As marketers, we know that we’re never done learning. From podcasts and articles to webinars and email subscriptions, limitless resources enable us to further our education learning about our industry. With hot weather and beach thoughts ahead this weekend, we have summer reading on the brain. So we asked CTPers, “What books would you recommend to your fellow marketers or business professionals and what industry-specific lesson did you take away?”
Reclaiming Conversation by Sherry Turkle. In a relationships-based business, actual, human conversation is so important. But too often we allow the ease of technology to serve as a substitute – often with unseen and unintended consequences. Turkle’s book is a good reminder of why you need to look up from the screen. – Todd Graff, SVP Public Relations
Where the Suckers Moon: The Life and Death of an Advertising Campaign. I read this book when I was working on the relaunch of Audi in America. And it struck a chord, both with the challenge of being creative in the automotive industry, and the fragility of ideas when the stakes are high. Pressure is good, but it must be managed in service of the bigger picture. – Grant Pace, Executive Creative Director, Partner
The Selling of the President by Joe McGinniss. I’m continually fascinated by Richard Nixon and his controversial presidency. This is an older book (originally published in 1969), but it highlights exactly how marketing influenced the 1968 election. My major takeaway is that as long as you have the basic marketing skill set, it can be translated into any vertical. Before the Nixon ’68 campaign, political marketing didn’t exist, and this book reveals exactly how Nixon’s campaign staff went about promoting him to the public the same way they would soap or cigarettes. – Carissa Ryan, B2B Technology Account Supervisor
If you’ve ever written (and rewritten) any form of content, I suggest checking out Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content by Ann Handley. This simple yet eye-catching title is ultimately the baseline of the book’s message – well done and simple messaging leads to strong content. And if you’re like me, the book’s witty take on what works and what doesn’t goes a long way during day-to-day work. – Courtney Bombardier, Social Media & Content Specialist
For me, there’s a book called Everything But the Coffee by Bryant Simon, which dissects Starbucks’ achievements as a brand and discusses the emotional, political and sociological success of the company. My favorite insight is when the author claims that Starbucks is successful because it is an example of an ‘everyday, attainable luxury.’ While one may not be able to purchase a sports car or a new Louis Vuitton bag, they can swing $5 to walk around sporting the iconic white cup and green logo, which represents a simple taste of luxury in the ‘treat-yo-self’ era. It’s an important lesson in uncovering how your brand is perceived by your consumers and leveraging those socio-economic insights as you grow. – Lizzie Morrill, Senior Brand Manager
