Welcome to 2025, the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby (by that famous former copywriter Scott Fitzgerald), the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII turning his illegitimate 6 year old son into the Duke of Richmond (and you thought nepotism was bad at your agency), and the 1000th anniversary of the birth of that great art director, Pieter Bruegel (note to production: he’ll have his files over to you right after lunch. Probably).
A year in which Dentsu predicts the global advertising marketing will grow by almost 7%, in which Infillion expects to see retail media spend hit $170 billion (along with “an explosion of out-of-the-box creative campaigns in 2025 as advertisers utilize the new landscape of tools to build smart, effective strategies” – be still my pounding heart!) and in which the WFA thinks there will be a reckoning for food an alcohol marketing. “Time, gentlemen!”, indeed.
And of course as everyone in account service knows, 2025 is the square of 45 and the last year that was a square was 1936. Which was when the Spanish Civil War started and the Nazis occupied the Rhineland. Hmmmm….
And so, with one foot still mired in the sturm und drang of 2024, and the other gingerly toeing the icy waters of 2025, let’s talk about books. That is, after all, why you’re here, why I’m here, and why 13 people cleverer than either of us (or at least me) have taken time out of what they were doing in North America, Europe, and Africa, to share their answers to the questions we ask every year at this time, specifically:
What did you read this year that you loved?
What do you hope to read next year?
And what do you hope someone will write because you’d read it in a second?
Their answers are quite interesting. Some books we’d heard of and some we hadn’t, some reasons we expected, some we did not. But even if what they sent in was rubbish (which it very clearly wasn’t), it was very kind of them to do this at all, and as such we send them our deepest thanks. Sending them your deepest thanks probably wouldn’t hurt either, so if you see something you’re particularly intrigued or impressed by, please feel free to tell them so.
Because I have a feeling that showing a little common decency is going to go a long way in 2025.
***
Muyiwa Aleshinloye – Head of Media at Publicis Group
Muyiwa is a seasoned global marketing professional with over 14 years of hands-on experience in strategy, digital marketing, media, and brand management. Throughout his career, he has worked with an impressive array of brands, including Pepsi, Nestlé, British Council, BAT, and Nigerian Breweries.
As Head of Media, CWAR at Publicis Groupe, Muyiwa leads a multi-disciplinary team, overseeing multi-million-dollar budgets across 22 countries, 15 offices and reaching an audience of over 600 million people in Central and West Africa.
Previously, Muyiwa spearheaded digital transformation and marketing at top firms like Ringier, Insight Redefini, and Wakanow. His roles have ranged from developing and executing integrated marketing strategies for clients such as VISA, British Council, and Samsung to leading product launches across multiple African markets. With a solid background in Biochemistry, Muyiwa combines scientific precision with creative Marketing acumen.
Beyond his professional commitments, Muyiwa is a passionate advocate for STEM education and community initiatives. He plays a pivotal role on the board of DigiClan, Africa’s largest community of digital marketing professionals, where he champions initiatives that advance digital skills and professional development.
What did you read this year that you loved?
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
As a Marketing Strategist, Blink deeply resonated with me. Gladwell’s exploration of “thin-slicing” – our ability to make rapid, often unconscious judgments – has profound implications for advertising. Consumers form instant impressions based on subtle cues, and understanding this process is essential for creating impactful campaigns. This book has enhanced my ability to identify and leverage these unconscious biases in crafting effective, creative strategies.
What do you hope to read next year?
I have read a lot of good reviews about Atomic Habits and can’t wait to dive in. It delves into how small changes can add up to big results over time – something I think we all can relate to. In the fast-moving world of marketing, staying consistent and finding ways to keep improving is so important. I am hoping this book will give me some practical tips to not only build better habits but also break the ones that don’t serve me, both in my work and everyday life.
What do you hope someone will write because you’d read it in a second?
The AI Revolution and the Future of Marketing: A Human-Centered Approach
As AI reshapes the marketing landscape, I envision a book that explores how to harness its potential while prioritizing humanity. How can we responsibly integrate AI to maintain authenticity and build meaningful consumer connections? What ethical considerations and challenges must we address?
I particularly admire what Salesforce is doing with responsible AI, empowering individuals, and future-proofing companies.
Nic Banting – Chief Marketing Officer at Roselion
Nic Banting has worked in marketing for decades and has led both digital and traditional agencies prior to co-founding Roselion 2018 with his partner, Stephanie. He is a fractional CMO to scale-ups and a brand consultant to larger organizations.
What did you read this year that you loved?
The Fourth Turning is Here by Neil Howe
A hedge fund manager recommended this book to me as something economists debate. Although it is not exactly marketing core syllabus reading, I have used concepts from this book in almost every piece of consumer research I have conducted since.
The book details the generational cycles repeated in the West dating back to the 1500s to explain what is going on in the world today. The author makes a compelling case that the fourth turning is a period of cyclical crisis that is not only needed but fairly predictable.
Marketing has been heading in the stressful direction of hyper-personalization for a while, so this refreshing perspective once again accurately stereotypes generations into their collective beliefs based on the world they have experienced, how people are raised, and their generational position in society.
The world can feel overwhelming if you try to keep up with politics, social divides, advances in science and technology, and the trends of younger people. This book reinforces what historians know well—history doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.
If you want to slow down, think clearly, and have less anxiety about the future. Get yourself a cabin in the woods for a weekend, a bottle or two of Margaux, and this book.
What do you hope to read next year?
Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
So many people I admire have recommended this book and I truly hope that the book validates that my procrastination is part of slow productivity – unlikely, though.
Another barrier I must hurdle is that If my wife sees this book on the coffee table, I know that she would say that I am just looking for another way to justify my abysmally low mental load and current production levels. Maybe I just secretly hope she reads it. I will bring this up to my therapist.
What do you hope someone will write because you’d read it in a second?
I hate Martin for asking this question because I had to exhaustively ensure (43 seconds to ask ChatGPT) that no one has written this book.
I would love to read a book that explores famous trade secrets that have actually been stolen and the repercussions. It would be impossible to know this as no one would ever be able to compile this data and live to tell the tale, but it would be fascinating.
From pharmaceuticals to defense, it would be wild to look behind the curtain at how successful corporate espionage has shaped the world.
Nathalie Cusson – Executive Creative Director, Design at Humanity
Nathalie Cusson is a multidisciplinary designer in the Advertising & Design industry who brings 20 years of hands-on experience in corporate identity, branding design, editorial design and art direction, as well as retail environment design.
She has worked on many iconic Canadian brands, including Rethink Breast Cancer, Air Canada’s enRoute, Fairmont Hotel & Resorts, LCBO, CIBC, Telus, TFO, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Montreal General Hospital Foundation, Mila – Quebec AI Institute, and Canada Post.
And her work has been recognized at many award shows, including Vimeo Staff Pick, NOWNESS, Applied Arts, Communication Arts, the National Magazine Awards (14 prizes), Magnum Opus Award, Folio: Eddie and Ozzie Awards, the AIGA, the Effie Awards and the ADCC.
Nathalie is also passionate about filmmaking and motion design, which she applies in client work as well as personal projects, like the short film Sunday Afternoon.
What did you read this year that you loved?
Quand la beauté nous sauve by Charles Pépin
This year I read a few books by Charles Pépin, a philosopher and writer, whose work I greatly admire for its relatability and the way it encourages readers to think and question rather than providing definitive answers.
The book by Pépin I loved is titled Quand la beauté nous sauve. (Although some of Pépin’s books are available in English, I could only find this one in French.) This book explores the unique sensation we experience when touched by beauty. In a society largely focused on success, power, and pleasure, we often overlook the importance of beauty in our lives. Yet beauty—whether found in music, visual art, nature, or anything else that resonates with us—can help us better understand and connect with ourselves. It allows us to trust our instincts and embrace our true selves.
Pépin illustrates this beautifully through everyday examples, such as a woman stuck in traffic whose stress is suddenly eased by her favorite song on the radio, the music transporting her to another place. He skillfully weaves these relatable moments with historical and philosophical insights, making his arguments all the more compelling.
I keep this book on my nightstand and regularly revisit some of its passages. I find it no coincidence that I love this book, as my perspective on the world is likely shaped by my career in design. Design is about crafting solutions in the most harmonious way possible, and, depending on the observer, in a way that can also be considered beautiful.
What do you hope to read next year?
Moi, Fadi, le frère vole by Riad Sattouf
I must admit, I’m an avid reader of graphic novels (something about graphics – wink wink), so it’s hard to pick just one. But I recently discovered that Riad Sattouf has released a sequel to his acclaimed series L’Arabe du futur. The series, which spans six books and is available in English, is an autobiographical account of Sattouf’s family life as the son of a French mother and a Syrian father.
The story is by turns funny, strange, mystical, and dramatic. After devouring all six volumes, I was genuinely sad when it seemed to be over. The narrative felt complete, but I just learned that Sattouf has released a new book—an unexpected follow-up—Moi, Fadi, le frère volé. It appears to be the beginning of a new series, as it’s subtitled Tome 1.
Without spoiling too much, I can share that this new book’s story shifts focus to Sattouf’s brother, Fadi, who was kidnapped by their father and taken to Syria as a young child. I expect it to be the same story told through a different point of view.
I’m excited to get my hands on this book, and the promise of more volumes in this new series makes it even more thrilling.
What do you hope someone will write because you’d read it in a second?
If someone created a graphic novel about the world of advertising, design, and the so-called corporate world, I would absolutely read it. I’m imagining something with a sharp, critical perspective on the industry—ideally written and illustrated by women.
Not something like Mad Men, which glamorized the golden era of advertising but rather a more contemporary and ordinary take that could be equally biting but frank, depicting the dog-eat-dog, sexist, agist and cliquey milieu this world can still be today.
It could also show the transformation the industry went through with the pandemic, the weirdness of working remotely (think Zoom bloopers or malfunctions) and shed some light on the gimmicks around award shows and the sometimes-absurd culture they perpetuate. I think that would make for a fascinating, timely, and funny read. Come to think of it, maybe I should take this on… Open call to writers who may want to collaborate with me on this!
Mick Doran – Co-Founder at Noggin
Mick Doran has over 25 years of insight, marketing, and innovation leadership experience for some of the world’s leading brands in wide array of categories – FMCG, health & beauty, food & beverages & financial services – and regions. But it was working on Oil of Olay that made him, his mum’s favourite son. Currently Mick is a research consultant at NatWest Group and co-founder at Noggin The Brain People, who are on a mission to improve the cognitive health of the nation. An active investor in the technology & health & wellness arena, Mick is also a founding investor in Gutzy Organic (which makes having a healthy, happy gut, fun and easy), and is a former chair, and current fellow, of the Marketing Society in Scotland.
What did you read this year that you loved?
I found this book extremely interesting. In it, Hari takes readers on a fascinating journey into the world of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, offering a riveting exploration of their groundbreaking potential and implications.
At its core, the book is about transformation: not just personal, but societal. Hari delves into how GLP-1 drugs are reshaping the conversation around weight loss, health, and even identity. They’re not just injections; they’re catalysts for rethinking our relationships with food, our bodies, and the industries that profit from both.
Hari weaves together the science of appetite suppression, the economics of Big Pharma, and the ethics of a society increasingly reliant on “quick fixes.” It’s the kind of analysis that feels sharp but is very accessible.
The Magic Pill doesn’t just ask whether these drugs work (strong evidence suggesting that they do); it asks what they mean for us as humans. Are we embracing a medical revolution, or are we outsourcing discipline and self-acceptance to a syringe?
Read it, you won’t be disappointed.
What do you hope to read next year?
The Dark Pattern: The Hidden Dynamics of Corporate Scandals by Guido Palazzo Ph.D, Ulrich Hoffrage Ph.D
I follow Prof. Palazzo on LinkedIn and was delighted to see he has a book coming our next June. It promises not to be another book about dodgy boardroom dealings. It’s billed as a forensic look at why even the shiniest corporate facades can crumble under the weight of ethical failure. However, and more importantly, it is going to explore how to stop them before they do. Seemingly this is about how well-meaning, ordinary people can unwittingly steer their organisations straight over a moral cliff.
Palazzo and his co-author Hoffrage dissect several recent infamous corporate scandals and uncover a curious recipe for disaster. Turns out, there’s a “dark pattern” to these messes: nine toxic elements that, when combined, create the perfect storm of moral collapse. Think of it as a grim IKEA instruction manual for scandals—except these assembly instructions come with lawsuits, job losses, and a massive dent in public trust.
I’m expecting a balance of sharp analysis and practical insight. Why do seemingly good organisations go bad? And most importantly, how can we stop it from happening again? I’m hoping this book will be a wake up for leaders, and a treasure map for avoiding ethical quicksand, and a grim reminder that even the best intentions can go spectacularly awry.
I love a good corporate takedown so this is why this book is going to get a spot on my shelf.
What do you hope someone will write because you’d read it in a second?
Ripples in Time: A 40-Year Quest for the Sound of the Universe
This would be the title of the not yet written book about what is to me, an inspiring story about three Nobel prize winning scientists, Rainer Weiss, Barry Barish & Kip S Thorne, who spent decades (over 40 years) chasing gravitational waves. They endured skepticism, setbacks, and nearly insurmountable technological challenges BUT they kept going. Did I say for over 40 years. This unwritten book would serve as an inspiring tale for anyone who has ever dared to pursue a vision others thought impossible. It would be a celebration of curiosity, resilience, and the magic of discovery. It would be a must-read for dreamers, doers, and stargazers alike. I’d buy it. By the way I did see a Netflix documentary about these folks but would love to properly understand them and what kept them going through the tough times.
Anthony Giaccone – Executive Creative Director at Sweet Science Marketing
Anthony is an award-winning executive creative director, artist, and creative consultant. “Ant” as he’s affectionately known, is a successful and highly sought-after omni-channel creative professional and has led creative departments at prestigious agencies such as Mosaic, The Integer Group, TracyLocke, Ryan Partnership, and Arc Worldwide. A graduate of The School Of Visual Arts with an MBA from NYU, and occasional guest lecturer at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, Anthony (very briefly) played semi-pro baseball, remembers most of his Eagle Scout training, and is slowly teaching himself astrophysics in his spare time – when he’s not looking for the perfect prohibition-era cocktail.
What did you read this year that you loved?
Wool, Shift, and Dust by Hugh Howey
As one of those creatives that has a hard time shutting off their brains, I am a big fan of big budget tv shows like Game of Thrones, Shogun, and The Crown. It’s with this in mind that I got sucked into SILO (Apple+), a science fiction dystopian drama. I liked this show so much it inspired me to read the book trilogy: Wool, Shift, and Dust. Without spoiling anything, let’s just say, in a claustrophobic vertical, these books offered plenty of room to defy genres and breakout. …not to mention give me an exciting perspective on the television show. You gotta love context!
What do you hope to read next year?
Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
As 2025 is quickly creeping upon us, next year really isn’t that far away — so I’m looking forward to reading Malcolm Gladwell’s 8th book, Revenge of the Tipping Point. I’m a huge fan of Gladwell. The dude is a fun genius. His views on pop culture, history, and the implications of human behavior are absolutely fascinating and help you see the world in a totally new way. I mean, c’mon, I’d read Gladwell discussing the implications of “even sour cream has an expiration date”. …I better trademark that before he does.
What do you hope someone will write because you’d read it in a second?
I am a fan of Saturday Night Live. I have been watching it since I was a little kid. From Belushi to Murphy to Myers to Farrell to today, the show reflects (in good times and bad, for better or worse) real-time American pop culture on an almost weekly basis. So to answer this question, I would like to read an autobiography of Lorne Michaels — SNL’s creator, executive producer, and star-maker. But to satisfy my selfish inquisitive nature, I would love to have this be a knock-down-drag-out-honest-to-god tell all about the history of the show and WHY he makes the decisions that he does. I feel that Lorne Michaels is a pretty compelling subject matter. He has done a myriad of interviews over the years, but at age 80, I want him to spill the beans. With a record 106 Emmy nominations — winning 21 — I’m sure he’s got more than enough material.
Matthew Homan – Founder & CEO at Filament
Matt Homann is on a mission to rescue the world from soul-sucking meetings.
As the founder of Filament, he’s built a company that blends creativity, collaboration, illustration, and some serious meeting magic to help smart people think better together — and they’ve not shown a single PowerPoint slide in a meeting in nearly ten years.
He’s the inventor of Thinksgiving, the author of a weekly newsletter called Idea Surplus Disorder, and a recovering lawyer.
On a dare, he once launched a company called Invisible Girlfriend that helped people tell a better story about relationships they weren’t actually in. That “joke” turned into a real company, garnered global press, was parodied by Conan O’Brien, and landed him on The Today Show. Buy him a beer and he’ll tell you all about it.
He lives in St. Louis with his wife Jessica.
What did you read this year that you loved?
Same as Ever, A Guide to What Never Changes by Morgan Housel
In a year I spent thinking deeply about building a lasting business, Morgan Housel’s Same as Ever, A Guide to What Never Changes was my most-bookmarked read of 2024 (shoutout to Readwise). It has helped me double down on the importance of focusing on the permanent vs. the transitive and reminded me — a guy with a self-diagnosed case of “Idea Surplus Disorder” — to focus on what will still be true tomorrow, rather than betting on new things that I hope will emerge.
These also made the cut this year:
-
-
-
- Robin Wall Kimmerer‘sThe Serviceberry opened my eyes to an economy rooted in generosity and reciprocity.
-
-
-
-
-
- Jeff Tweedy‘s How To Write One Song might be my favorite business creativity book I’ve read that’s not about business at all.
-
-
-
-
-
- I loved Claire North‘s The GamesHouse nearly as much as her First Fifteen Lives of Harry August which I reread every year.
-
-
What do you hope to read next year?
The Power Broker by Robert Caro
I’ve owned a hardcover edition of Robert A. Caro’s The Power Broker for over a decade, but I always find myself reaching for my Kindle when it’s time to read. Now that this heavy book is available on Kindle, I’m finally committed to finishing it — just in time to (hopefully) dive into Caro’s final LBJ book if he completes it in 2025.
I’m also hoping to read John Scalzi‘s newest, another in Martha Wells’ Murderbot series, and Mary Beard‘s Emperor of Rome.
What do you hope someone will write because you’d read it in a second?
While I enjoyed Robert Sutton‘s and Huggy Rao‘s The Friction Project, the book I want is a meaningful how-to that includes the systems and tools organizations can use to permanently eliminate the processes and behaviors that make work harder than it has to be.
I’d also love to read The Anti-Consultant Handbook: Helping Teams Solve Their Own Problems. It would be a bold manifesto on breaking free from traditional consulting models, shifting the focus from giving advice to enabling facilitation, and enabling them to unlock their own wisdom, foster self-sufficiency, and build lasting solutions
Levente Kovacs – Chief Creative Officer & Founder at White Rabbit Budapest
With over 25 years of experience in the creative industry, Levente is the Chief Creative Officer and Founding Partner at White Rabbit Budapest, the most awarded (Cannes Lions, D&AD, ADC*E, Eurobest, Cresta, LIA, etc.) and respected agency in Hungary, with a frankly impressive portfolio of local and international brands (WhatsApp, FedEx, WWF and many others).
Levente is also a blogger on advertising, sharing his insights and opinions at *Reklámtörténet* (Advertising Chronicles) and enjoys collaborating with talented, diverse teams and empowering them to unleash their creative potential. That’s one of the reasons he is also a founding partner at ByTheNetwork, a global collective of independent agencies that collaborate to deliver innovative solutions for clients across different markets and sectors.
He has served on the judging panels of festivals such as Cannes Lions, D&AD, ADC Annual Awards, Young Guns, and Chip Shop Awards and also translates and publishes books on advertising, marketing, and creativity in an effort to raise the standards of our industry—or just for fun.
At least, that’s what he says AI said about him.
What did you read this year that you loved?
The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis
Michael Lewis‘s book, The Undoing Project, is a fascinating account of the partnership between Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman, the “Fathers of Behavioral Economics.” Their work fundamentally changed the way we look at human judgment and decision-making by exploring the cognitive biases and errors we unconsciously and systematically fall for.
And while we’ve probably all heard a lot about Kahneman (he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 2002 and published Thinking, Fast and Slow in 2011), I’ve always been curious about his colleague, Tversky, who died in 1996 and about whom I didn’t know much. This book certainly fed my curiosity. It provides a vivid picture of these two brilliant intellectuals — Tversky: charismatic and overconfident; Kahneman: shy and self-critical—and their creative collaboration and conflicted friendship, while introducing the reader to the world of behavioral economics, as well as the historical, political, and cultural context of the era (from the early ’70s to the late ’90s).
A risk-free read, with a high probability of sparking interest in Prospect Theory, numerous cognitive biases, Nudge Theory by Richard Thaler, and (re)watching the movie Moneyball.
What book do you hope to read next year?
Technofeudalism by Yanis Varoufakis
I’ve had my eye on Yanis Varoufakis’s book titled Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism. He presents an interesting notion of how big tech companies (Google, Amazon, Apple, etc.) have created a new form of capitalism that closely resembles the medieval feudal system. The result? We’ve been locked up in a “digital prison,” while democracy and freedom of thought are in constant danger.
It seems like an intriguing and important read. But I hope not only to read it – I also aim to translate and publish this book in Hungarian next year. That’s the added value of reading, I guess.
What do you hope someone will write because you’d read it in a second?
If Cervantes were to write Don Quixote today, that would be something. Or Orwell, with his imagined 2084. These are the kind of Borgesian ideas I would really look forward to exploring. (Think of Pierre Menard, for that matter.)
Victor Lee – President & CEO at Stonehorse Enterprises
Victor L. Lee is a strategic advisor to technology, marketing and media companies, leveraging his extensive corporate experience: an M&A investment banker at UBS and a strategy and deal guy at IBM, PepsiCo, Disney and TimeWarner. He is also a serial entrepreneur, with three ground-breaking startups for which he helped raise over $5 million.
Victor is also a super-connector who teaches his “10 Rules” and other tips, tricks and techniques for building amazing professional networks on ‘Things I Didn’t Learn at Harvard,” a Top 10% Most-Shared-Globally podcast on Spotify.
Victor holds a BA in government from Harvard University and JD/MBA degrees from Columbia University.
What did you read this year that you loved?
This brilliant work took me on a deep dive into the unseen foundation of our lives: the raw materials that underpin modern civilization. Conway weaves a tapestry of economics, history, and science to show how copper, sand, oil, and other materials shape our technology, cities, and even geopolitics. Beyond the fascinating facts, the book offers a new lens to see the intricate dependencies in our global economy and the challenges we face in a resource-driven future. It’s as illuminating as it is sobering.
What do you hope to read next year?
The Rigor of Angels by William Egginton
Philosophy and science collide in this compelling look at three titans of thought: Heisenberg, Kant, and Borges. The premise of exploring reality, uncertainty, and the limits of human perception feels deeply relevant to our current age of complexity and ambiguity. I’m particularly intrigued by how Egginton connects these intellectual threads into a narrative that is both accessible and profound. If the reviews are any indication, this book promises to expand my understanding of how we interpret the world—and our place within it.
What do you hope someone will write because you’d read it in a second?
The Unseen Currents: The Psychology of Networking in the Digital Age
I’d love to read a book that bridges psychology, behavioral science, and technology to unpack the art and science of building relationships today. This imagined book would examine how platforms like LinkedIn or even social algorithms affect how we connect, the emotional nuances of virtual communication, and the ways authenticity can thrive—or falter—online. It would offer practical strategies for navigating hybrid relationships while delving into the ethics of digital intimacy. A guide for the modern connector, it would be both insightful and actionable.
Mitchell Levy – Global Credibility Expert at Credibility Nation
Global Credibility Expert Mitchell Levy is a 2x TEDx speaker, an international bestselling author of over 60 books, and a Certified Stakeholder Centered Coach with Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches. Ranked as the #16 Leadership Voice globally by LeadersHum and the #1 Thought Leader in Ecosystems by Thinkers360, Mitchell is a sought-after executive coach, sounding board, and thinking partner who helps clients generate transformative insights. An accomplished entrepreneur, he has built twenty businesses in Silicon Valley, including four publishing companies that have published over 750 books, provided strategic consulting to hundreds of companies, and served as chairman of a NASDAQ-listed company.
What did you read this year that you loved?
Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg
What Lights You Up? by Mary Olson-Menzel
Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
This year, I had the pleasure of reading three remarkable books that truly resonated with me: Supercommunicators, What Lights You Up?, and Profit First. Each offered unique and transformative insights. Supercommunicators provided powerful strategies for effectively conveying ideas, something crucial in today’s world of constant information exchange. What Lights You Up? inspired me to reflect on personal passion and purpose, aligning perfectly with my mission of helping others achieve clarity and credibility. Profit First challenged traditional financial thinking with a practical framework for prioritizing profitability, which is invaluable for entrepreneurs and leaders alike. These books enriched my perspective and left a lasting impact on how I approach communication, purpose, and business.
What do you hope to read next year?
Next year, I hope to read a book that holds a deeply personal meaning—one I’ll have written myself as part of my PhD journey. As I work on my dissertation, I’ll also be crafting a companion book on executive gravitas, exploring the qualities that enable leaders to exude credibility, confidence, and impact. While I don’t yet know the title, I’m excited to complete, publish, and ultimately hold that book in my hands. It will represent both a culmination of my academic efforts and a resource I hope will inspire others on their leadership journeys.
What do you hope someone will write because you’d read it in a second?
I’d love to see someone write a quick and easy book on discernment—one that truly transforms humanity. It would be a guide to helping people make better, more informed decisions in their daily lives, grounded in clarity, purpose, and empathy. Imagine a book that empowers readers to cut through noise, recognize truth, and act with integrity, ultimately fostering stronger connections and a more credible world. Such a book could become a universal tool for building trust and making decisions that uplift both individuals and communities. I’d read it in a second and recommend it to everyone I know.
Eric Pratum – Chief Operating Officer & Marketing Strategist at bigwidesky
Eric is a marketing strategist at bigwidesky in St. Louis. In his career, he’s worked with Fortune 100s on e-commerce and social media, thousands of nonprofits in integrated direct response fundraising, healthcare orgs for executive visibility and lead generation, and agriculture groups for international marketing automation and advertising. He thought he was going to be a language professor, which might be why he’s so interested in both communicating with people and also understanding why they think and act the way they do. Nowadays, you’ll mostly find him consulting on complex marketing strategy and analytics or speaking at yet another conference.
What did you read this year that you loved?
The Canceling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Rikki Schlott
Published in 2023, I read this book in early 2024. You might recognize one of the authors, Greg Lukianoff, from his previous bestseller, The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure, another 5-star read for me. Greg is also the founder, president, and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). As someone who believes we’ve allowed unhealthy new norms around freedom of speech to take hold, I found this book to be a well-argued exploration of the challenges to free expression and trust in modern society. And as someone that works in communications, I’m especially interested in this because of what our free speech norms mean for the interests and actions of not just the people we’re trying to reach, but also the people we work with and who make decisions in communications.
What book do you hope to read next year?
Superforecasting by Philip Tetlock and Dan Gardner
Superforecasting explores the traits and practices that set elite forecasters apart. Given my interest in strategy, decision-making, and adapting to uncertainty, I’m particularly curious about how the concepts of probabilistic thinking, open-mindedness, and feedback loops can improve not just predictions but leadership and innovation.
What book do you hope someone will write because you’d read it in a second?
The Architect of Influence: Building Visionary Leadership in a Fragmented Media Era
This hypothetical book would explore how leaders can navigate the complexities of modern communication while balancing the need for authenticity with the demands of branding. It would include how to inspire teams, drive innovation, and maintain trust in a world shaped by misinformation and rapidly shifting cultural norms.
Dr. Margaret K. Smith is a Research Assistant Professor of Digital Humanities in the IRIS Center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where she explores critical questions around the relationship between the humanities and emerging technologies. She is also, by training, a historian of medieval and early modern Ireland, in which her current project, Litigating Irishness, maps the spatial and social networks of the early modern Irish legal system, using these lenses to explore the strategies of negotiation employed by native Irish litigants under plantation regimes. In this capacity she is also Associate Editor at Eolas, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Society of Irish Medieval Studies. Prior to joining SIUE, she worked in digitization at the Barack Obama Presidential Library (2019-2021), where she served as the local lead for the Social Networks and Archival Contexts project. You can often find her making something: a prototype of digital tool, a data quilt, or a new item of clothing.
What book did you read this year that you loved?
Hard by a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashvili
I appreciate this prompt, because while I wrestle with the idea of favorites in the absolute sense, I do have lots of books that I have to sit with for a time. Sometimes that’s because I need something from them – for instance, my first go-round with Walter M. Miller’s A Canticle for Leibowitz was for fun, but I’m returning to it this year as a teaching text to get students thinking about our relationship to technology, to a past that’s only partly knowable, and to one another.
But other books grab me in ways I didn’t anticipate and force me to give them space. This year, that was Hard by a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashvili. It’s been a minute since I read a book that wrecked me, but this one grabbed me and still hasn’t let me go. It’s a novel set in the country of Georgia that features a returning refugee searching for his missing family and trying to make sense of a fragmented past – his own as well as Georgia’s.
I picked it up after I spent a couple of weeks in Georgia this summer, which certainly brought the book to life. But even without that experience, the novel cultivates a strong sense of both place and displacement, as the protagonist struggles to reconcile distant childhood memories with the Georgia he encounters. There’s a humor to those experiences, even as the book picks up a darker undercurrent. But the descent from wry humor into baffling, insensible despair is a gut punch.
The publisher describes Hard by a Forest as a “powerful and ultimately hopeful novel about the individual and collective trauma of war, and the indomitable spirit of a people determined not only to survive, but to remember those who did not.” On some reflection, I think that’s probably true. There is something beautiful and hopeful about the end — but it’s not the kind of hope you’d expect. It’s gritty, and painful, and ambiguous, and as yet unrealized. Grappling with that kind of hope, I think, is why it keeps claiming space in my head months later. I cannot recommend it enough – but only when you have some extra room for it to stay around awhile.
What do you hope to read next year?
Natural History of Empty Lots by Christopher Brown
Oh boy, you’re gonna get a book rec with a free side of soapbox! Christopher Brown’s new Natural History of Empty Lots is at the top of my (slightly overwhelming) To Read pile. I live in St. Louis, a metro area with a lot of empty lots, but more importantly and problematically, a lot of narratives about what empty lots signify. I often see social media posts where pictures of overgrown lots and buildings bear captions about nature is “reclaiming” that land. That narrative shifts the agency from the human actors who have violently neglected those spaces to nature, and in doing so, greenwashes racial and economic injustice. It also erases and silences the people who continue to occupy the neighborhoods and communities that house those empty lots. Empty lots are thus cast as a kind of terra nullius that can be redeveloped or written off and further neglected, without regard for residents in either case.
Although there’s definitely an emphasis on overgrowth and the ecology of empty lots in this book, I’ve got high hopes for it as a reflection on how our obligations to one another and to the environment overlap.
What do you hope someone will write because you’d read it in a second?
This one’s hard, because like many academics, the books I most want to read are the ones I also dream of writing. I’ll table those for the moment and say that I want to read a critical history of public transit in the St. Louis region. Use transit around here for even a few days, and you’ll start to notice things:
-
-
-
- How, even though the lines of economic and racial segregation divide north and south, the train lines only run east and west (although this is finally changing in the next few years!)
-
-
-
-
-
- How difficult it is to cross the Mississippi River – a touchstone for regional identities and a major conduit, but also a nearly impermeable barrier for pedestrian, cyclist, and transit traffic
-
-
-
-
-
- How many needless and costly hurdles there are to moving between the area’s transit systems, and therefore moving between Missouri and Illinois
-
-
Dig a little deeper, and you’ll find more surprises — for instance, that rail-to-trail bike paths eat up the disused rail lines that might have supported train line expansion, or that in the early 20th century, the region did have a robust transit system that connected the entire metro area (now largely paved over by interstates). So I want that history, and I want it in conversation with contemporary urban planning across the region and with community advocates imagining more just infrastructures.
Who knows, maybe I’ll write it after all!
Paul Squirrell – Managing Director, Mission Hubs Network at The Mission Group
Paul’s mantra is “I bring people together to make things happen.” This approach has seen him most recently create and manage MISSION Hubs, the MISSION Group’s international partner agency ecosystem.
Paul spent his early career as an Account Director and then New Business Director for several independent agencies, as well as working for Doremus, part of the Omnicom Group, based in London.
In 2002, Paul co-founded creativebrief, the UK’s first online marketplace helping clients find new agencies and, agencies pitch for new business via a secure platform.
Prior to his current role, Paul spent 17 years building and co-managing thenetworkone, the world’s largest independent agencies network across 116 countries.
Whilst Paul now considers himself, ‘well-seasoned’ in the creative industry, he remains intensely curious about humanity and doesn’t expect to be replaced by A.I soon – although he admits, short all-inclusive beach vacation in the Matrix might be nice.
What did you read this year that you loved?
Integrated Storytelling by Design by Klaus Sommer Paulsen
According to the Max-Planck Society, humans and fruit flies are approximately 60% genetically similar. And for those of you who remember the 1986, Jeff Goldblum film, “The Fly” that might be more than a little disturbing.
However, that 40% makes a hell of a difference. Wrapped up in our tangled soup of DNA is the unique human ability we call ‘imagination’. Imagination enables us to see beyond the now and envisage different realties and ultimately, contextualise them as stories.
In his book, Integrated Storytelling by Design, Danish creative director, and founder of AdventureLabs, Klaus Sommer Paulsen explores the history of storytelling – from its visual origins before formalised language, to themed, branded and immersive experiences today.
Like any good story, the book is an insightful journey that’s illustrated with numerous cases – some better known than others. Klaus tracks the evolution of audience centric storytelling into what we currently call BX (brand experience) arguably, a brands most tangible, intimate, and valuable touchpoint with its audiences.
On the surface, one might believe storytelling to be easy… And it is but, good storytelling is an art. It requires a deep understanding of humanity, and the ability to express abstract ideas in forms that recipients can embrace, own, and nurture before passing on to another.
(Intrigued? Good. See Paul interview Klaus here)
What do you hope to read next year?
Madison Avenue Makeover by Michael Farmer
The book I most want to read next year, is a re-read – Michael Farmer’s Madison Avenue Makeover.
Whilst in my more utopian moments I relish in the ideal that creativity is all that matters in our industry, the word ‘industry’ reminds me that this is a commercial undertaking at the end of the day. And that entails providing a product or service people want to pay good money for.
Because of his background, Michael understands this and has for many years, (see Madison Avenue Manslaughter) very eloquently explained why agency leaders need to be more commercially minded, understand the cost of production, and not purely be paid for the amount time they spend doing something… which let’s be honest is bonkers!
Madison Avenue Makeover in many ways puts theory into practice, as Michael follows the agency Huge and its then new CEO, Mat Baxter on a journey of evolution.
A great deal has been written about this already, so I’ll not attempt to add much more here, other than to say, it’s a great read and should be ‘compulsory read’ for any would be agency leader.
(Want to learn more about Madison Avenue Manslaughter? See Paul interview Michael here.)
What do you hope someone will write because you’d read it in a second?
To work in the communications industry (especially an agency), you need to be an optimist.
Yes, there’s enough science and data behind most campaigns to give a NASA scientist a wet dream, but surprising, creative brilliance – the spark that captures the collective imagination, has its origins in optimism. And sadly, I think this is in decline across the creative industry.
Now before you shout “old fart” at your screen, I would urge you to talk with anyone below 30 years old and ask them what they think about the advertising industry… spoiler alert, it isn’t great. (See Advertising: Who Cares)
Why, because for the most part we ‘target/bombard’ these folks with huge amounts rubbish that’s not interesting at best, and annoying at worst.
BUT and it’s a BIG ONE, from time-to-time the brave and the optimistic change our world for the better. Maybe though sheer creative joy that connects, or by driving societal change.
So, the book I would love to read tells these stories – untarnished, big, and small from around the world. A book that encourages agencies to be more challenging and optimistic about the potential impact they can have in today’s communications mêlée.
Noriko Yokoi – Founding Partner at 3cubed.ai
Noriko Yokoi is the co-founder of 3cubed.ai, an AI company focused on creating an autonomous marketing workforce. Before founding 3cubed.ai, Noriko spent five years in the early-stage startup ecosystem, where she specialized in helping startups with branding, marketing, and lead generation. Her career spans over two decades as an account planner at several prominent New York-based agencies.
What did you read this year that you loved?
Artificial Intelligence: A Guide for Thinking Humans by Melanie Mitchell
Ever since Generative AI (GenAI) burst onto the scene in late 2022, it has become the topic du jour. Not just your plain old vanilla AI, but something much bigger—GenAI. This book is a fascinating read for anyone curious about why Generative AI exploded onto the scene when it did and why it didn’t make a massive impact on the world earlier.
We tend to want to start a story from the beginning. But where is the beginning? It could have started in many places, but I really appreciate how Melanie Mitchell traces AI’s origins back to John McCarthy and the 1956 Dartmouth Conference. There’s something uniquely American about the GenAI revolution, and while many might argue for starting with Alan Turing, I like how Mitchell focuses on four pivotal figures who shaped artificial intelligence in the U.S.: John McCarthy, Marvin Minsky, Herbert Simon, and Allen Newell.
Mitchell highlights their landmark meeting, where they set out to study AI with the bold assertion that “every aspect of learning or any other feature of intelligence can, in principle, be so precisely described that a machine can be made to simulate it.” At that conference, they tackled topics that feel surprisingly familiar today—natural language processing, neural networks, machine learning, abstract concepts, and reasoning. Words that, until recently, were foreign to most of us. Back then, they confidently predicted that “in 20 years, machines will be capable of doing any work that man can do.” As we know, that didn’t happen. Instead, the 1970s were all about VHS tapes and the Sony Walkman.
Still, this book feels incredibly relevant for anyone grappling with the sudden presence of GenAI in every corner of our lives—for better or worse. Why? Because Mitchell breaks down how Generative AI works in a way that’s accessible, and she gives us insight into the minds of its creators. If you’re like me and love digging into the cultural and social mindsets of a group—what makes them tick—then this book is for you.
Mitchell helps to demystify Generative AI, making it feel less like an ominous force and more like a product of human ingenuity. She also explores the almost utopian ideals that drive the GenAI movement. It’s a thoughtful, engaging read that will leave you with a clearer understanding of not just the technology, but the people and philosophies behind it.
What do you hope to read next year?
Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI by Yuval Noah Harari
I’ve been on the fence about reading Harari’s book on AI. Why? Because he has already laid out his thesis in his keynote presentations available on YouTube. Why read the book when you can get access to his thoughts on-demand? But I’m drawn to this remarkable historian, the author of the work, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. Anyone who has written a great tome deserves a second and third chance. As a humanist, I expect he will be skeptical about AI but I want to read his perspective on this.
What do you wish someone would write because you’d read it in a second?
This is a tough question. I find myself drawn to Julian Jaynes, who passed away in 1997. If he were alive today and could write a follow-up to his seminal work, The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind, I would be the first in line to read it. Why? Because I would be intrigued to see how his ideas might evolve in light of advancements in neuroscience and AI.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Header illustration by the exceptionally artful Jason Roeder. See more of his fine work here.
The Agency Review 