It’s best not to think of word of mouth marketing as a shiny new toy. This isn’t the next dotcom era, or the emergence of a kitschy new branded service offered by ad execs in expensive suits.

We didn’t even invent word of mouth; we just recognized and harnessed its power.

And while we don’t specialize in history, we thought a little flashback on the lineage of WOM might help you understand the impact word of mouth has on our culture.

130,000 years ago: Neanderthal man used their primitive vocal and body language communication abilities to share their hunting, tool-making and shelter-building best practices with others. Word of mouth probably contributed to the popularity of fire in the region and furthermore, furnished Geico with a hilarious advertising campaign 130,000 years later.

399 BC: The legendary Greek philosopher and teacher Socrates spread his pro-democratic philosophies via old-fashioned word of mouth and a unique promotional endeavor at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. This WOM pioneer was so successful in generating grassroots buzz that he was silenced by the government in 399BC, when he was executed by a nice warm glass of poison hemlock.

Approx. 20-30 AD/CE: Without a single phone, blog or microsite, Jesus of Nazareth spread his teachings throughout the world. Thousands of followers, many of whom could not read, were given referrals for healing, heard mysterious stories from disciples who witnessed miracles first-hand and continued to talk about the Nazarene for centuries to come. Word of mouth played a tremendous role in the birth of Christianity and the spread of the world’s largest religion.

1504: During the Renaissance period, artists became celebrities through referrals and recommendations from their patrons. In 1504, Michaelangelo completed his famous David sculpture commissioned by the consuls of the Guild of Wool. The piece made him a legend and buzz around the David landed him an invitation from Pope Julius II who was in the market for a tomb.

As if you didn’t get the point, word of mouth has been a powerful driving force in popular culture, politics, religion and art. Our history is chock-full of people talking to others, sharing opinions, thoughts and recommendations throughout the world. Rooted in this simple fact, modern WOM is simply a way for each of us to add our thoughts to the ongoing conversation. At MGH, we like to think of ourselves as conversationalists, experts in joining the discussions that are currently shaping our future and will most definitely affect yours.