20 Books Marketers Should Have on Their Shelves

By Lucille Choi

On Advertising and Media

1. Permission Marketing by Seth Godin

“A terrific perspective on how to avoid interruption marketing and getting your customers to willingly engage with you.” Recommended by Jonathan Copulsky

2. Buying In by Rob Walker

We are what we buy. Walker demonstrates the ways in which buyers adopt products not just as consumer choices but as conscious expressions of their identities. Recommended by Neil Golden

3. Marketers Are From Mars, Consumers Are From New Jersey by Bob Hoffman

Marketers and advertisers have lost touch with consumers and are living in a fantasy land of their own invention — fed by a cultural echo chamber which people like them talk to people like them. Recommended by Neil Golden

Also read: Advertising for Skeptics by Bob Hoffman

4. Linked by Albert-László Barabási

How does a video go viral? Why is word-of-mouth more effective than advertiser-driven channels? A solid introduction into the theory underlying social networks for media strategists. Recommended by Judy Franks

On Human Behavior

5. Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely

Why do we splurge on a lavish meal but cut coupons to save twenty-five cents on a can of soup? We think we’re making smart, rational choices. But are we? Recommended by Edward Malthouse

Also Read: Everybody Lies by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz

6. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

System 1 is fast, intuitive, and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberative, and more logical, these two systems working together drive the way we think and shape our judgments and decisions. Recommended by Edward Malthouse

7. The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz

Does more choice mean better options and greater satisfaction? Schwartz explains why too much of a good thing has proven detrimental to our psychological and emotional well-being. Recommended by Jonathan Copulsky, “Great explanation of why less is sometimes more.”

Also Read: Absolute Value: What Really Influences Customers in the Age of (Nearly) Perfect Information by Itamar Simonson and Emanuel Rosen

8. Nudge by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein

By knowing how people think, we can use sensible “choice architecture” to nudge people toward the best decisions Recommended by Edward Malthouse

9. Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, by Chip & Dan Heath

“So much about what a Marketing Leader does involves driving change, change within an organization, change with your channel & retail partners and change for your end customers. In this book the always insightful Heath brothers provide an actionable change model that includes “scaling the bright spots” (what’s already working) versus just trying to fix what’s broken.” Recommended by Jim Lecinski

10. The End of Average: Unlocking Our Potential by Embracing What Makes Us Different, by Todd Rose

“A fundamental concept for modern marketers is “heterogeneity”, recognizing that all your customers are quite different and therefore putting “customer centricity” marketing strategies and tactics in place. This book really brings home that point-you cannot market to average. There is no such thing as an average customer, an average market or an average purchase.” Recommended by Jim Lecinski

On Communications

11. Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath
“Understanding why ideas will make it and how to ensure their survival and how you can bring those ideas to fruition.” Recommended by Candy Lee and Ernest Duplessis

Also Read: Stories that Stick by Kindra Hall

12. Reputation Rules by Daniel Diermeier

A book on reputation management, maintaining and earning trust and how a companies can turn a potential public disgrace into a public image success story. Recommended by Ernest Duplessis

13. Communicating the New by Kim Erwin

“This book walks through the complicated concept of reconceiving communication to break through barriers and accelerate innovation. Erwin provides many helpful frameworks that I will draw on for years to come. Also, some of the tactics including storytelling, mantras and metaphors, seem intuitive. However, Erwin’s examples really bring them to light.” Recommended by kelly cutler

On Strategy

14. Understanding Michael Porter: The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy, by Joan Magretta

“Great marketers understand and are adept at both strategy and tactics. At the heart of strategic thinking are the theories of Michael Porter. This book written by his long-time collaborator brings together all of Porter’s essential thinking into one must-have volume for marketers.” Recommended by Jim Lecinski

Also Read: The Four: The Hidden DNA of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google by Scott Galloway

On Innovation

15. The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman

“As a student of design thinking, I was enraptured by the examples of creativity and problem-solving in this book. As a marketer, it is critical to realize and deliver on the importance of good design and also to recognize and reject bad design. Norman’s fresh look at everyday things helps break down the nuance and provides an approachable lens into the complicated world of design.” Recommended by kelly cutler

16. The Innovator’s DNA: Mastering the Five Skills of Disruptive Innovators by Clayton Christensen, Hal B. Gregersen, and Jeff Dyer

By identifying behaviors of the world’s best innovators — from leaders at Amazon and Apple to those at Google, Skype, and Virgin Group — the authors outline five discovery skills that distinguish innovative entrepreneurs and executives from ordinary managers. Recommended by Candy Lee, “Everyone can be innovative.”

17. Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore

The Silicon Valley bible for bringing cutting-edge products to progressively larger markets. Recommended by Jonathan Copulsky, “Still the best guide to gaining product adoption among the mass market.”

On Leadership

18. HBR’s 10 Must Reads For New Managers by Harvard Business Review

“Good advice for avoiding mistakes and having confidence in the workplace.” Recommended by Candy Lee

19. Never Split The Difference by Chris Voss

“An important book by a former FBI hostage negotiator who now teaches negotiation at Harvard. This book includes nine effective strategies for persuasion, citing colorful real-world examples and evidence. In many negotiations no really means yes.” Recommended by kelly cutler

20. Leading Digital by George Westerman, Didier Bonnet, Andrew McAfee

Based on a study of more than four hundred global firms, an observation on how large companies in traditional industries were successful in their digital transformation. Recommended by Vijay Viswanathan

About the Editor: Lucille Choi

Lucille is a master’s graduate from Northwestern University’s Integrated Marketing Communication program. She specializes in applying a customer-centric approach to business design and marketing strategy. Prior to Medill, she’s had 6 years of experience in advertising and corporate branding.