Social Currency Power Model: Why We Share What Makes Us Look Good

Last month, my friend Priya posted a photo on Instagram. Not just any photo—a picture of her standing outside India's first sustainable café in Bengaluru, holding a reusable bamboo cup with the café's logo prominently displayed. Within hours, it had 200+ likes and dozens of comments praising her "conscious lifestyle choices." A week later, she discovered an incredible hole-in-the-wall dosa place in Malleswaram that served the best masala dosa she'd ever tasted.

Did she post about it? No. Why? Because sharing a fancy sustainable café made her look thoughtful and forward-thinking. Sharing a tiny roadside eatery didn't add the same social value, even though the dosa was objectively better. This, in essence, is social currency at work.

What Is Social Currency?

Social currency is the value people gain from sharing certain information, experiences, or content. Just like rupees in your wallet give you purchasing power, social currency gives you social power—it shapes how others perceive you. When we share something online or in conversation, we're not just passing along information. We're making a statement about who we are, what we value, and what tribe we belong to. We share things that make us look smarter, cooler, more informed, or more interesting. The Social Currency Power Model explains why some ideas, products, and stories spread like wildfire while others—often equally good or better—fade into obscurity.

The Five Pillars of Social Currency

1. Inner Remarkability: Finding What Makes You Special

Remember when everyone suddenly started talking about Amul's topical ads? These weren't just advertisements—they were cultural commentary wrapped in clever wordplay. When the Chandrayaan-3 landed successfully, Amul's "Chaand Taare Tod Laoon" creative went viral instantly. People shared it not because they cared about butter, but because sharing showed they were culturally aware and appreciated clever Indian humor. The ad had inner remarkability—something inherently interesting that made the sharer look good. Compare this to regular product advertisements. Most ads tell you "Buy our product, it's great!" But Amul makes you think, laugh, and feel connected to current events. That's the difference between forgettable and shareable. The Lesson: Don't just be good. Be remarkably good at something specific that people want to be associated with.

2. Leverage Game Mechanics: Make It Fun to Participate

Zomato mastered this beautifully with their "#ZomatoGoldMember" campaign. They created tiers, benefits, and exclusive access that made people feel special. When someone posted their Zomato Gold discount at a popular restaurant, they weren't just sharing a deal—they were signaling membership in an exclusive club. Even better was Swiggy's "Swiggy Voice of Hunger" campaign, where they gamified food cravings. People could share their "hunger personality type" on social media. Thousands participated because it was fun, personalized, and made them look quirky and relatable. The Indian gaming app Dream11 took this further by creating leagues where friends competed against each other. Players shared their team rankings not because they won prizes, but because being on top of their friend circle's leaderboard gave them bragging rights—pure social currency. The Lesson: Create systems where participation itself becomes a status symbol.

3. Make People Feel Like Insiders

When the Mumbai police started their witty Twitter account, responding to current events with movie references and local humor, they created an insider community. Following them meant you "got" the references to Bollywood dialogues and Mumbai's unique culture. Their tweet during a rainy day saying "Don't be like Raj from DDLJ and stand on the train door. Woh sirf film mein thik lagta hai" (That only looks good in movies) went viral. People who shared it were signaling, "I'm part of Mumbai's culture. I understand both the movie reference and the city's reality." The popular Indian investment app Groww did something similar. They created simple, jargon-free content explaining complex financial concepts using everyday examples—like comparing mutual funds to a tiffin service where everyone contributes and shares. People who shared these felt smart because they could finally explain investing to their parents. The Lesson: Create content or experiences that make people feel they're part of a knowledgeable in-group.

4. Trigger Identity and Values

When FabIndia launched their "Not Just a Label" campaign celebrating Indian craftsmanship, they weren't just selling clothes. They were selling an identity: someone who values heritage, supports local artisans, and makes conscious choices. Wearing and posting about FabIndia became a statement. It said, "I'm someone who cares about India's cultural heritage." That's powerful social currency in urban India's socially-conscious circles. Similarly, when people post about shopping from Khadi India stores or using Forest Essentials products, they're broadcasting their values. The product quality might be comparable to other brands, but the social currency is incomparable. The Lesson: Connect your brand or idea to an identity people want to project.

5. Create Scarcity and Exclusivity

Remember the OnePlus "Invite-Only" launch strategy in India? People couldn't just buy the phone—they needed an invitation. This artificial scarcity created massive buzz. Getting an invite became a flex. People posted screenshots of their invites on Facebook, not to show off the phone, but to show they were chosen, they were special. Paytm's early strategy of giving cashbacks only to users who referred friends turned every user into an evangelist. But the genius was in the tier system—the more you referred, the higher your status in their community challenges. People shared their referral success not for the ₹50 cashback, but to show they were influential. Even local examples work: the Irani cafés in Mumbai that have maintained their old-world charm and limited seating. Getting a table at Kyani & Co. or Britannia & Co. during peak hours feels like an achievement worth sharing on Instagram Stories. The Lesson: Scarcity isn't always about limited quantity—it can be about limited access, knowledge, or timing.

Putting It All Together: The Bira91 Case Study

Bira91, the Indian craft beer brand, didn't just enter a crowded beer market—they owned social currency from day one:

Inner Remarkability: Their colorful, playful branding was unlike any beer in India. The monkey mascot and quirky flavors (Blonde Lager, White Ale) made them instantly distinctive.

Game Mechanics: They created "Bira Bistros" and exclusive tasting events. Attending became an experience worth posting about.

Insider Status: They positioned themselves as the beer for people who "get" craft culture. Early adopters felt like discoverers of something special.

Identity Trigger: Drinking Bira said you were young, adventurous, and appreciated quality over mainstream options. You weren't just another Kingfisher drinker.

Exclusivity: Limited releases and special flavors available only in certain cities created FOMO and made each post about Bira feel timely and special.

The result? Bira became the most Instagrammed beer in India, with thousands of unpaid posts from consumers who gained social currency from being associated with the brand.

How to Apply This to Your Own Work

Whether you're building a brand, creating content, or just trying to understand why certain ideas spread, ask yourself:

Does this make the sharer look good: Not "Is this useful?" but "Does sharing this improve how others perceive the sharer?"

Is there something remarkable to talk about: Give people a specific, interesting detail they can repeat in conversation.

Can you add elements of game or challenge: Competition, milestones, and achievements are inherently shareable.

Does it signal belonging to a desirable group: Create communities that people want to be identified with.

Is there an element of timing or exclusivity: Make people feel they're among the first to know or access something.

The Truth About Going Viral

That sustainable café my friend Priya posted about? They understood social currency. They created an Instagrammable space, aligned with values people wanted to project, and made every customer feel like they were part of a movement. The dosa place, despite having superior product quality, offered no social currency. There was nothing that made Priya look better by association. No story to tell. No identity to signal. This isn't shallow—it's human. We're social creatures who care about our reputation and standing. Smart brands, creators, and ideas don't fight this reality. They embrace it. They understand that in today's connected world, your product isn't just what you sell. It's what people say about themselves when they share you. So the question isn't just "How do I make something people will love?"

The real question is: "How do I make something people will love to be seen loving?"

That's the power of social currency. And once you understand it, you'll never look at sharing the same way again. What's something you've shared recently that made you look good? Think about it. That's your social currency in action.