Made to stick: Why some ideas survive and others die. report 2

                In chapters one and two of Made to Stick: Why some ideas survive  and others die, the authors elaborate on the introduction and talk about two things that are necessary to make ideas stick. You have to keep your ideas simple and unexpected. When conveying an idea or message you have to keep it simple and straight to the point. When you convey an idea to someone you have to make sure it is understandable to the listener. The authors give an example using a pomelo. The pomelo is a large citrus fruit. The rind is very thick, the fruit has a light yellow to coral pink flesh, and it can taste seductively spicy-sweet to tangy and tart. One the authors supplied this explanation of a pomelo they asked the reader a follow up question. That question is; if you mixed pomelo juice half and half with orange juice, would it taste good. You could venture a guess but you would not be too sure. They then go to an alternate explanation of a pomelo and here it is. A pomelo is basically a supersized grapefruit. They have made it easier for you to learn a new concept by tying it to an old concept the grapefruit. If you are conveying a message it’s easier for a listener to understand what you are conveying if you relate it to something they already know.

                This can be critical in negotiations or when working in groups. It is important to keep your ideas and explanations as simple and understandable as possible. That does not mean you should treat your listeners as morons. Just communicate to core or your idea and let is flower and expand. Making your idea simple allows for better communication and it give your idea a better chance of sticking with people.

                An idea must also be unexpected. It must go against rational thinking but also be rational. You want to surprise a person’s natural thought process. Humans are attracted to out of the ordinary things. Your mind will fixate on these things. Examples are red warning lights that you can see just everywhere and police sirens. These things are supposed to grab a person’s attention and hold it. The authors grabbed an example on of them heard on an airline. Almost everyone knows the whole safety speech given by one of the attendants on the plane. Most people tune it out when they are on a plane because they have heard it so many times before. This airline attendant gave that speech in a comical fashion. She integrated jokes into the safety lecture and when she was done everyone applauded. She took this old idea, which is to supply the passengers with the necessary information, and revamped it in a creative and unexpected way.

                This can be related to our first case analysis. The company needed something to make their product stand out even though it was the same quality as other competitors’ products. The team took the old product and completely revamped it and it was a hit. To make an idea it has to be unexpected. If you’re working with a group and you are competing with another group you must find an unexpected way to present your idea so it will stand out.

                These two strategies are necessary for an idea to stick. An idea must remain simple and to the core. An idea must also be unexpected. This surprises people and gives the idea a better chance of sticking. Just think of any commercials that you have seen that have really stuck with you. It is necessary to use these two strategies when presenting an idea no matter where you are.