Throughout the history of the world, the dynamics of a society has always been shaped by the interactions of its members. The degree of these interactions is controlled by the tools available to the people and evolves as advancements in communication are established. More importantly, the onset of improvement in methods of communication allow for higher levels of societal integration. In other words, the limits of the proximity in which interactions take place can grow granting an individual the ability to reach others far and wide. In the past carrier pigeons, smoke signals, and more commonly appointed messengers were used as means to interact with others far away. These methods, though great at conception, are inefficient by today’s standards and do not suffice for a fully integrated society. In contrast, with the formation of the internet and the emergence of social media, one can say that present society is fully integrated. As a result, access to information is efficient and the ability to relay messages and influence others is quite effective. The most influential individuals are categorized as “cool” and social media has provided a platform to reach the masses.
The notion of being “cool” can be clarified by a research method known as “coolhunting.” In order to grasp the fluid nature of “cool things”, we must first understand the more stable idea of “cool people.” To begin, we must seek out the social media domains in which cool people reside. The sample pool will encompass the media platforms of Facebook, Yelp, and YouTube. The chosen websites provide relevant information but also allow for diversity and negation of biased that may arise from using one type of social media. First, Facebook is a social network that provides its members the capability of connecting with close friends while also meeting new people. Through the use of a Facebook profile, individuals are able to see updates about the daily activities and interest of other members. In addition, the ability to express one opinions about those activities and interest is possible through the “like or unlike” and “comment” features. Second, Yelp is a review and ratings domain that serves as a guide and business review resource where recommendations for products, restaurants, and more can be found. Through the use of “user experience”, recommendations are written by the members of the community to assist others in finding the “best” of what they seek and providing consumers full disclosure beforehand. Third, YouTube is a video sharing domain which allows its members the ability to share video footage of anything imaginable. Therefore, access to current news, lifestyles, trends and more across the globe is possible for the average member of society. The three platforms allow for access to “up to date” information or “cool things” while furnishing a means for cool people to influence and the masses to follow.
Most social media platforms attempt to target the general public as a consumer group. Some succeed like Facebook and YouTube, while others like Yelp segment the general public. In the realm of Facebook and YouTube, the cool people tend to generate and control the cool things which others endorse. For example, YouTube maintains a section that informs others of the current trends in multiple categories. These trend videos represent what is considered “cool” and predominantly contain individuals who are regarded as cool people such as popular musicians, current movie trailers, sports highlights
