He believes that in both cases the rapid expansion of these “epidemics” was not merely due to the fact that a certain number of people had become “infected” and therefore could spread the word (or the virus), but rather that certain types of people had become infected—people who traveled in broad circles and exerted significant social influence. According to Gladwell’s theories, it isn’t just that people start talking about a product, it’s that the right people start talking about a product.
