A guide to creating, spreading and flaming them.

RUMORS

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Gossip columnists would like you to believe that a rumor is really news running ahead of itself.

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But, this isn’t always true.

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More often, rumors are…

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pieces of unverified information

Perez Hilton

that feed on ambiguity

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Wendy Williams

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and usually pique the interest of a particular community.

Cruel intentions

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THEY’RE UNIVERSAL.

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Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you.

Spanish Proverb

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Ireland

Who brings a tale takes two

away. Irish Proverb

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Israel

What you don't see with your

eyes, don't witness with your mouth.

Jewish Proverb

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China

What is told in the ear of a man is often heard

100 miles away. Chinese Proverb

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AND OUR ATTRACTION TO THEM IS NATURAL.

Blame our curiosity

Jacques Cousteau

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Blame our desire to know more

Spock, Star Trek

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And blame our history as story-tellers

Beowulf

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BUT, REGARDLESS OF WHY WE TELL RUMORS, THERE’S ONE THING TRUE ABOUT THEM:

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People are attracted to them.

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FINALLY, HERE’S A GUIDE TO MAKE ANYONE SUCCESSFUL WITH RUMORS.

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It’s the (un)official mean girls’ guide to rumors.

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1. Create 2. Spread 3. Flame

There’s three things you must do to ensure the successful lifespan of a rumor.

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Social Status Revenge

1. Embrace the reason you’re spreading the rumor.

Assurance

Create

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2. Craft the story. Create

Easy to remember Exploits the current interests of the community Exploits the emotions of the community Rooted in a negative outcome Specific to a person or event Some part of it is true Contains exaggeration, humor, or a twist

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3. Focus on one primary emotion. Create

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4. Recognize that seeding a rumor is a science.Spread

R ≈ i x a

• R: velocity of the rumor• i: importance of the subject to the

community• a: level of ambiguity

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5. Tell the right people.Spread

• People who are most eager for information about events which affect them.

• People with fears, hopes and hostilities stemming from the outcome of the rumor.

• People in homogenous community in which people share the same interest.

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6. Prepare to be challenged.Spread

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7. Clone the rumor.Flame

• Design different rumors that reveal the same “information”

• Plant the rumors in different suitable places

• Design them so as to appear as of independent origin

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8. Put in work to keep the rumor in motion.Flame

• Fight censorship

• Don’t allow someone to change the subject

• Keep it negative

• Refute facts by amplifying uncertainty

• Add back details lost during reproduction

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9. Never let anyone see you sweat.Flame

• Deflect attention away from yourself.

• Maintain a positive, upbeat attitude.

• Admit that you don’t know everything (remember, keep it simple)

• Blame a scapegoat

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10. Deny Everything.Flame

Create

Spread

Flame

Don’t forget to vote below! Thanks.

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• Research Journals– A Psychology of Rumor Robert H. Knapp The Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Spring, 1944), pp. 22-37 Published by:

Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Association for Public Opinion Research

– An Analysis of Rumor Gordon W. Allport, Leo Postman The Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 10, No. 4 (Winter, 1946-1947), pp. 501-517 Published by: Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Association for Public Opinion Research

– Problem Solving in Social Interactions on the Internet: Rumor as Social Cognition Prashant Bordia, Nicholas DiFonzo Social Psychology Quarterly, Vol. 67, No. 1 (Mar., 2004), pp. 33-49 Published by: American Sociological Association

– The Structure of Gossip: Opportunities and Constraints on Collective Expression among Adolescents Donna Eder, Janet Lynne Enke American Sociological Review, Vol. 56, No. 4 (Aug., 1991), pp. 494-508 Published by: American Sociological Association

– A Theory of Rumor Transmission H. Taylor Buckner The Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 29, No. 1 (Spring, 1965), pp. 54-70 Published by: Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Association for Public Opinion Research

• Articles– http://danzarrella.com/rumors.html

– http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/10/12/how_to_fight_a_rumor/?page=full

– http://www.apa.org/science/psa/apr05gossip.html

For more information.

Kai D. WrightMarketing Strategy

Wondering what parallels exist between rumors, communications and viral marketing? Send me a note.

Email: wright.kai@gmail.comMobile: 917.543.4333

To follow me online, visit:Twitter: @kaiwrightBlog: www.kaiwright.typepad.comProfile: Search “Kai D Wright” on LinkedIn.com

RUMORS