360DigitalInfluence

Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
May 20

Hype vs. Buzz

John Bell

by John Bell
Category: Best Practices, Word of Mouth Marketing

Michael asks, rhetorically, if  buzz isn’t what we sued to call hype. The new word-of-mouth discipline is trying to make a distinction between the spike that a media hit (paid or non-paid) can produce (hype)  and the more organic discussion that happens within a community. Alex Wipperfurth, in his book, Brand Hijack, makes a sensible distinction here. He comes right out and says: “Buzz is not hype. Buzz is authentic opinion from consumers….Hype on the other hand is usually paid for by the brand owner through media and advertising.”

His distinction:
“Perhaps the most important difference between the two (hype and buzz) is that buzz starts with a big social idea, whereas hype starts with a big media blitz.With hype, the message is primarily about the product or a “borrowed interest,” not the product’s meaning.”

This distinction is crucial. Many clients want “instant buzz” and end up with hype. True authentic buzz must be cultivated (and ultimately let go of).

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 20th, 2006 at 12:37 pm and is filed under Best Practices, Word of Mouth Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


2 Responses to “Hype vs. Buzz”

  1. Jim Says:
    May 5th, 2006 at 5:32 am

    The difference is the quality of the product that’s being promoted.

    1. Hype = the injection of money to create noise, to mask a usually inferior product. Hollywood blockbusters, sporting contests, and music industry figures are derided for being ‘over-hyped.’ The implication is the product can’t stand alone. Spend loads of money, makes loads of noise, then we’ll all get excited.

    2. Buzz = authentic opinion seemingly from grass roots discussion. Generally, buzz is related to a grass roots type movement…There is a buzz about a fashion designer, a band, a new play whatever. These movements begin, via smart respected people who have viral conversations - ie what they say, literally goes.

    Therefore the difference between buzz and hype is that you need a decent product to have a chance of generating ‘buzz’, but if you don’t, you can revert to ‘hype.’ I think that’s why that other great philosopher - I think it was Flava Flav of Public Enemy - warned us ‘Don’t Believe The Hype.”

  2. How to Promote a Brand New Blog - Sugarrae Says:
    July 8th, 2010 at 2:04 am

    [...] media, and it shouldn’t stop webmasters either. Just be sure to remember that there is a difference between hype and buzz. You want to develop the latter and not the [...]

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