It’s been a fair few years since my previous post on industry book recommendations, so in addition to my original list, here’s my honest opinion on some books I’ve read recently.
The Insanity of Advertising.
I’m a sucker for anything relating to the golden age of advertising, but this memoir by Fred S. Goldberg offers very few lessons or reflections from his experiences. It’s a shame, seeing as he rubbed elbows with the greats and had a successful career working for Y&R, Chiat/Day, and Goldberg Moser O'Neill. Despite this, the narrative primarily consists of tedious, egotistic anecdotes. Save yourself some time and give this a miss.
That Will Never Work.
We all love an origin story. And you might be surprised at how Netflix came to be. Starting as a DVD rental business, it faced many hurdles when it launched and almost went under several times. Co-founder and author Marc Randolph captures start-up life and turns it into a corporate thriller. RIP Blockbuster! Decent read!
The Choice Factory.
Writer Richard Shotton investigates how psychological shortcuts shape human behaviour and how advertisers can use these biases to their advantage. He cleverly observes a typical day of decision-making, from trivial choices to significant ones, splitting out 25 different biases. This is essential reading for anyone in marketing and communications. I particularly love how British the examples are.
Sorry Spock Emotions Drive Business.
Adobe’s Executive Creative Director, Adam Morgan, takes a single question, ‘Do creative ideas work better?’ and delves deep into neuroscience and the world of advertising to answer it once and for all. This is a must-read for creative professionals, especially decision-makers who always play it ‘safe’. Adam shows how emotional ideas create more compelling experiences and reveals why creativity is less risky for business. Let’s stop with the mundane and be more creative.
No Rules Rules.
Another book on Netflix. This one, written by the co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings, delves into their company culture. Working at a tech company myself, I was particularly interested in seeing how others function. Netflix is a bit unorthodox - employees have unlimited holiday days and are actively encouraged to interview elsewhere. It’s an interesting read if you’re in the tech sector. If not, getting through it may be a bit of a slog.
Blah! Blah! Blah!
In this book, creative director and artist Dave Buonaguidi shares his brutally honest thoughts and advice. A rambling romp through his diverse career, from small London advertising agencies to top multinationals. It’s littered with ridiculous rants and aggressive advice, such as ‘work your bollocks off’ and ‘everything gets better when you’re having fun’. Part memoir, part business book, this will inspire anyone to work hard and make brilliant work.
Alchemy.
‘To be brilliant, you have to be irrational’. This mind-boggling book by Ogilvy legend Rory Sutherland will open your mind to approaching creative problems differently. He successfully proves that conventional logic and wisdom fail more than what people think through real-life examples. Tapping into unconscious human behaviour - he shines a light on some random things that make sense, like why countdown boards on platforms take away the pain of train delays. And why we prefer stripy toothpaste. This book combines behavioural science, relatable stories, and a touch of branding magic. We can all be alchemists.
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