I thought I might put my money where my mouth is. I keep whining that young people are not in touch with some essential books on advertising that have helped me shape the way I practise my trade today, but I never did anything about it. So I am starting here the ultimate books to read list. I will add to it as I get suggestions and as more good books get written.

Later edit: just to make everything clearer. I know there are other books out there but, apart from a couple of exceptions,  all these are books I read. When I get a recommendation which I did not read, I will try to read it and post it of I think it’s any good. :)

I have separated the books in general categories but they are not always accurate. Here goes

1. Strategic planning and strategy

Truth, lies and advertising – Jon Steel

The perfect Pitch – Jon Steel, Wiley & Sons

A Master Class in Brand Planning: The Timeless Works of Stephen King – Merry Baskin/ Judie Lannon

2. Marketing

Positioning, the battle for your mind – Al Ries

The 22 Immutable laws of marketing – Al & Laura Ries

Guerilla Marketing – Jay Conrad Levinson

3. General advertising theory

Ogilvy on advertising – David Ogilvy

Confessions of an advertising man – David Ogilvy

Hey Whipple, squeeze this! – Luke Sullivan

Where the suckers moon – Randall Rotheberg

Cutting Edge Advertising: How to Create the World’s Best for Brands in the 21st Century - Jim Aitchison/Neil French

Under the Radar: Talking to Today’s Cynical Consumer - Jonathan Bond, Richard Kirshenbaum

Madison and Vine - Scott Donaton

Disruption: Overturning Conventions and Shaking Up the Marketplace – Jean Marie Dru (with a sequel)

Baked In: Creating Products and Businesses That Market Themselves – Alex Boguski/John Winsor

Love Marks – Kevin Roberts

4. Digital

What would Google do – Jeff Jarvis

Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations – Clay Shirky

Long Tail, The, Revised and Updated Edition: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More – Chris Anderson

Long Tail, How Endless Choice is Creating Unlimited Demand - Chris Anderson

Free: How Today’s Smartest Businesses Profit by Giving Something for Nothing – Chris Anderson

Crowdsourcing: Why the Power of the Crowd Is Driving the Future of Business – Jeff Howe

Reality is Broken, Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World – Jane McGonigal

5. Behaviour and new theories

Purple cow – Seth Godin

Tribes – Seth Godin

Linchpin, are you indispensable – Seth Godin

Unleashing the idea virus – Seth Godin

The Cluetrain manifesto

Small Is the New Big and 183 Other Riffs, Rants, and Remarkable Business Ideas – Seth Godin

Ignore everybody [..] – Hugh McLeod

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference – Malcolm Gladwell

Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking – Malcolm Gladwell

Outliers, the story of success – Malcolm Gladwell

Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide – Henry Jenkins

Chief Culture Officer: How to Create a Living, Breathing Corporation – Grant McCracken

Herd, how to change mass behavior by harnessing our true nature – Mark Earls (reminder by Ioana Ciobotariu)

Without category

No logo - Naomi Klein

Anything by Wally Ollins here

Good to great, why some companies make the leap and other don’t – Jim Collins