Two-Step Flow Theory & the Disney Vacation
Let’s say you’re planning a trip to the most magical place on earth. Yes, I’m talking about Walt Disney World, one of the most famous and infamous vacation destinations in the entire world. Families spend thousands and thousands of dollars to head down to central Florida to adventure on the vacation of a lifetime right at the house of mouse. But prior to your trip, and especially with thousands of dollars being spent, you have to do your research. Sure, you could go straight to the source and do your research there but is a description directly on the Walt Disney World website going to give you all the information you need?
So instead, you head to Youtube and stumble on a family that frequents Disney World often. They give you reviews, taste tests, and up-to-date information on everything that’s happening around the parks, including exclusive inside scoops from media events that were put on by Walt Disney World.
You go into your trip feeling ready to conquer it all and know exactly how you’re going to spend your hard earned dollars, all because of a family you found on YouTube.
What I just described is a perfect example of two-step flow theory.
Now, you’re probably thinking, “Emily, what the h*ll is two-step flow theory?”, don’t worry I’ll explain.
Two-step flow theory essentially assumes that mass media (like the news you see on TV, reporters you get information from on Twitter, etc.) isn’t the only one conveying the information. It’s also conveyed to us by “opinion leaders,” or a more modern term “influencers,”. These opinion leaders or influencers decide what information they want to share and how they want to share it. They then share that with people just like you and me. We then go on to form opinions and make decisions based on what these influencers have shared with us.
Creative Tap does a great job of explaining Two-Step Flow Theory in the influencer age. Creative Tap discusses how the influencers we follow and who’s opinion we take seriously all relies on the authenticity and credibility of that influencer. He even gives the example of a makeup influencer sharing with her subscribers her opinions on a new makeup product that a brand may have sent to her. She shares her opinion on the product with her subscribers and either encourages them or dis-encourages them to go out and try/buy the product.
So let’s go back to my Disney vacation example. Although many Disney influencers get paid or credited from Disney themselves to go to events, do reviews, and try different offerings at their parks, they can be great sources of information for us to take into our own trips. For me, someone who goes to Disney pretty frequently, I take their opinions and help navigate my own trip. I then also share this information from them with my friends and family who might be eventually venturing on a vacation of their own. In some ways we get that information from influencers or opinion leaders, and become influencers or opinion leaders ourselves when we share that information.
TimTracker, a Disney Youtuber, is one of the influencers, or opinion leaders, I follow pretty closely.
Amassing almost a million followers on YouTube, Tim and his wife Jen frequent the Disney parks almost daily. They also visit other theme parks all around Orlando and the country. Known for posting a new video every single day, the Trackers try foods, they give updates on construction, as well as give reviews on new rides and new offerings all across the parks. They are a key figure for Disney and other competitor theme parks for getting the word about different offerings out to visitors and guests. Disney and their competitors will even invite the Trackers out to exclusive media events to share with their followers things that are coming to the theme parks. They do a great job for sharing information and driving buzz.
If you’re going on a Disney vacation sometime soon, and looking for information, make sure to check out all the opinion leaders, sorry I mean influencers, that can give you information right at your disposable. They’ll be sure to give you the most up to date information!
