How to achieve "The Tipping Point"

Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point takes a look at trends and fads and how they fit into our society.  He explains how some trends come and go, while others stay forever.  This makes me think of Miley Cyrus – I pray what she is/how she presents herself right now is just a fad and goes away soon.  I like to think she’ll be out of style one day and just a thing of the past.  (I will always remember her as Hannah Montana, bless her heart).  While Miley is hopefully just a temporary trend, I believe Jackie Kennedy Onassis and everything she was will always be a trend that’s in style forever, that has achieved the tipping point.  She was a classy woman who was always stylish and timeless.  But how did Jackie achieve this lifetime status?  Gladwell explains. 

Gladwell writes how different patterns influence trends.  The factors that play into those patterns of trends make up lots of different things.  A trend isn’t just a type of clothing or hairstyle.  A trend can be something like a sickness that spreads.  For example, the University of Florida is quite a large campus with many students going in and out of classes.  Chances are if a few students come down with the flu and go to class or hang out in common areas like the library – that flu bug will spread to other students.  Next thing you know that trend has caused the infirmary to be working overtime with loads of students coming in and out. Gladwell describes how the processes that makes these trends and fads happen – whether it’s sickness spreading or a fashion trend – are somewhat similar.  To become a trend it has to have consistent success – but to hit the “tipping point” into wide-scale popularity certain factors have to come to play. 

The Law of the Few

• To achieve the tipping point, Gladwell argues the trend must pass the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor and the Power of Context.  The Law of the Few is the idea that certain types of people have to come up with the trend before the product can attain the tipping point.  These people are the Connectors, the Mavens and the Salesmen.  If these groups of people like the new idea or trend, then Gladwell writes how that idea has more of a chance of becoming successful. 

The Stickiness Factor

• The trend or idea has to have the Stickiness Factor, or it has to be able to catch someone’s attention and basically stick with them.  The Stickiness Factor means that the trend will make people notice it and keep them focused on it.  Gladwell argues that the way the Stickiness Factor generates the trend or style is untraditional and unexpected.  If the trend can attain this, then the trend could break the tipping point. 

The Power of Context 

• The final notion Gladwell says will help a trend overcome the tipping point is the Power of Context.  The context of the style or trend trying to hit the tipping point comes into play.  If even one factor changes or something in a group shifts, this could very much affect the trend in a way where it won’t tip.  On the flip side, if something happens to shift the way things are going for the trend or style, that context could cause the fad to tip. 

In all, Gladwell uses the book to look at how styles and trends achieve and maintain success.  To do so, they will include the Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor, and the Power of Context.  Hats off to Jackie O. – as her achieved status of a symbol of fashion and grace had all of Gladwell’s factors.  She is a perfect example of how her style is a timeless trend that will make pearls and classiness live on forever.