Two critical paths have emerged to reach a large-scale audience: pop culture superstars and giant brands, fueled by mass marketing OR an equally (if not more) powerful audience built without the trappings of fame, traditional "talent," marketing–muscle, and traditional media.

While there is still a place for the classic broadcast, celebrity–driven approach, the mobile, social web has become the place where the ordinary becomes the extraordinary, the experiment becomes the standard, and the outliers become the agenda-setting influencers. While technology has created the potential for this shift, the primary driver of building this type of audience in today’s environment is human connection – simple connections between fans, friends and cultural groups.