Concept
“The two-step flow of communication model says that most people form their opinions under the influence of opinion leaders, who in turn are influenced by the mass media” (Wikipedia, 2024). These opinion leaders gain influence through elite media and pass on the interpreted information to the general public, gradually shaping their views. Throughout this process, social influence is achieved through the combination of opinion leaders and elite media (Staubhaar et al, 2009) .
To better understand this, let's take Blackpink's Jennie, a global fashion icon, as an example：
Apart from her music career, Jennie also has a big impact on fashion. Not only being global ambassador for luxury brands she also collaborating with big fashion brands and got invited to big fashion events like Met Gala and Cannes Film Festival.
Jennie’s recommendations are not limited to luxury brands; everyday fashion items also become popular and can even sell out due to her exposure. She showcases these brands’ fashionable pieces through her social media (like Instagram) and public appearances. For example, the sneakers or casual outfits she wears in her daily life become fashion trends for followers around the world because of her styling.
(from Instagram )
(from X)
In the two-step flow theory, how does this work?
• Step 1: From media to opinion leader:
Brands convey product information to Jennie through collaboration or by inviting her to participate in brand events. As an opinion leader, Jennie is regarded as knowledgeable, experienced, or authoritative in her specific field. She has more frequent exposure to media, interpreting and evaluating information, thus influencing those around her.
• Step 2: From opinion leaders to the public:
Jennie showcases these products to her fans through her social media. Due to her personal influence, fans tend to imitate her fashion style and purchase the items she recommends. This also explains why brands prefer to choose suitable endorsers for promotion rather than relying solely on direct advertising. Brands leverage her influence to expand their audience, while fans make purchasing decisions based on her recommendations. This phenomenon significantly drives the popularity of fashion and consumer culture, maximizing benefits. It also explains why some people respond more slowly or weakly to media information, as they rely on the recommendations of opinion leaders.
This demonstrates that the theory highlights the importance of interpersonal communication in the information dissemination process, showing that social relationships and interactions play a key role in communication.
Despite the Two-Step Flow Theory providing an important framework for understanding information dissemination, it also faces some criticisms and limitations:
“Empirical research into social media for instance, has discovered that the present digital landscape simultaneously facilitates one-, two- and multi-step flow theories of communication” (Hilbert et al, 2017). In the era of the Internet and social media, the path of information dissemination has become more diversified and complex, and the role and influence of opinion leaders have also changed. In platforms like TikTok, the content that users see is heavily influenced by algorithms rather than traditional opinion leaders. This has shifted the dynamics of who holds influence, as viral content can be created by anyone, sometimes bypassing established opinion leaders.
Reference
1.Wikipedia contributors. (2024). Two-step flow of communication.
Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-step_flow_of_communication (Accessed: 20 October 2024).
2.Staubhaar, J., LaRose, R., & Davenport, L. 2009. Media Now. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, pp. 415–416
3.Hilbert, M., Vásquez, J., Halpern, D., Valenzuela, S. and Arriagada, E., 2017. One step, two step, network step? Complementary perspectives on communication flows in Twittered citizen protests. Social science computer review, 35(4), pp.444-461.
Jennie is cool, your article is cool too.