About

How can we use language to communicate more effectively and increase our influence? Why do some products, ideas, and behaviors catch on?  And how can we be more effective at changing minds and organizations? Professor Jonah Berger examines the behavioral science behind these and other questions.

Millions of copies of his books are in print in over 35 countries around the world.

• Magic Words: What to Say to Get Your Way. Almost everything we do involves words. From emails and power points to phone calls and pitch meetings, words are how we persuade, communicate, and connect. But certain words are more impactful than others.  They’re better at changing minds, engaging listeners, and driving action. What are these magic words, and how can we take advantage of their power?  Learn the words that convince clients, captivate audiences, and deepen social connection.  How to ask the right questions, hold attention, speak with confidence, and design presentations, pitches, and other types of content for maximum impact. And how the words others use reveal hidden information about their interests, actions, and intent. Whether you’re trying to persuade a customer, motivate a team, or get a whole organization to see things differently, this course will show you how to leverage the power of magic words.
• The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone’s Mind. Everyone has something they want to change. Marketers want to change customers’ minds and leaders want to change organizations. Startups want to change industries and non-profits want to change the world. But change is hard. We push and push, but often nothing happens. Could there be a better way? This book introduces a revolutionary approach to change. Successful change isn’t about pushing harder or exerting more energy. It’s about removing barriers. Overcoming resistance by reducing friction and lowering the hurdles to action.  Discover the five hidden factors that impede change, and how by mitigating them, you can become a catalyst.
• Contagious: Why Things Catch On reveals the secret science behind why products, services, and ideas become popular. Discover how six basic principles drive all sorts of things to catch on. If you’ve ever wondered why certain stories get shared, brands get more word of mouth, or videos go viral, this book will explain why, and show you how to leverage these ideas to craft contagious content. Contagious was New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post bestseller and has been translated into over 35 languages. Amazon named it one of the best books of the year and it received the Berry Book Prize from the American Marketing Association as the year’s best marketing book.
• Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior. Ever wish you could be more influential? Be better at motivating yourself and others?  Make smarter decisions and shape group opinion? This book will show you how. Invisible Influence spent more than three months on the New York Times bestseller list. It was also a Wall Street Journal and Washington Post bestseller and has been translated into over 25 languages.

Berger has been recognized with a number of awards for both scholarship and teaching, including various early career awards. He was named one of the top 30 leaders in business by the American Management Association and one of the most creative people in business by Fast Company magazine. His research has been featured multiple times in the New York Times Magazine’s “Year in Ideas” and Wharton gave him the Iron Professor award for awesome faculty research.

Dr. Berger has helped hundreds of companies like Apple, Google, Nike, and GE get their products, services, and ideas to catch on. He’s helped Facebook launch new hardware, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation sharpen messaging, and small start-ups, political campaigns, and nonprofit organizations change minds and drive action.  He’s also keynoted hundreds of major conferences and events like SXSW and Cannes Lions, and spoken to audiences from 10 to 10,000 people around the world.

He received a BA from Stanford University in Human Judgment and Decision Making, and a PhD from Stanford in Marketing.

For more about his research, click here.