Our Favorites for Marketers and Advertisers
Did you ever have a teacher assign you a summer reading list on the last day of school? How were they allowed to do that? They weren’t your teacher anymore!
While the iFOCUS team loves our freedom from mandatory summer reading, we’re still lifelong learners who pick up books pretty frequently. So frequently, in fact, that we’ve been known to form marketing book clubs and host luncheon discussions about what we learned.
If the idea of a marketing reading list puts a sparkle in your eye, then you’ll love this: a summer reading list of our favorite industry-related and industry-adjacent books that we’ve found to be important to our careers and how we approach the work we do.
So head to your favorite book store or library to pick up a copy and buckle in for some inspirational — and refreshingly elective — reading.
Marketing: A Love Story
Submitted by Kristina Spooner, Chief Revenue Officer
I appreciate this book by Bernadette Jiwa because it’s a concise guide designed for businesses aiming to develop effective marketing strategies with a focus on helping others.
The book offers a framework that enables businesses to clearly articulate the unique value of their product or service. It emphasizes understanding the customer’s perspective, helping businesses connect more deeply with those they are best suited to serve.
How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen
Submitted by Melissa Daugherty, Digital Strategist
Working in strategy, I’ve found How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks to be an incredibly valuable read, especially when it comes to improving how we uncover insights and craft more human-centered campaigns.
In marketing, our effectiveness depends on how deeply we understand our clients, their audiences, and the emotional drivers behind behavior. This book reframed my approach to discovery and collaboration, not as a checklist of questions, but as a practice of genuine curiosity and active listening.
Brooks emphasizes empathy as a core skill — not just in personal relationships, but in professional ones, too — and provides a thoughtful guide to seeing others clearly and asking the kinds of questions that reveal deeper truths. In a world overflowing with data, the ability to connect meaningfully with people is what truly elevates a marketing strategy — and this book offers a powerful roadmap for doing exactly that.
Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen
Submitted by Brandon Tietz, Senior Digital Copywriter II
What I like about Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller is that it teaches you how to connect with consumers by making them the hero of the story, rather than the brand.
The book is a treasure trove of ideas for anyone who wants to learn how to create a narrative that resonates with audiences. I also like how it goes beyond theory and takes deep dives using real world examples.
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect
Submitted by Ali Ecklund, Account Manager
For 13 years, I worked at lululemon — a company deeply rooted in purpose, personal responsibility, and creating exceptional experiences. Its culture proved that when you prioritize people and thoughtful connection, performance follows. I saw firsthand how exceeding expectations and recognizing the lifetime value of every guest can directly impact a business’s bottom line. That’s why Unreasonable Hospitality resonated so deeply with me. Will Guidara’s message — that going above and beyond isn’t just “nice,” but a strategic advantage — is something I’ve seen in action.
Now, as I continue my career in a completely different industry, I’m more convinced than ever: delivering unexpected value and genuine care doesn’t just build loyalty; it drives growth. In any field, the way we make people feel can have a direct and measurable impact on the bottom line.
ZAG: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands
Submitted by Doug Johnston, Creative Director
ZAG by Marty Neumeier is required reading for anyone serious about building standout brands in a crowded marketplace. The book’s core premise — that in an age of clutter and noise, true differentiation is the most powerful strategy — resonates deeply with the challenges we face every day in the marketing and advertising industry.
Neumeier outlines a clear, actionable framework for creating a “zag” when everyone else is “zigging.” This perspective is valuable in advertising, where originality, clarity, and strategic positioning often make the difference between forgettable campaigns and brand-defining moments. The concept of the “onlyness” — a brand’s unique, defendable position — is a tool I return to when guiding clients through identity development.
