WELCOME
TO iREFER

Word-of-Mouth has never been so powerful

Welcome to iRefer, where the age-old power of word-of-mouth takes on a modern twist. Throughout history, word-of-mouth recommendations have been the bedrock of communication, shaping societies, and influencing decisions. From ancient civilizations to the digital era, the impact of personal recommendations resonates across time, driving commerce, culture, and connectivity.

Take me on a journey!

Skip

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS

Ancient Mesopotamia - circa 3500 B.C. to 500 B.C.; Ancient Persia - circa 550 B.C. to 330 B.C. Ancient Greece - circa 800 B.C. to 146 B.C. MESOPOTAMIA Throughout prehistory, to the ancient worlds of Mesopotamia, Persia, and Greece, word-of-mouth served as the primary means of sharing knowledge and stories. So incredible were these word-of-mouth traditions, that foundational texts such as Homer’s, Odyssey and Iliad, each taking many hours to perform, were successfully passed down through generations. Not only were these epics not lost, but one of the mythical locations they depicted - namely Troy - was later found to be real. PERSIA In the Persian Empire.Cyrus the Great, established an extraordinary network of word-of-mouth communication. This innovative system employed messengers on horseback and relay stations, where mess, facilitating swift information exchange across the empire's expansive territory, spanning from Asia Minor to India. GREECE The great minds of Greece ran (literally) its own system of word-of-mouth, as exemplified by the legendary Grecian runner, Pheidippides. In 490BCE, as the Grecians defeated the Persians at the Battle of Marathon, it was Pheidippides who carried the message of victory “Nike'' from the battlefield of Marathon, forty kilometres to the Acropolis in Athens. The marathon race as we know it today is dedicated to this feat, both in its name and its distance.

MEDIAEVAL PERIOD

5th to the 15th century

Roughly 2000 years later, in the 15th century, the Incan Empire of South America utilised the 'Chasquis' system. The Chasquis were extremely fit, young men who carried messages, running at top speed and relaying the information from one runner to another. Acting as a giant relay race and passing the words initially spoken - by literal word-of-mouth - all the way to the intended recipient's ear, the Chasquis could cover 280km in a single day. These runners relied on their great stamina, speed and most importantly, memory.

RENAISSANCE AND ENLIGHTENMENT

Renaissance - 14th to 17th century; Enlightenment - late 17th to late 18th century Enter the transformative eras of the Renaissance and Enlightenment, where word-of-mouth ignited revolutions of thought and action. Consider the clandestine spread of forbidden texts like Galileo's Dialogo and Voltaire's Candide, disseminated through whispered conversations and underground networks of intellectuals. Groups who made up the ‘Lumières’ movement (translation: ‘the lights’ from which the Enlightenment was named), which featured paradigm-shifting thinkers such as Spinoza, Hume, Locke, Rousseau, Diderot, and Newton, fostered cultural renewal and further propelled the dissemination of progressive ideas through word-of-mouth channels. These subversive acts of word-of-mouth communication challenged established beliefs and powerful institutions, laying the groundwork for intellectual freedom upon the principles of liberty, progress and reason. Additionally, the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in the mid-15th century revolutionised word-of-mouth communication by enabling the mass production of books and pamphlets. This technological advancement democratised access to knowledge, allowing ideas to spread more widely and rapidly than ever before, fueling intellectual discourse and social change.

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

Late 18th century, around 1760, and continued into the mid-19th century During the Industrial Revolution, word-of-mouth communication played a pivotal role in driving industrial innovations, technological advancements, and economic changes. As industries burgeoned and innovations flourished, word-of-mouth served as the primary conduit for spreading knowledge and information about groundbreaking inventions and new products. From the introduction of steam engines and mechanised factories to the proliferation of textile mills and steam-powered locomotives, word-of-mouth buzz fueled the rapid adoption of industrial technologies across regions and sectors. Early businesses seized upon the power of word-of-mouth marketing strategies to promote their products and services. Entrepreneurs leveraged personal connections, testimonials, and customer referrals to establish trust and credibility in burgeoning marketplaces. The introduction of revolutionary communication technologies, such as the electric telegraph by Joseph Henry in 1831 and Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone in 1876, marked a significant milestone in word-of-mouth communication. These innovations transcended physical boundaries, enabling real-time communication over long distances and facilitating the rapid dissemination of information and market intelligence. In essence, word-of-mouth communication during the Industrial Revolution not only propelled technological progress but also shaped consumer behaviour, economic landscapes, and the trajectory of modern commerce.

MODERN ERA

18th century and continues to the present day In 1964, the Canadian philosopher and media theorist Marshall McLuhan, famously declared that "the medium is the message". McLuhan's main point was that the medium through which a message is communicated shapes how that message is received and understood by people. The characteristics of the medium - such as its speed, accessibility, format, and the sensory experience it provides - have a significant impact on how people interpret the message. For example, the medium of the cave wall reveals more about the primitive culture than the pictures and messages drawn upon it. This simple, but revolutionary idea would have a profound impact as the world entered into the modern, “information age”. In our contemporary, digital era, word-of-mouth communication has evolved to transcend physical boundaries, finding a new platform in social media and online communities. From grassroots movements sparked by viral videos to influencer-driven marketing campaigns, word-of-mouth shapes consumer behaviour and cultural trends with unprecedented speed and reach.

JOIN THE
iREFER COMMUNITY

Just as McLuhan revolutionised our understanding of communication in the 1960s, iRefer is transforming the digital age by integrating the medium of word-of-mouth with the powerful message of connection and opportunity. With iRefer, it's not just about sharing a product or service; it's about engaging in a dynamic network of merchants and referrers, where every referral becomes a message of trust, recommendation, and mutual benefit.