Chapter Six: Case Study: Rumors, Sneakers, and the Power of Translation Summary and Analysis

In each set of case studies, Gladwell points out that they illustrate his rules, but each illustrates them differently, having some rules more prominent than others. Still, each study involves only trends that occurred in the past. Yet this chapter goes further in trying to explain how to predict a future trend.

Airwalk began as a niche company geared toward selling shoes to skateboarders. When they decided to take their product mainstream, however, they tipped into a youth fashion fad.

Early research into the flow of trends through a society mapped the use of new hybrid corn in the Plains states. Experts map any new trend in virtually the same way. First, innovators try the idea. Following them are the early...