From Marcus Collins, strategist to Apple, Nike and Beyoncé, discover the powerful force behind what we buy, what we do, and who we want to be . . .
'Compelling and vivid' – Robert Cialdini, author of Pre-Suasion
We all try to influence others in our daily lives. We are all marketers, whether you are a manager motivating your team, an employee making a big presentation, an activist staging a protest or a company executive selling the next big thing. In For the Culture, Marcus Collins argues that the most powerful vehicle for influencing behaviour is true cultural engagement. To inspire communities, we first need to think hard about how we appeal to their values and what we will contribute to their culture.
With a deep perspective based on a century’s worth of data, Collins breaks down the many ways in which culture influences behaviour. Using captivating stories from his own life as a top marketer – including spearheading digital strategy for Beyoncé, working with iTunes and Nike+ on their collaboration, and designing ads for McDonalds – he shows readers how they can do the same. Full of memorable examples, from 1960s hippy culture to the enduring success of Patagonia, For the Culture offers the essential tools for creating lasting engagement and influence.
'Some people seem to intuitively ‘get it.’ Most do not. Collins articulates ‘it’ for the rest of us and provides not just an understanding, but a guide for how to actually engage and influence culture' – Steve Huffman, co-founder and CEO, Reddit
Marcus Collins is an award-winning marketer and cultural translator who has worked for several top ad agencies. His deep understanding of brand strategy and consumer behaviour has helped him bridge the academic-practitioner gap for blue-chip brands and start-ups alike. He is a recipient of Advertising Age’s 40 Under 40 award and Crain’s Business 40 Under 40 award, and a recent inductee into the American Advertising Federation’s Hall of Achievement. He has worked on iTunes + Nike sport music initiatives at Apple and ran digital strategy for Beyoncé.
He is a marketing professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and the faculty director for the school’s executive education partnership with Google. He is also a faculty member at the Harvard Extension School and the Boston University Questrom School of Business. For the Culture is his first book.