Opinion Leadership - Introduction

"Opinion Leadership is the degree to which an individual is able to informally influence other individuals' attitudes or overt behavior in a desired way with relative frequency. It is a type of informal leadership, rather than being a function of the individual's formal position or status in the system. Opinion leadership is earned and maintained by the individual's technical competence, social accessibility, and conformity to the system's norms."

~ Communication of Innovations, 2nd ed. ~
Everett M. Rogers with F. Floyd Shoemaker
(22, p. 35)

Since its discovery in the 1940s, the theory of Opinion Leadership, or the two-step flow model, has provided some understanding of how information and ideas are disseminated through both mass media and interpersonal communication. Many studies conducted since the "birth" of Opinion Leadership have validated that opinion leaders do indeed exist and influence others, particularly in consumer product purchase decisions. Such opinion leaders, also referred to as the "influentials" of society, are individuals regarded as having expertise and knowledge on a particular subject. These individuals often provide information and advice to "followers;" therefore, they are more likely to influence purchasing behavior through word-of-mouth communication (1, p. 422).

Elihu Katz, a second generation scholar within the "continuities in social research" genre, said in 1993, "Opinion leaders are interesting... because they imply that media influence is being intercepted and reexamined in conversation. Find an opinion leader and you find a conversation. Find a conversation and you find more considered opinions and better informed actions..." (27, p. xi). In this spirit, opinion leadership will continue to be studied for both its impact on consumer behavior and its practicality in the marketing and advertising of products and services.

This knowledge excites practitioners within multiple industries with products and to sell, including but not limited to Marketing, Fashion, Politics, Family Planning, Science, Agriculture and Health Care. Unfortunately, the practicality of implementing campaigns targeted solely to industry-specific opinion leaders becomes a challenging and costly endeavor. Having the necessary resources available to "pinpoint and mobilize opinion leaders" in most cases has proven to be impractical (27, p. ix).

How, then, does a theory born in the 1940s prove to be relevant in modern society? This paper reviews the origins of Opinion Leadership theory, the traits or characteristics of opinion leaders, as well as strategic applications for the advertising of products and services.