The 2.5% (small group – big influence) by Dr Lida Hujić introduces a groundbreaking model for cool’s cyclical reinvention, which explains how idiosyncratic ideas become the norm. A fresh interpretation of Everett Rogers’ widely applied 'innovations diffusion', the novelty is its focus on the Innovator. The model proposes two main types (and subtypes within). Alphas are a fluid web of non-conformists. Notoriously difficult to reach, this small group creates great hype. They’re the style leaders, whose word of mouth is powerful. Mavericks offer new solutions to existing problems beyond short-term fixes by imagining possibilities that ordinary individuals hadn’t thought of before. Innovators only constitute 2.5% of the population but their societal impact is substantial. Collectively, this globally scattered minority of rule breakers are the creators of new trends and new consumption patterns.

 

The story features truly inspiring characters and connects the dots between the seemingly unconnected. Readers will be globe trotting: from Detroit, where fascinating communities of makers have taken matters into their own hands (following the city’s bankruptcy), to London’s uber gentrified neighbourhood of Shoreditch where generations of artists and creative types have acted as its advance troops, from underground market gardeners using left over coffee beans to grow mushrooms in Paris to roof top urban farmers in Hong Kong, from raves in St Petersburg to citizenship protests in New York City, from fashion parties to fashionable clubs and many more. What all the protagonists have in common is their vision to generate (economic) value whilst also creating value for society and their ability to influence brands and corporate businesses to follow suit.

 

Based on insider knowledge of cutting-edge cultures, academic rigour and marketing agility, this robust model is designed to inspire future-proof ideas for marketing innovation and communications professionals. Through its ability to spot small signs of big change early on, by separating fads (the next black) from indicators of disruptive change (the next big thing), the model acts as a risk alleviator. From a communications perspective, the model shows how ‘cool’ creates currency by spreading the relevant word of mouth from Innovators to Early Adopters. As the Reviews (below) indicate - this is seminal work that can help marketing professionals stay ahead of the curve but it's also enlightening for anyone interested in where trends come from and how and why people adopt them.

 

The ideas for the model were developed over three decades, which we call 'cool cycles of reinvention'. The first two decades (1987 – 2007) were presented in The First to Know book. Ideas were then put to test in real time over a third (2007 – 2017). The cultural framework proved reliable and The 2.5% was born, introducing the-first-to-know innovation diffusion model. Like the visionary characters it celebrates, The 2.5% is breaking new grounds. It doesn’t fit categories. It doesn’t lend itself to ticking boxes. In fact, it had to invent its own vocabulary! Click to sample: Contents, Index, Introduction, Alphas, Mavericks, Conclusion. #the2point5percent
 

Described as: 

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'very insightful, sure to be a success' by Marcelo Amstalden Möller (Global Director, International Brands & Craft Portfolio, HEINEKEN Group B. V.) 

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'extraordinarily engaging' by Peter Nash (Chair of Programme Committee, inaugural ESOMAR FUSION Conference)

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‘a fantastic new analytical narrative […] fun, thought-provoking [and] well worth a read' by Dr Nick Baker, Chief Research Officer, SAVANTA; Non-exec Chair of the MARKET RESEARCH SOCIETY (MRS)

 

'very inspiring [and] groundbreaking' by Akiko Hoshi (Head of Qualitative Research Advancement, INTAGE QUALIS, Japan)  

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‘… a truly new thought. Its importance stretches beyond the immediate discipline [market research], pushing the boundaries of all research methodologies to include radical processes’ by INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MARKET RESEARCH (IJMR)

 

See their full REVIEWS and more praise for The 2.5% by clicking here. For some examples of endorsement for talks by Lida Hujić based on The 2.5% book, click here or for public speaking, see here. For Lida’s public speaking engagements, please contact Specialist Speakers agency on + 44 (0)203 002 4125 or email Daniel Rix at daniel@specialistspeakers.com.

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If you’re interested in how we apply this knowledge in consulting capacity, check out the other pages of this website. We welcome feedback, comments and questions, click here to get in touch.