Definition of Traditional Word-of-Mouth

Over 40 years ago, the then pioneer word-of-mouth researcher Johan Arndt (1967) offered the following definition:

“Oral, person-to-person communication between a receiver and a communicator whom the receiver perceives as non-commercial, concerning a brand, product, or a service.”

The definition is still competent and Nyilasi (2006) clarifies the definition by pointing out that traditional word-of-mouth consist of three essential parts:

1. Interpersonal communication
2. Commercial content
3. Non-commercially motivated communicators

First, traditional word-of-mouth is interpersonal communication, in which case it is apart from mass communication (such as advertising) and other impersonal channels. Second, the content of word-of-mouth communication is commercial from a marketing perspective. Thus, the focus of communication is on commercial entities, products, brands and marketers – or even their advertising. Third, although the content of word-of-mouth communication is commercial, the message distributors are not motivated commercially – or at least they are perceived not be.

Sources:
Arndt, J. (1967), Word of Mouth Advertising: A Review of the Literature, Advertising Research Foundation, Inc., New York, NY.
Nyilasy, G. (2006). Word of Mouth: What We Really Know - And What We Don't. Connected Marketing: The Viral, Buzz and Word of Mouth Revolution. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

A Brief History of the Term “Word-of-Mouth”

Word-of-mouth is one of those things that everybody thinks they clearly understand but they are, nevertheless, each talking about a different part of the elephant (Silverman, 2001). Some might think that the phrase is something new but it is not. In actual fact, the term has been used for a long time – probably much longer than any other term in marketing. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first written occurrence of the term “word-of-mouth” dates back to 1533. The dictionary defines the long-standing term as ‘oral communication’, ‘oral publicity’, or simply ‘speaking’, in contrast with ‘written and other method[s] of expression’. (Nyilasy, 2006.)

Sources:
Nyilasy, G. (2006). Word of Mouth: What We Really Know - And What We Don't. Connected Marketing: The Viral, Buzz and Word of Mouth Revolution. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Silverman, G. (2001). The Secrets of Word-of-Mouth Marketing: How to Trigger Exponential Sales Through Runaway Word-of-Mouth. New York: American Marketing Association.