Whisper Network

"e;The Whisper Network - Before the internet there was the laundry line"e; explores the history of "e;Word of Mouth"e; marketing before social media. It focuses on the 1920s and 30s, when companies like Procter & Gamble realized that women didn't trust ads, but they trusted their neighbors. Author Sarah Voice details the invention of the "e;Soap Opera"e; radio dramas created solely to sell detergent to housewives and the orchestrated "e;whisper campaigns"e; where paid actors would ride elevators or sit in parks, loudly praising a product to "e;overhearing"e; strangers. "e;The Whisper Network"e; is a masterclass in analog virality. It shows that the mechanics of influencers and viral trends existed long before Instagram, rooted in the timeless human habit of gossip and the credibility of a recommendation from a "e;friend."e;