Literature review

An idea is any conception existing in the mind as a result of mental understanding, In other words an idea is basically a thought or suggestion in your mind. Ideas are empowering because they are the start to anything you aspire to do, every grand accomplishment and achievement derived from an idea. In my case, my magnificent idea, so to say, was the idea to start my own clothing company, Bluff Clothing. It all started with an idea that came from a conversation I had in the past, that Idea grew and became so palpable I had a full inventory of clothing coming in the mail within four months from that initial idea. During this period of time I was trying to start up a small business with no prior experience or laid out business plan. I did plenty of research regarding clothing design, manufacturing, marketing, small start up business and decided to jump into it head first. I set up my own Instagram page where I promoted and marketed my products. From the very first prototype pictures I was posting, before the clothing was even made, the amount of people viewing my clothing ideas were steadily increasing. Soon after I had a website with an online store that you could preorder and purchase my clothing before it was launched. I designed and purchased business cards indicating my website, Instagram page and contact information. I utilized local marketing tactics by placing the cards in people's windshields as I was walking down a busy avenue. I know it worked in some way because a few weeks later I had somebody walk up to me in school and say, “my mom has one of your business cards, she found it on her car and asked if I knew who Eddie Rosado was.” Once my clothing arrived I began selling it to my friends and family and shipped out a few orders online. Social marketing has proven to be very effective and I tried to make use of it as efficiently as I can by regularly posting my clothing to advertise my products.

As time progressed; college applications, school, work, and trying to maintain my a social life of my own began to burden me. I did not have enough time to spend working on my business and it was taking its effect. Luckily I was presented the option of doing a senior project on my clothing business and this made all of the difference. With the designated time to inquire and manage my business I now had the opportunity to expand and run by business much more efficiently. With the research I have done in collaboration with the project a lot of information has acquired regarding small business marketing. I began reading a book called “The Tipping Point,” which correlates pathogenic epidemics with social epidemics. One of the ideas stated in the books is that social epidemics such as what we wear are similar to the way pathogenic epidemics are spread, both need a form of transmission to spread. Social epidemics however come from an idea. The book revolves around the theory that if an idea goes viral it will set the tone for some things like a fashion trend, or a particular lifestyle. When a clothing brand becomes viral everyone wants those clothes. Sometimes an individual may not even like the exact design on a t-shirt but wears it anyways just because everyone else is wearing it. The clothing brand sets the trend for fashion once it becomes viral. This brings me to my final question which is, how to make an idea go viral, specifically how to make Bluff Clothing go viral.