Contagious Why Things Catch On By Jonah Berger - 979 Words

In the Introduction chapter of Jonah Berger’s book, Contagious: Why Things Catch On, we are introduced to Howard Wein, a successful businessman in hotel management and in hospitality. Wein helped Starwood Hotels launched its sister brand and micro managed billions of dollars in revenue as Starwood’s corporate director in food and beverages. Despite his successful background, Wein fancied for a smaller, more restaurant-focused environment. Leaving his business prospects in Philadelphia, he moved to Philly to help design and launch a new boutique steakhouse called Barclay Prime. The concept of Barclay Prime was to deliver the best steakhouse experience in New York. Wein was imagining luxurious bounties of furniture and an extensive seafood bar, extending from the West Coast of America to the East Coast of Russia. And to add on to that, Wein also dreams of delivering food delicacies to his consuming eaters. While Wein maybe over the top, the problem is attracting customers and bringing awareness of Barclay Prime in the one of the most competitive areas for a restaurant to thrive. From statistics alone, twenty-five percent of restaurants closed within twelve months of opening their doors and raises up to sixty percent within the first three years. Wein, in a state of urgency, must generate a buzz. The one-hundred dollar Philly Cheesesteak. Wein reimagined Philadelphia’s own Philly Cheesesteak and recreated it, using finer and much more luxurious ingredients than theShow MoreRelatedContagious By Jonah Berger : An Insightful Novel1125 Words   |  5 PagesContagious by Jonah Berger was an insightful novel with many examples and reasons why products and ideas catch on. Throughout the novel, Berger gave various examples for the reader to thoroughly understand the material. He gave six key factors in which influenced the amount of contagiousness a product could potentially have. He used the acronym STEPPS to explain those factors. Factors that were interesting for the Public Relations profession were social currency, triggers, and stories. ManyRead MoreDr. Berger s Contagious : Why Things Catch On1626 Words   |  7 PagesCentral Theme The central theme in Jonah Berger’s book, Contagious: Why Things Catch On, focuses on the six important principles of STEPPS that can make a good or service circulate quickly amongst the mass public. Berger explains the reason behind why people talk about a certain product and the resulting factors. The six â€Å"ingredients,† Social Currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical Value, and Stories, â€Å"cause things to be talked about, shared, and imitated† (Berger, 2013). Basically, STEPPS create