​02.10.2025

Book Tip: Contagious

by Eyes & Ears of Europe

Some books in marketing are tied to fleeting trends. Jonah Berger’s Contagious is not one of them. First published over a decade ago, it remains one of the most relevant handbooks for anyone trying to understand why certain ideas spread while others sink without a trace.

At its core, Berger answers a deceptively simple question: What makes things popular? He shows that virality is not luck, nor the exclusive domain of brands with big budgets. Instead, it rests on six psychological principles that he summarizes in the STEPPS framework:

• Social Currency – We share things that make us look smart, cool, or in the know.
• Triggers – Ideas spread when they’re tied to everyday cues in our environment.
• Emotion – High-arousal emotions, whether awe or anger, drive people to share.
• Public – What’s built to show is built to grow; visibility fuels imitation.
• Practical Value – Useful content travels because people love to help others.
• Stories – Narratives act as vessels for ideas, making them memorable and shareable.

What makes the book powerful in 2025 is precisely its timelessness. While platforms have changed – from email chains in 2013 to TikTok virality today – the underlying psychology hasn’t. The same human motivations drive sharing, regardless of whether the channel is a meme, a short-form video, or an AI-generated image.

Berger illustrates these principles with memorable, often surprising examples: a hidden phone booth in a hot-dog shop, a quirky moustache that turned into a marketing asset, or the way a single cocktail bar became a word-of-mouth sensation. These stories don’t just entertain – they show how to engineer content and products that people naturally want to talk about.

In an age of content overload, where generative AI floods the digital space with more material than ever, the ability to craft messages that cut through the noise is crucial. Contagious provides exactly that: a practical, science-backed manual for creating content that matters and gets shared.

Why read it now?

• It’s a marketing classic, on par with Cialdini’s Influence or Godin’s This is Marketing.
• It focuses on human psychology, not platform gimmicks, making it future-proof.
• It’s actionable – packed with techniques you can apply to branding, communication, or organizational change.

Contagious is not just about marketing campaigns. It’s about understanding how human behavior drives the spread of ideas. If you work in media, advertising, or any field where attention matters, this book belongs on your 2025 reading list.

More about the book and where to buy: https://jonahberger.com/books/contagious/