That's some seriously good stuff. I was there a long fucking time. I think I was there yesterday, actually.

Ok, being something I'm greatly interested in, I did RTFA. Some thoughts on the subject:

Influencers did dramatically increase the extent of the spread when compared with the average person. This study doesn't at all disprove viral marketing-- it merely calls into question how and why it works.

Having actual merit will always be vitally important to spreading a meme.

Reward word-of-mouth in a creative way if you can reasonably do so. Make it damn easy and enjoyable to spread your meme, and your audience will help you.

The most powerful influencers are also often the easiest to get to pass around your meme. I'm referring to journalists both amateur and professional, of course. Re: slashdotted.

If you can get influencers to spread your meme, then you should do so. But it is always better to have a normal person who is a real fan than an influential person who only kind of likes your meme, and it is usually easier to cultivate real fans than to convince people who are invested in 'being cool'.

When it comes to judging the power of an influencer, it doesn't matter how many people a particular person knows or how well regarded that person is. It only matters how many people someone will tell about your meme and how interested they are in it.

Don't underestimate the power of irreverence and humor in getting your meme spread.

There is no substitute for being original when it comes to viral marketing.

Yeah, this is definitely good stuff, but there's still no substitute for spontaneity.