Socialmediaworx

Yes – well, at least according to Duncan Watts of Yahoo Research in the latest issue of Fast Company.

Watts finds fault with Gladwell’s claim that a key group of influencers inspire trends, ideas and movements.

And you know what, I think he’s partly right.  Your audience of influentials is never that clean and neat, and rarely do they exhibit the influence to continually dictate each new trend.

But as a marketer, I wouldn’t put Watts and Gladwell at odds with one another. Their two schools of thought should be considered additive, not either-or. Focus on the influentials and be wise in sharing your message with all that will listen.  Guy Kawasaki has a good take:

How does Watts’ thinking square with evangelism? I don’t see a conflict because evangelism is about “bringing the good news” to everyone and then supporting the people who “get it.” Evangelism is not about sucking up to only people who are famous and self-important.

Additionally, Spike at Brains on Fire sees a harmony that can exist between the two models:

…success is to look for those that have the potential to become influencers and empower them.

Whether or not the mavens and influencers are the gatekeepers so many marketers have hoped they would be, this is a good conversation, and I hope it continues. But in the end, it may be that we’re all just accidental marketers anyways.