Contagious: How to Build Word of Mouth in the Digital Age

Contagious is a compelling fusion of academic insight and real-world marketing practicality. Jonah Berger draws from rigorous research and case studies to show why certain ideas spread while others fade — but he never leaves you in the ivory tower. Instead, he translates theory into practical strategies that modern marketers can deploy. What’s particularly valuable is how he shows the interplay between psychological triggers and social context: how small prompts (“Triggers”) and visible behaviours (“Public”) create the momentum behind virality. The book’s structure is clear and approachable, making it accessible for novices yet useful for seasoned professionals looking to refine their social-influence toolkit. For digital-marketing practitioners, brand strategists or content creators, this work becomes a roadmap for engineering shareable messages — not by accident, but by design. The wealth of examples across industries — consumer goods, health campaigns, apps — enhances its breadth and appeal, and makes the lessons memorable. Its focus on practical value and storytelling means readers walk away not only with ideas but with a mindset shift: from “How do I advertise?” to “How do I create something people want to talk about?”

Jonah Berger is a marketing professor at the Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania), and an internationally recognized expert on social influence, word-of-mouth and viral phenomena. He has consulted for many major companies and published extensively in top academic journals, bridging the gap between rigorous research and practical business applications.