This Reading List Will Make You a Better Marketer

I’m too often surprised by the number of marketers who neglect to further their training once they land a job. Other professionals (e.g., teachers, doctors, lawyers) have continuing education requirements to stay current in their fields. But marketing and advertising practitioners? Not so much.

But just because it’s not a requirement doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep pushing yourself forward. You owe it to yourself, your clients, your marketing teams, and your career to stay connected and involved with your field.

Don’t be a part-time marketer — the field is too interesting and too rich in human motivation to be taken in half measures. Watch TV commercials. Turn off your ad blocker and pay attention to online ads. Check out Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Subscribe to newsletters and emails. But, most of all, read.

I’ve referenced these books throughout various posts on my blog, but have never compiled them into a single list. Until now. That’s right, no need to scour my blog searching for links. I’ve done the heavy lifting for you.

So, no excuses. Head to your local library or favorite bookseller and pick up a few of these time-tested, must-read marketing and advertising books. Your career will thank you.

Advertising and Marketing Reading List

Scientific Advertising and My Life In Advertising by Claude Hopkins. One of the great advertising pioneers. The books were written in the 1920s so the language feels a bit dated. But the core concepts are still relevant today. 

Reality in Advertising by Rosser Reeves. The originator of the unique selling proposition. 

Confessions of an Advertising Man by David Ogilvy. A classic. Channel your inner Mad Man (or Woman).

How to Advertise: Building Brands and Businesses in the New Marketing World by Kenneth Roman and Jane Maas. A practical guide on what works, and what doesn’t. This is the book that inspired me to start my own agency, a decision that impacted my entire career (and life).

How to Make Your Advertising Make Money by John Caples. This classic is as timely today as it was when it was written. Caples, a Jedi master of copy writing, understood human behavior and used scientific methods to back up his results.

Bill Bernbach’s Book: A History of Advertising that Changed the History of Advertising by Bob Levenson. Not cheap. But worth every penny.

Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This: The Classic Guide to Creating Great Ads By Luke Sullivan. A slightly irreverent guide to telling brand stories and creating compelling brand experiences.

The Art of Writing Advertising: Conversations with William Bernbach, Leo Burnett, George Gribbin, David Ogilvy, and Rosser Reeves. Advertising masters share their insights on writing and creating. Who wouldn’t want to learn from the best?

The Idea Writers by Teressa Iezza. I actually cried when I read this book. Teressa Iezza brilliantly examines the evolution from one-way messaging to audience conversations. 

The Man Who Sold America by Jeffrey L. Cruikshank and Arthur W. Schultz. Albert Lasker invented orange juice, political advertising, and the feminine hygiene category. This is his bigger-than-life story.

Mad Women by Jane Maas. A masterpiece. One of the best advertising autobiographies ever written.

Any other favorites? Let me know in the comments.