Have You Caught What's Contagious

Book Title: Contagious: Why Things Catch On

Author: Jonah Berger

Length: 256 pages

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Price: $18.89 USD (Amazon)

Have You Caught What’s Contagious?

Photo Produced From: nytimes.com

Do you ever wonder how or why things become popular? In Jonah Berger’s book “Contagious: Why Things Catch On,” he discusses and explains how and why things like this happen. He discusses how word of mouth can be one of the fastest ways to learn about a new product or idea. This concept makes me think of the saying “monkey see, monkey do.” This reminds me of when the popular TV show “Friends” made a hairstyle iconic. “The Rachel” made famous by actress Jennifer Aniston, became one of the most popular hairstyles of the 90s – if even got its own name!

Photo Produced From: limeylitgirl.blogspot.com

Jonah Berger is a successful writer and professor whose works have been published in The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.  He is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Pennsylvania, even teaching a class called: Contagious: How Products, Behaviors and Ideas Catch On.

This book discusses and explains why things go viral and what it takes to make it a sensation. Having published many articles and even teaching a class on social epidemics (how products, ideas, and behaviors become popular), Berger is obviously an expert on the subject. He proves his theory with relatable and relevant examples such as Rebecca Black’s infamous “Friday” song.

Overall, I found this book to be an interesting read. I always noticed when things caught on, but never really thought about the reasoning behind how or why it happened. This book opened my eyes on how sensations occur and why as well. Many of his ideas in the book can be applied to many fields, especially my own, Public Relations. I would recommend this book to anyone who is in the Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations and Psychology fields.

A Plentiful Harvest

Book: A Plentiful Harvest: Creating Balance and Harmony Through The Seven Living Virtues
Author: Terrie Williams
Length: 320 pages (Paperback)
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Price: $17.99 USD (Paperback – Amazon)

A Plentiful Harvest

Living life with harmony, purpose and balance is the most prosperous way one can live and author Terrie Williams would agree. In her book, “A Plentiful Harvest: Creating Balance and Harmony Through the Seven Living Virtues,” Williams provides guidance on how to live a harmonious life through a 52 week journaling guide based inspired by the seven Kwanzaa virtues – calling, thrift, responsibility, community, love, spirituality and creativity. 

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Her experiences and struggles are what brought her to her success today being the founder and president of her own public relations agency, Terrie Williams Agency.  She represents clients such as Eddie Murphy and Johnnie Cochran. Williams is a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist.

Photo Produced from: apbspeakers.com

The process of this book is meant to be read during the span of 52 weeks, that way one can learn how to balance life’s “seasons” and reap each ones rewards. For my PR Writing class, I was unable to follow this plan due to the semester’s length and busy schedule, but I still gained a lot of knowledge from reading the book. Even if one doesn’t follow the guide, the reader can still gain a lot of knowledge and positive life lessons. The book is about finding satisfaction in life through meditations and weekly practices.

Although this book seems to be geared toward people who may be going through a mid-life crisis, I think college-aged students could take away important lessons from it. Although the book is a bit lengthy, its contents will be beneficial to anyone that reads it.

Contagious and A Plentiful Harvest

"Contagious: Why Things Catch On" by Jonah Berger

Jonah Berger, a consumer psychologist explains in his book, “Contagious: Why Things Catch On”, the concept in which consumer can spread awarenss of products and ideas through word of mouth. The title is very accurate because when you think about an idea or product that is new or exciting, it is contagious in that it spread very quickly if these key steps are used. He used 6 key steps to explain his theory. First was the idea of social currency, which said that the more people make things look good, the better and this is a way that people make things go viral. Another concept that he used was triggers, which meant that being could be motivated to do or think certain things because they are triggered to do so. Another one of the themes in the key steps was emotion, which would be useful by connecting with the consumer and in an emotional way. The analogy “when we care, we share” helped me understand this theme best. Another theme touched on was the public. People are sometime driven to imitate others and this could help in trying to convey messages or products if done correctly (using an influential figure). A very important theme that Berger spoke on was practical value in that the more useful a product or idea is, the more likely the consumer will respond to it. Lastly, stories were an important theme as well, making products or ideas relatable to the consumer. This book is similar to the other reading, “A Plentiful Harvest”, in that they both use key steps, or principles, to explain the guidelines in which spreading media successfully work. Personally, I can connect with Contagious because when I watch the PSA’s on late night television about dogs and adopting them, it creates an emotional connection that motivates me to want to adopt.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/26/books/contagious-why-things-catch-on-by-jonah-berger.html?_r=0

http://jonahberger.com/books/contagious/

"A Plentiful Harvest: Creating Balance and Harmony Through the Seven Living Virtues" by Terrie Williams

"A Plentiful Harvest" is Terrie Williams’ story of finding fulfillment and a more balanced life in public relations and the advertising industry. The author tells her story of how she didn't feel fulfilled simply going through the motions in her job at one of the biggest public relations firms in the country. She inspired by a Kwanzaa card. The seven Kwanzaa principles that Williams relates to public relations and touched on included calling, responsibility, thrift, love, community, spirituality, and creativity. These virtues were extremely helpful in forcing the reader to look deeper into their motivations for working, goals and spirituality. The title, "A Plentiful Harvest: Creating Balance and Harmony Through the Seven Living Virtues", is fitting, in that creating and working for a plentiful harvest is the ultimate goal. Creating balance and harmony are major themes through out the book so these are relevant to the title as well. This book is different from "Contagious" in that although it examines new approaches to  public relations, "A Plentiful Harvest" is more self-reflective and spiritual opposed to the literal and research driven information that Berger presents. I can relate to Williams' story because a lot of the time, with school work, especially in public relations, I have to reflect on certain principles of my own that are the driving force in why I do what I do. 

http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-446-52715-6

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/207643