not top of mind?

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Yes. And it’s called