“Word-of-Mouth” Advertising in Selling New Products

ADVERTISING and personal selling are by no means the only sources from which consumers receive information regarding products. Powerful of interpersonal relations existing within the consumer market are also utilized for this purpose. In this article we shall discuss the networks of interpersonal communications which have been found through research, and consider their significance in relation to marketing activities. It must be pointed out that none of the material has a bearing on the promotion of individual brands. The principal sources deal with the introduction of new types of products, all of which are commercially marketed in substantial volume.