bwagy, the blog of Ben Young

Here’s my curated list of the best marketing books. The lens on this list is that it has to be arguably a book that every marketer should read – books that should stand the test of time. The other two rules for this list, is that I can’t include anything published in the last two years, to help focus on the books which are weighty and I must have read them first hand.

This does introduce constraints but should mean we have a slow moving rather than a fast changing list.

For any suggestions tweet me @bwagy, I’ll add to the list to read and update.

Timeless Marketing Books

These are books I think ALL marketers should read.

How brands grow. A refresh on the latest research on how brands grow and what you can do to help.

22 Immutable Rules of Marketing (and Branding). A solid reminder of the power of the basics – and as marketers we do tend to over complicate things.

80/20 Principle by Richard Koch.

Ignore Everybody by Hugh Macleod. Coming at it from the creativity angle, the best marketers are creative, or can at least manage or create the conditions for creativity to happen.

Confessions of an Advertising Man and Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy. The classics.

And finally, whilst it’s not a pick off your shelf and read the whole thing, Philip Kotler (yes from university) does keep an up to date on the latest thinking in marketing management.

Old trends but still relevant

Free by Chris Anderson and The Long Tail.

Permission Marketing by Seth Godin (and actually any Seth Godin, All Marketers are Liars and Purple Cow).

Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell.

Upcoming potentials

I haven’t yet read these but have been suggested via peers. Once I read may/may not add to the list.

Where the Suckers Moon: The Life and Death of an Advertising Campaign

Small Data: The Tiny Clues that Uncover Huge Trends

Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins. Oft recommended by the greats of advertising.

Breakthrough Advertising by Eugene Schwartz

The Content Trap by Bharat Anand.

The Cluetrain Manifesto by David Weinburger.

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini.

Any I’ve missed, you’d vouch for or recommend? Tweet me @bwagy or send me an email.

Tags: book recommendations, timeless marketing books

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 15th, 2019 at 4:57 am.