Reviews

Contagious: Why Things Catch on by Jonah Berger

helloaprilhan's review against another edition

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4.0

"Our desire to share helpful things is so powerful that it can make even false ideas succeed. Sometimes the drive to help takes a wrong turn. So the next time someone tells you about a miracle cure, or warns about the health risks of a particular food or behavior, try to verify that information independently before you pass it on. False information can spread just as quickly as the truth."

The very first marketing book I read that inspired me a lot and made me laugh a little.

jsc3191's review against another edition

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4.0

Concepts are sound but TONS of filler. Important information is the chart at the end describing how to put the concepts in action.

daianapartiu's review against another edition

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5.0

Rating:

chefannette's review against another edition

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3.0

It was good but not great. Interesting and I'm glad I read it.

user613's review against another edition

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4.0

This book was truly remarkable.
It was a completely different reading experience than what I’ve experienced with other similar books.
I expected a wordy, slightly boring, informative essay. A book which I would get through only because I was invested in what it had to teach. One which would take me weeks, if not months, to finish, because I wouldn’t be able to handle so much information at once.
Instead, it read like a story.
There was nothing boring about it. I understood all the information in it, as well. The entire narrative was filled with stories and fascinating explanation, and I didn’t want to put it down. I wanted to understand everything I could about everything it was saying.
There was page after page of physiological phenomena and their effects on our lives.
Some were scary. (Did you know that anti-marijuana campaigns actually encourage teens to use it themselves?) Some were eye-opening (such as the evidence that where you vote can affect what your vote is). Others were just plain interesting (like the message of Cinderella which “shows that being good to others pays off”). And I found every single one of them fascinating.

This information seemed relevant to everyone, not only marketers and entrepreneurs. These influences are all around us. They’re shaping the world, and our lives. The least we could do is get familiar with what these influences are, and how they work.

For a serious researcher, interested in understanding all these phenomena in depth, this might be a bit too interesting, and not contain enough overloading of facts.

For your average reader, this was the perfect balance of fact and research with an enthralling narrative.

Content:
Mentions of safe sex, “wear jeans if you’re gay” day, and Viagra’s coining of the term ED. Also, mentions of drugs usage, and evolutionary reason why feeling aroused causes us to share.

durva_1401's review against another edition

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informative medium-paced

4.0

lindsaygriffin's review against another edition

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informative medium-paced

2.0

alittlelifemess's review against another edition

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medium-paced

4.25

Pretty good, the book was straight to the point and included plenty of real life brand examples to support the argument. 

Basically, the six steps can lead to success or virality of a brand i.e.
  1. Social Currency
  2. Triggers
  3. Emotion
  4. Public
  5. Practical Value
  6. Stories

jdpham's review against another edition

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2.0

An illuminating look at common sense that fails to offer any real insights for marketing.

staplerscissors's review against another edition

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4.0

Pretty entertaining read. Story after story about how things catch on. Useful info for anyone who wants to get their ideas/products/programs, etc. into the minds of others.