The Catalyst

The Tipping Point and how it relates to public relations.

Malcolm Gladwell identifies the Tipping Point as the origin of an idea and the emergence of trends. Epidemics of many types have the tendency to last longer than others for mysterious reasons that are difficult to explain. Gladwell displays a great level of analysis and intellect as he attempts to explain how some product and ideas spread like wildfire, while others are short lived.

According to Gladwell ideas will " tip" based on concepts such as the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor and the Power of Context. These concepts are extremely parallel to effective public relations strategies. Public relations has everything to do with the messenger, the power of the message and the context of the message. Public relations campaigns depend heavily on the " tipping" of ideas in order to achieve a desired goal.

The Tipping Point embodies the idea that little things can make a big difference. Similar to public relations, one adjustment to a campaign can increase the level of effectiveness. For example, Florida A & M University is about to allow students to enter their OurFAMU, FAMU Email and social media sites all through one interface. As a result, I believe that more students will use their FAMU Email more frequently and consistently because of the connection to popular social media. As a result, more universities across the country may adopt this practice and the ideas will become the norm.

As technology advances and as our world continues to become more dependent upon technology, I truly believe that personal interaction will prove to be the most effective tool to move human beings to action. Public relations thrives on getting the public to accept an idea or purchase a product. The Tipping Point helps me to understand what is needed to complete an effective public relations campaign and the importance of persuasion, connection and context.