Two step flow communication is the idea that the opinion of the public is more effectively shaped by interactions with opinion leaders than the mass media. This means that what people think is impacted more by what influencers express to the public than what is expressed by larger scale media outlets. This concept was introduced in 1948 in the book The People’s Choice, written by Paul Lazarsfeld, Bernard Berelson, and Hazel Gaudet. The People’s Choice looked at the US presidential election in 1940 to explain how “opinion leaders” pass down information to the public more effectively than the mass media. Now, two step flow communication is everywhere. One example of two step flow communication in our society is the impact that Gordon Ramsay, who can be considered an opinion leader in the culinary world, has on the public’s purchases of cooking products.
Gordon Ramsay is one of the most famous chefs in the world and with his fame comes a large influence in the culinary community. As the star of numerous television shows, such as Kitchen Nightmares and MasterChef, and the author of twenty three recipe books, many people around the world recognize him as an authority on the topic of cooking. With his massive image and influence, Gordon Ramsay uses two step flow communication to advertise cooking products and make massive impacts in the culinary community. One of his most popular endorsements is the HexClad pan. HexClad is very aware of the massive influence Gordon Ramsay has on the cooking community, which is why they paid him to speak positively about their product. They have multiple pages on their website explaining that you can “get inspired to cook like Gordon Ramsay” if you buy their pans (Hexclad). Also, Ramsay posted some videos on Facebook explaining how at home, he only uses these pans (Ramsay, 2024). With Ramsay publicly recommending the pan, it became very popular and even went viral on TikTok. The value of the pan company increased significantly as a result of Gordon Ramsay’s two step flow communication, as after he publicly recommended people to buy this pan, the company’s worth increased from $80 million to $1 billion (Elliot, 2023).
Although less impactful than his endorsement of HexClad, Gordon Ramsay also publicly endorsed an oat milk brand called “Silk.” Although he used to make fun of people who follow a vegan diet in the past, Ramsay endorsed Silk’s oat milk as a good way to cut out dairy (Jackson). As an opinion leader in the culinary community, it really matters to the public what Ramsay says. When talking about the Silk milk, Ramsay said “I know greatness when I taste it, and I am loving Silk Oatmilk for both sweet and savoury recipes” (Vegan Food & Living). This endorsement was very impactful, as so many people trust the opinions of Gordon Ramsay. In a similar way to the HexClad pan company, the value of Silk’s company increased by $5315 million dollars in just three years of his public recommendation (Future Market Insights, 2023). Essentially, Gordon Ramsay is a very impactful leader of public opinion in the world of cooking. Through his use of two step communication, Gordon Ramsay can greatly influence what kitchen products are popular.
References
Ramsay, G. (2024, June 28). “I only cook with HexClad.” Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/gordonramsay/videos/-i-only-cook-with-hexclad-/998419055257954/
HexClad. Gordon Ramsay. https://hexclad.com/pages/gordon-ramsay
Elliott, B. (2023, May 15). “Would you risk it all for a shot at building a billion-dollar brand with Gordon Ramsay?” Inc. https://www.inc.com/bryan-elliott/would-you-risk-it-all-for-a-shot-at-building-a-billion-dollar-brand-with-gordon-ramsay.html
Jackson, F. ”What’s this about Gordon Ramsay and a vegan brand?” AllPlants. https://allplants.com/blog/lifestyle/whats-this-about-gordon-ramsay-and-a-vegan-brand
Vegan Food & Living. “Gordon Ramsay teams up with plant-based oat milk brand Silk.” https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/news/gordon-ramsay-plant-based-oat-milk-brand-silk/
Future Market Insights. (2023). Oat milk market outlook (2023-2033). https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/oat-milk-market#:~:text=Oat%20Milk%20Market%20Outlook%20(2023,to%20reach%20US$%205%2C631.4%20million
