Book Review: Contagious

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Overview

Title: Contagious: Why Things Catch On

Author: Jonah Berger

Genre: Non-Fiction

Themes: Psychology, Communications

Publish Year: 2013

ISBN-10: 9781451686586

Amazon: Buy Here

Utility: 4/5

Readability: 5/5

Storytelling: 4/5

Literary Quality: 4/5

Pace: 5/5

Impact: 3/5

Favorite Excerpt/Quote

"So how can we use stories to get people talking? We need to build our own Trojan Horse—a carrier narrative that people will share while talking about our products or idea along the way." (Berger, 189)

Review

Contagious: Why Things Catch On is a fantastic introduction to virality and some of the ideological foundations of marketing. Dr. Jonah Berger dives into the psychological principles that drive word of mouth and lead to the virality of products and ideas. Berger's structure of ideas, flow, and readability provides readers a practical and digestible starting point to understanding the complexities of marketing strategy.

Contagious flows through a framework of six concepts—social currency, triggers, emotion, public, practical value, and stories. Berger explores each concept through a blend of anecdote and science, using famous examples and expanding on the science that drives them. From $100 cheesesteaks, to blenders, to a man shucking corn, there are a variety of stories that are engaging and effectively illustrate the science of virality. Berger's writing style is clear and concise, making it for an easy and practical read.

Yet, for all of its practicality, I feel that the book is too short and ignores some important and vital perspectives. First, Berger doesn't specify which audiences benefit most from the different strategies. Are youth more swayed by social currency compared to older populations? Are emerging adults keener to content centered around providing practical value than other demographics? This variable is vital in understanding the utility of these strategies on a deeper level. Second, Berger never really specifies which of the 6 STEPPS are more effective. Having previously studied marketing and psychology, I know that the persuasive capacities of these strategies differ. It would have been nice if research illustrating the persuasive potential of each strategy was included.

Overall, Contagious is a great introductory novel for understanding the psychology of virality and the strategies that can be implemented to more successfully market products and ideas. This is a starting point for anyone looking to dive into marketing, influencing, or content creation. More experienced readers should look for more complex works.

Overall Rating

A practical introduction to understanding viral marketing: 4.2/5

Citation

Berger, Jonah. Contagious: Why Things Catch On. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2013. Print.