Here are some of the best books I have read in the past year or so. You'll notice that most of these are not about marketing at all. This is because marketing is interdisciplinary and to master it you must be skilled in many fields.
The Design of Everyday Things by Donald Norman
This is considered a foundational book in the design community. The author is actually an engineer by trade and you can tell from his relentless detail and exacting explanations. This book is not filled with very many memorable sound bites or one liners, because that is not the point. This book will help you think and see the world like a designer. Norman's genius is his exploration of design through non technical, ubiquitous, everyday objects. A critical read if you care about design and user experience.
The Design of Everyday Things by Donald Norman
This is considered a foundational book in the design community. The author is actually an engineer by trade and you can tell from his relentless detail and exacting explanations. This book is not filled with very many memorable sound bites or one liners, because that is not the point. This book will help you think and see the world like a designer. Norman's genius is his exploration of design through non technical, ubiquitous, everyday objects. A critical read if you care about design and user experience.
Damn Good Advice by George Lois
George Lois is actually one of the original Mad Men, although he hates the comparison. (Too much booze and sex in the show according to him). He worked at one of the first proper advertising agencies in the 50s and founded another. He played a critical role in defining the advertising and mass marketing industries. Although not a sales person by the proper definition, he is surely one of the most successful sales people of the 20th century. He just sells to the masses with marketing messages, imagery, and design. He is famous for the epic series of Esquire magazine covers in the 60s and 70s, the most memorable of which being Muhammad Ali shot with arrows. He does not consider that series of covers among his best work, though. It's interesting to note that he has not been able to repeat his massive successes in recent history. My personal take is the mass media world he specializes in is too different from world we live with tribes, niche products, and custom messages. Nonetheless, there are huge takeaways in this book that are still very true today.
The Brand Gap by Marty Neumeier
A brand is the feeling you get in your stomach when you think about a company, so goes Marty's thinking. This is a short but delightful read in how marketing, product, and design can work together to achieve business goals and growth.
Trust Me I'm Lying by Ryan Holiday
I'll be honest, at first I avoided this book because it seemed like everyone in my world was talking about it. When something gets that much buzz so fast I tend to think I'm being had, but actually I was totally wrong. Say what you want about Ryan's tactics, they work. It's interesting to see how he meticulously breaks down our media infrastructure and identifies it's breaking points. Ignore the truth at your own risk.
George Lois is actually one of the original Mad Men, although he hates the comparison. (Too much booze and sex in the show according to him). He worked at one of the first proper advertising agencies in the 50s and founded another. He played a critical role in defining the advertising and mass marketing industries. Although not a sales person by the proper definition, he is surely one of the most successful sales people of the 20th century. He just sells to the masses with marketing messages, imagery, and design. He is famous for the epic series of Esquire magazine covers in the 60s and 70s, the most memorable of which being Muhammad Ali shot with arrows. He does not consider that series of covers among his best work, though. It's interesting to note that he has not been able to repeat his massive successes in recent history. My personal take is the mass media world he specializes in is too different from world we live with tribes, niche products, and custom messages. Nonetheless, there are huge takeaways in this book that are still very true today.
The Brand Gap by Marty Neumeier
A brand is the feeling you get in your stomach when you think about a company, so goes Marty's thinking. This is a short but delightful read in how marketing, product, and design can work together to achieve business goals and growth.
Trust Me I'm Lying by Ryan Holiday
I'll be honest, at first I avoided this book because it seemed like everyone in my world was talking about it. When something gets that much buzz so fast I tend to think I'm being had, but actually I was totally wrong. Say what you want about Ryan's tactics, they work. It's interesting to see how he meticulously breaks down our media infrastructure and identifies it's breaking points. Ignore the truth at your own risk.
Propaganda by Edward Bernays
When a book about propaganda is written by Sigmund Freud's nephew, you know it's going to be good. Bernays wrote this in 1928 when radio and newspapers were the media du jour, and although we have 10x more mediums now, the basic mechanics of how you influence a population are the same. If this seems slightly diabolical to you, you are correct, it is. Think about how you can "pull" out demand in a market vs a direct "push". Propaganda is all about the pull.
Contagious by Jonah Berger
This is an examination of why ideas spread and how media goes viral, through the lens of statistical analysis and data. I can't say the book itself is that profound, but there are some really important conclusions. At the very least I can appreciate Jonah's academic rigor applied to the fields of digital and social media.
Positioning and The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Jack Trout and Al Ries
The 22 Laws is a foundation in marketing and should be taught in schools. The book is a high level overview kind of read, but itself is a triumph of marketing because of the indelible mark it has made on me and so many others in the industry. Positioning is actually a better read and my favorite of the two. The basic concept of positioning is that your product (or perhaps "brand") cannot exist in a vacuum. Rather, it must exist in a relative space with respect to both the competitors in the marketplace and the ideas inside your prospects head. "Marketing is a battle of perceptions".
When a book about propaganda is written by Sigmund Freud's nephew, you know it's going to be good. Bernays wrote this in 1928 when radio and newspapers were the media du jour, and although we have 10x more mediums now, the basic mechanics of how you influence a population are the same. If this seems slightly diabolical to you, you are correct, it is. Think about how you can "pull" out demand in a market vs a direct "push". Propaganda is all about the pull.
Contagious by Jonah Berger
This is an examination of why ideas spread and how media goes viral, through the lens of statistical analysis and data. I can't say the book itself is that profound, but there are some really important conclusions. At the very least I can appreciate Jonah's academic rigor applied to the fields of digital and social media.
Positioning and The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing by Jack Trout and Al Ries
The 22 Laws is a foundation in marketing and should be taught in schools. The book is a high level overview kind of read, but itself is a triumph of marketing because of the indelible mark it has made on me and so many others in the industry. Positioning is actually a better read and my favorite of the two. The basic concept of positioning is that your product (or perhaps "brand") cannot exist in a vacuum. Rather, it must exist in a relative space with respect to both the competitors in the marketplace and the ideas inside your prospects head. "Marketing is a battle of perceptions".
Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins
The most notable praise of this book comes from David Ogilvy, "Nobody should be allowed to have anything to do with advertising until he has read this book seven times. It changed the course of my life." It's written in 1928 and perfectly models not just offline direct response advertising, but the direct response advertising online as well. It is remarkably ahead of it's time, and it's also a great primer on sales copywriting.
The Fish That Ate The Whale by Richard Cohen
This is a chronicle of the banana industry in the early 20th century and it's biggest character, Samuel Zemurray. Sounds tame, but this industry is one of the most influential in history, and Zemurray is undoubtedly one of the most legendary entrepreneurs ever. The magic of this book is how Cohen tells such a compelling story, he literally keeps you glued. This book is in the running for my favorite book of all time.
I'm always on the lookout for great reads, so please tweet me @yes if you have any recommendations.
image credits: esquire, radio, ogilvy
The most notable praise of this book comes from David Ogilvy, "Nobody should be allowed to have anything to do with advertising until he has read this book seven times. It changed the course of my life." It's written in 1928 and perfectly models not just offline direct response advertising, but the direct response advertising online as well. It is remarkably ahead of it's time, and it's also a great primer on sales copywriting.
The Fish That Ate The Whale by Richard Cohen
This is a chronicle of the banana industry in the early 20th century and it's biggest character, Samuel Zemurray. Sounds tame, but this industry is one of the most influential in history, and Zemurray is undoubtedly one of the most legendary entrepreneurs ever. The magic of this book is how Cohen tells such a compelling story, he literally keeps you glued. This book is in the running for my favorite book of all time.
I'm always on the lookout for great reads, so please tweet me @yes if you have any recommendations.
image credits: esquire, radio, ogilvy
