Experience, they say, is the best teacher. With over thirty years as a Chief Marketing Officer for some of the best known chain restaurant brands in the world, I've worked with very talented cohorts, with acclaimed advertising agencies, with global food processing companies, with Master Chefs and Master Sommeliers, with insightful research firms, and with independent marketing consultants. I've learned from all of them. Both of my parents were teachers, so I approach every interpersonal experience as a way to learn, and sometimes to teach.
I've always loved to read, both for enjoyment and for learning. This section of the Website will be a reservoir of books that I have found especially helpful over the years. Picking less than a dozen out of the thousands I've read wasn't easy. I will add to this bibliography as I find new books that influence my thinking. If you've read other publications that offer special insights into marketing (i.e., how people behave), please share them with me.
The Odyssey, by Homer, translated by Alexander Pope (1726)
The classical Greek adventure that still inspires me. Odysseus is my epic hero. For a shorter inspiration, read Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem, Ulysses (the Roman manifestation of Odysseus) described by Harold Bloom (one of my teachers at Yale) as "arguably, the greatest poem in the English language."
The Physiology of Taste: or Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy, by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, translated by M.F.K. Fisher (1949)
"A culinary classic on the joys of the table—written by the gourmand who so famously stated, 'Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are'." First published in France in 1825.
The Art of Eating: 50th Anniversary Edition, by M.F.K. Fisher (1954)
Alice Waters said: "This comprehensive volume should be required reading for every cook. It defines in a sensual and beautiful way the vital relationship between food and culture."
Confessions of an Advertising Man, by David Ogilvy (1963)
My first job after graduating from college was at Ogilvy, Benson & Mather, the agency founded by David Ogilvy. He was still walking the hallways and writing great copy.
Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors, by Michael E. Porter (1980)
I had the opportunity to take Michael Porter's course on Competitive Strategy at Harvard Business School in 1986. His text is still a standard for setting strategy.
The Other Guy Blinked: How Pepsi Won the Cola Wars, by Roger Enrico (1986)
Roger Enrico was running PepsiCo, and Pepsi was the primary soft drink supplier when I was CMO at Burger King in 1988. In addition to some good "war stories" (e.g., Michael Jackson, whose attorney was my brother, Jay), this book provides a great description of how a product management system works.
Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human, by Harold Bloom (1998)
This is a powerful study of timeless human characteristics by my eminent Yale professor, who argues that "Shakespeare created human nature as we know it today."
Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, by Steve Krug (2000)
Krug really demonstrates and explains why a Website is a unique medium, not just a brochure on a screen.
The Wine Bible, by Karen MacNeil (2000)
Aptly named, this book tells you more about the wines of the world than any others on this topic. It got me my Master Sommelier certification.
The Hero and the Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of Archetypes, by Margaret Mark and Carol S. Pearson (2001)
This book delivers on its intriguing title and shows how most great brands are grounded in classic archetypes. It relies heavily on another classic, The Power of Myth, by Joseph Campbell.
The Design of Everyday Things, by Donald A. Norman (2002)
The book is less about design aesthetics and more about the utility of design. Steve Jobs cited Norman's book often as a basis for his design decisions.
The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies, and Nations, by James Surowiecki (2004)
This book makes a compelling case for basic research and collaborative decision making in developing a new product or marketing campaign.
Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business, by Danny Meyer (2006)
I was an earlier adopter of the OpenTable reservation system when I was CMO at Ruth's Chris in 2004. Danny Meyer was on the OpenTable board of directors and another early convert.
The Ultimate Question: Driving Good Profits and True Growth, by Fred Reichheld (2006)
This book offers a compelling argument, supported by extensive data and case studies, for a simple and concentrated approach to customer satisfaction, the "net promoter score."
The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More, by Chris Anderson (2006)
This is a pioneering text in understanding how the Web is a vastly different proposition for commerce than bricks and mortar retail stores.
Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact, by Annette Simmons (2007)
This book is one of many that shows how the emotional power of stories is more effective than rational proof of performance. See also: Tell to Win: Connect, Persuade, and Triumph with the Hidden Power of Story, by Peter Guber, my high school classmate.
Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery, by Garr Reynolds (2008)
This is a lucid and graphically powerful demonstration of how to design great presentations. The antidote to "Death by PPT." See also: I Can See You Naked, by Ron Hoff, a copywriter I worked with at Ogilvy.
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, by Simon Sinek (2009)
This is a powerful corollary to the belief that emotional feeling is stronger than rationale thinking when it comes to persuasion. I tell my granddaughters that the most important question to ask is "Why?" Also a TED Talk Video: "Start With Why"
Cultural Strategy: Using Innovative Ideologies to Build Breakthrough Brands, by Douglas Holt and Douglas Cameron (2010)
Having cited the system of product management in an earlier review (The Other Guy Blinked), my eyes were opened to a different approach by these authors who expose the weakness of that system by advancing the "cultural studio" to foster creativity and strategy.
Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd, by Youngme Moon
This is another "rebel" text that turns conventional marketing on its head. Also an excellent YouTube video: "My Anti-Creativity Checklist."
Marketing in the Age of Google: Your Online Strategy IS Your Business Strategy, by Vanessa Fox (2010)
This is one of many books about Search and Google, but I think it's the best at demonstrating the power of Google, not just for commerce but for basic research into consumer preferences.
Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us, by Michael Moss (2013)
We have reached the tipping point on food consumption and its impact on the health (or lack thereof) of our society. Moss makes a rationale case that it is no longer about choice, but rather about the real costs of externalities.