The Royal Society of Arts was a grand venue for what felt like an eye-opening Co-creation Hub event on something that, really, we all should know. In fact, throughout the talk, I began to feel slightly unnerved by the accuracy of a theory that I’d known so well through growing up – although back then it had no fancy name. I wanted Adidas popper trousers and Kickers shoes because they were what the cool kids wore. They would make me popular.

As Mark Earls, co-author of forthcoming book “I’ll have what she is having“, broke the news that our decisions aren’t based on what we, ourselves, believe in or agree with, but by that of influencers – like our friends or other respected sources – it got me thinking about some decisions I’ve made recently and how they may have been based on my social circle. Did I break up with my boyfriend because my friends were all becoming single? Did I move to a rough area because my friends were nearby? Am I thinking about my next holiday destination based on the stories I’ve been told? Probably, yes. Definitely, I’m sure Mark would say.

And it doesn’t stop there. The story of Colin was a clear example of how we are influenced by the people around us, not the other way around. Let me set the scene. You’re at a festival. There’s music. There’s sunshine. Everyone’s relaxing on the grass, apart from one crazy guy dancing on his own. This guy is Colin. At first, you look at Colin and think he’s a bit mental, but he’s relentless and carries on despite the whispers. Soon, another nutter joins him and the onlookers whisper a bit more. When the third dancer joins the spontaneous rave, a seed of doubt starts to grow. Maybe they’re not mental and they’re just having fun? It is at exactly this moment that a small group of revellers more than double the party and your doubt is confirmed. Before you have time to put on your flip-flops, twenty more people have arrived and you’ve become outnumbered. It’s time to join in. Now who’s the crazy one?

In practice, Face’s Director of Research, Francesco D’Orazio explained perfectly how brands should harness this information and use it to engage with customers through social media. His main argument was that people really don’t care about the brands themselves, they care about their personal relationships. So if a brand can communicate in the space between people, it will be much more successful than if it speaks to individuals directly.

O2 have taken this on board and created the RTO2, which, as Jake Steadman, their Brand and Social Media Insights Manager explained, crawls the web to pick up every conversation about the brand. It is fundamental for a number of reasons, from defining their lead influencers to reacting to customers in real time. Ultimately, it gives them access to the whole truth by tapping into a space where people are comfortable and open to opinions on a wider level. After all, getting a positive reputation in that space is arguably the most important of all. Brands become cool through word of mouth and when people don’t think they’re being advertised to, they’ll become much more susceptible.

Upon leaving the seminar, I became increasingly aware of this theory of influence as I unwittingly decided to take the tube from Charing Cross rather than the quicker, more direct route from Holborn. That could have been because it was cold and the walking distance was shorter but I’ve never been one to trade time for comfort. On reflection, I’m pretty sure the decision wasn’t wholly mine. I blindly followed my friends, who in hindsight probably would have followed me, had there been more people travelling in my direction.