Jonah Berger has been chosen the featured address for the CAS Annual Meeting, November 15-18, in Philadelphia. Dr. Berger is a marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and author of the recent bestseller, Contagious: Why Things Catch On. His address will focus on key findings in his book and how they apply to the world of actuarial science.
Program Planning Committee Vice Chair Beverly Phillips, ACAS, recommended Berger as a well-known researcher into social epidemics — how some products and ideas catch on and become popular while others die out and become abandoned. “Believe it or not, whether an organization, product or idea is the best does not determine whether it survives,” said Phillips. “Dr. Berger’s research shows that word of mouth has more impact than advertising or inherent quality. The CAS is clearly the best research, education and professional organization for casualty actuaries, but being the best doesn’t guarantee survival. Actuaries in large corporations might have the best strategies and recommendations for senior management, but the best ideas don’t always get implemented. I believe we can leverage what Dr. Berger has learned to make sure our organization, our message and our ideas catch on.”
In Contagious, Berger reveals the secret science behind word-of-mouth and social transmission. He explains how six basic principles drive all sorts of things to become contagious, from consumer products and policy initiatives to workplace rumors and YouTube videos. Contagious combines groundbreaking research with powerful stories. If you have wondered why certain stories get shared, emails get forwarded or videos go viral, Contagious explains why and shows how to leverage these concepts to craft contagious content.
Berger has spent over 15 years studying how social influence works and how it drives products and ideas to catch on. He has been published in several top-tier academic journals, has consulted for a variety of Fortune 500 companies, and had his work covered by the New York Times and Harvard Business Review.
