“The Tipping Point ” by Malcolm Gladwell

Gladwell does a decent job of explaining what is behind trends–from Hushpuppies in the Village in New York to the rise and decrease of Crime in the same city, Gladwell argues that what we often believe causes a trend may not be the real reason. The real reason often lies in decisions made by a handful of “Mavens,” “Connectors,” and “Salesmen” whose natural efforts create the right environment for trends to grow.

The point of such a book is obviously to spur discussion among marketers as to the best methods for selling products. The book works in creating a sense of wonder at the complexities of human relationships. For instance, Hushpuppy shoes worn by a group of kids in the Village of New York specifically because they weren’t trendy  (so that those kids may appear different, or rebellious– thus making them cool) caused the shoes to become “cool” and the trend towards everyone wearing the shoes to develop, leading to an explosion in the sale of Hushpuppies.

One can’t help but think of the analogy of a butterfly flapping his wings in the forest, which results in a hurricane elsewhere. The links that must happen to cause that effect are remarkable. So too is the idea that any of these “trends” could be predictable. In essence, if you can figure out who the cool people are and get them to work for you–thus selling out their coolness–you could easily manufacture trends ad-nauseum. But does it work that way?  Whether it does or not, Gladwell weaves a fascinating tapestry that is well worth reading. **** Four Stars.