This is Brandvertising’s hand‑picked shelf of books that actually change how you plan, create, and scale advertising. From timeless craft to fresh behavioral insights, each title below earns its spot because it’s useful in the day‑to‑day—from writing tighter copy and building distinctive brands to making better media decisions.
Recommended Books
Behavioral Science & Persuasion
Influence (New & Expanded)
Seven principles that underpin why people say yes—updated for the digital era. Essential for creative, CRO, and funnel design.
Robert B. Cialdini • ISBN 9780062937650
The Choice Factory
25 practical biases with real‑world tests you can copy. Perfect for briefs and creative springboards.
Richard Shotton • ISBN 9780857196095
Decoded: The Science Behind Why We Buy
Translates cognitive science into brand and pricing decisions—great for positioning and pack/design debates.
Phil Barden • ISBN 9781118345603
Brand Strategy & Growth
How Brands Grow: Part 2 (Revised)
Distinctive assets, mental & physical availability—applied to B2B, services, durables, luxury. A reality check for brand plans.
Jenni Romaniuk & Byron Sharp • ISBN 9780190330026
Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind
The OG on carving out mental real estate. Use it when your category is noisy and you need a simple, ownable angle.
Al Ries & Jack Trout • ISBN 9780071359160
Made to Stick
Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, Stories. A sticky checklist for briefs, decks, and scripts.
Chip & Dan Heath • ISBN 9781400064281
Creative Craft & Copy
Ogilvy on Advertising
Practical principles from the master of research‑driven creativity. Still shockingly relevant.
David Ogilvy • ISBN 9780394729039
Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This (6th ed.)
A modern field guide to craft—from insights to scripts to social ideas—written by people who actually make ads.
Luke Sullivan & Edward Boches • ISBN 9781119819745
The Copywriter’s Handbook (4th ed.)
Step‑by‑step techniques for headlines, leads, offers, and online funnels. Great for juniors and non‑writers, too.
Robert W. Bly • ISBN 9781250238016
Breakthrough Advertising
Legendary on market sophistication and awareness stages. If you write conversion‑focused ads, this is gold.
Eugene M. Schwartz • ISBN 9780998503509
Scientific Advertising
The 1923 classic on testing and accountability—short, punchy, and the DNA of direct marketing.
Claude C. Hopkins • ISBN 9780486836058
Messaging, Story & Creativity
Alchemy
A joyful case for irrational ideas that work—use it to unlock non‑obvious creative and media routes.
Rory Sutherland • ISBN 9780062388414
Building a StoryBrand
High‑level thinking on empathy, positioning, and shipping work that matters. Great for mindset resets.
Seth Godin • ISBN 9780525540830
Virality
STEPPS framework (Social currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical value, Stories) for ideas people share.
Jonah Berger • ISBN 9781451686586
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