Popular Products are: The Most Advanced, Yet Acceptable

The products that become popular are a balance of familiarity and newness.The theory goes that people are simultaneously Neophobic (afraid of the new) and Neophilic (attracted to the new). Thus new ideas, content or products need to manage this balance. It is not the most innovative or advanced products that become popular but those that blend acceptability and innovation.

Most of the top movies of the last ten years have been sequels or have been based on popular novels. There is safety and familiarity in such movies. It has also been argued that popular stories follow a familiar narrative arc such as good versus evil or a hero overcoming a challenge.

Familiarity makes you feel safe but there is also a need for newness. As there is a danger that too much familiarity, or too much of the same content, leads to a sharp fall in popularity. There needs to be a balance with newness and innovation.