Drayton Bird's autobiography, 'You Did What!', is a candid account of his life filled with stories of misadventure, business triumphs, and personal anecdotes. The book offers insights into his career in marketing, along with advice on how to avoid common business mistakes and achieve success.
This book surveys the history of humankind from the Stone Age to the 21st century, focusing on Homo sapiens. It divides human history into four major parts: the Cognitive Revolution, the Agricultural Revolution, the Unification of Humankind, and the Scientific Revolution. Harari argues that Homo sapiens dominate the world due to their unique ability to cooperate in large numbers through beliefs in imagined realities such as gods, nations, money, and human rights. The book also examines the impact of human activities on the global ecosystem and speculates on the future of humanity, including the potential for genetic engineering and non-organic life.
In 'Unreasonable Hospitality,' Will Guidara shares his experiences as the General Manager of Eleven Madison Park and The NoMad, highlighting the importance of hospitality in any business. The book emphasizes that simply offering a great product is not enough; organizations must also focus on creating authentic connections and memorable experiences for both customers and employees. Guidara provides practical advice on setting expectations, managing teams, and adapting to unexpected situations, all while maintaining a commitment to hospitality that goes beyond mere service. His approach is applicable across various industries, not just limited to restaurants and luxury businesses.
In this revised and expanded edition of the groundbreaking New York Times bestseller, Dan Ariely uses a series of illuminating experiments to show how expectations, emotions, social norms, and other invisible forces skew our reasoning abilities. Ariely explains how we consistently overpay, underestimate, and procrastinate, and how these behaviors are neither random nor senseless but systematic and predictable. The book covers various aspects of decision-making, from the power of placebos to the effects of social and financial norms, and offers insights into how to make better decisions by understanding these irrational patterns.
In this book, Daniel Kahneman takes readers on a tour of the mind, explaining how the two systems of thought shape our judgments and decisions. System 1 is fast, automatic, and emotional, while System 2 is slower, effortful, and logical. Kahneman discusses the impact of cognitive biases, the difficulties of predicting future happiness, and the effects of overconfidence on corporate strategies. He offers practical insights into how to guard against mental glitches and how to benefit from slow thinking in both personal and business life. The book also explores the distinction between the 'experiencing self' and the 'remembering self' and their roles in our perception of happiness.
In 'Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions', Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths illustrate how algorithms used by computers can be applied to various human problems. The book covers topics such as the optimal stopping problem, sorting, caching, and randomness, providing practical advice on decision-making, managing time and resources, and understanding human cognition and behavior. It emphasizes the importance of calculated risks, breaking down problems into manageable parts, and embracing randomness and uncertainty in decision-making processes.
In this book, James C. Scott examines the failures of centrally managed social plans and the destructive consequences of high-modernist ideologies. Scott argues that states often impose simplistic visions on complex societies, ignoring local, practical knowledge and leading to disastrous outcomes. He identifies four conditions common to all planning disasters: administrative ordering of nature and society, high-modernist ideology, authoritarian state power, and a prostrate civil society. The book critiques various utopian projects, including collective farms, compulsory villagization, and urban planning, and advocates for a more nuanced approach that respects local diversity and practical knowledge.
In 'The Selfish Gene', Richard Dawkins presents a gene-centred view of evolution, arguing that genes are the primary units of selection and that they behave selfishly to ensure their own replication. The book explains concepts such as kin selection, inclusive fitness, and the evolutionarily stable strategy, highlighting how these mechanisms can lead to altruistic behaviors in organisms. Dawkins emphasizes that the 'selfishness' of genes is a metaphorical concept, describing their evolutionary consequences rather than any intentional behavior. The book has been influential in shaping modern evolutionary thought and remains relevant today[1][3][5].
In 'Purple Cow,' Seth Godin argues that traditional marketing strategies no longer work in today's saturated market. He advocates for the creation of 'Purple Cows' – products or services that are so remarkable they naturally generate buzz and attract attention. Godin uses the metaphor of a purple cow to illustrate how being ordinary is no longer sufficient; businesses must be bold, innovative, and willing to take risks to stand out. The book is filled with examples from successful companies like Apple, Starbucks, and JetBlue, and it challenges readers to rethink their marketing strategies to focus on creating truly remarkable offerings.
In 'Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics,' Richard H. Thaler recounts his journey in challenging traditional economic theories that assume humans are rational actors. The book chronicles the evolution of behavioral economics, a field that integrates psychology and economics to understand how people actually make decisions. Thaler discusses various behavioral concepts such as endowment effects, mental accounting, and self-control issues, using anecdotes and empirical studies to illustrate these points. The book also delves into Thaler's personal struggles and successes in establishing behavioral economics as a recognized field, including his work with institutions like the British tax collection agency and his battles with traditional economic thinking[2][4][5].
Rory Sutherland's "Alchemy" explores the surprising power of ideas that don't make sense from a behavioral economics perspective. The book challenges conventional wisdom in marketing, advertising, and decision-making, highlighting the importance of seemingly irrational factors. Sutherland uses numerous anecdotes and examples to illustrate how seemingly illogical approaches can yield unexpected results. He emphasizes the role of emotion and perception in shaping consumer behavior and decision-making processes. The book offers valuable insights for anyone seeking to understand and influence human behavior.
In this highly acclaimed book, Dr. Robert B. Cialdini explains the psychology behind why people say yes and how to apply these insights ethically. The book outlines six universal principles of influence: Reciprocation, Commitment and Consistency, Social Proof, Liking, Authority, and Scarcity. The new and expanded edition includes a seventh principle, Unity, along with new research, insights, and examples. Cialdini uses memorable stories and relatable examples to make the subject accessible and easy to understand, helping readers become more skilled persuaders and defend themselves against unethical influence attempts.
Rory is the vice chairman of Ogilvy UK, which is one of the biggest marketing and advertising companies in the world. He's the author of the book Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don't Make Sense and his TED talks that have been viewed over 7 million times. In the conversation Rory gives me a masterclass in marketing and advertising ,and reveals the marketing secrets brands use to change our perception of products and influence our behaviour. Enjoy :)
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(00:00) Intro
(01:52) University and your view on education
(10:29) The power of statistics
(23:30) You should always ask why
(25:09) The doorman fallacy
(28:40) Consumer psychology
(32:33) Why you should dare to be trivial
(43:19) Building talkability into a product
(54:48) What got your interested in marketing?
(01:03:33) How most businesses are optimised
(01:04:06) User imagery vs target audience
(01:07:00) How you become the perfect brand
(01:08:33) Evolutionary psychology and products
(01:16:00) The importance of longitudinal questions
(01:18:16) Why new ideas are slow to take off
(01:20:53) Rebrands and longevity
(01:30:37) Brands lead to better products
(01:32:24) What don't people like about advertising?
(01:42:55) Psychological value
(01:48:47) Happiness
(01:56:44) Book recommendations
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💻 Website - https://www.ogilvy.com/uk/team
👥 Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rorysutherland/?originalSubdomain=uk
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