Rock Creek’s Favorite Reads of 2009

Posted by: Natalya Minkovsky, Senior Strategist Dec 29, 2009 0 Comments

From literary fiction to graphic novels to magazines, I can’t stop reading. I’ve been known to read the Chicago Manual of Style and AP Stylebook for fun. And like many avid readers, I turn to friends and colleagues for recommendations.

After enjoying James P. Othmer’s Adland: Searching for the Meaning of Life on a Branded Planet, I started to wonder what books the rest of Rock Creek Strategic Marketing had enjoyed over the past year.

So, as the year drew to an end, I asked my colleagues: “What was your favorite book of 2009? What inspired a project? What motivated you to try something different? What made you laugh?”

Some of our favorite reads weren’t published in 2009, and some weren’t books. But all of the responses gave me ideas for something new to read or learn. Here are some of our 2009 favorites:

I know it’s an obvious crowd pleaser, but I’m finding Malcom Gladwell’s What the Dog Saw more interesting than anything else I’ve read this year. I’ve read a lot of useful stuff, but this collection of stories from Gladwell’s New Yorker days brings his patented “challenge assumptions, search for hidden realities” approach to a diverse set of topics. It presents concepts that don’t fit neatly into what we take for granted and turns the everyday into the sublime. Pick it up—you won’t regret it. – Chris Lester

I’ve always been interested in patterns in nature, like perfectly symmetrical veins in leaves. While researching grids for design, I discovered Geometry of Design by Kimberly Elam. The book goes into great detail about the Golden Ratio/Section in nature, design, art, and architecture, breaking down geometrical patterns within its structures. Throughout the book, there are examples from famous artists with transparent overlays showing the geometry behind the art. It can be intentional or not; usually it’s more fascinating when it’s not intentional. Geometry of Design motivated me to try a new approach to my work. – Tara Detchemendy

My favorite book of 2009 is actually a book that was written back in 1999 called The Cluetrain Manifesto, written by Doc Searles, Christopher Locke, Rick Levine, and David Weinberger. I reread it again this year because I had mentioned it to a colleague and wanted to check and see if I felt it was as relevant today as it was then. And it is. The ideas about markets being conversations made up of people who speak to each other in a “human voice” are more important than ever. The need for authenticity is becoming more and more evident in every aspect of online marketing and communication, from open government initiatives demanding transparency within government to bloggers disclosing when they’ve been paid to post a review. There are few business books that have stood the test of time like The Cluetrain Manifesto has. I would likely say that it will be just as relevant and insightful for readers in 2019 as it is in 2009. – Amy Hooker

In the introduction to New Vintage Type: Classic Fonts for the Digital Age, authors Steven Heller and Gail Anderson write that for most designers, vintage type can be like designer porn. I am not sure I’d go that far, but I’m completely infatuated with typography, especially vintage. Then again, I’m kind of obsessed with anything vintage. The obsession is something I can’t put my finger on. I find myself collecting boxes of random objects that include everything from old Christmas cards to bar coasters that have interesting type and design. This book is like one of my collection boxes, but takes up way less space. It inspires me and also intimidates me. After I got the book for Christmas last year, I spent at least two hours turning pages while everyone opened their gifts. It takes me to another place. It makes me think. I guess that’s what I like the most about it: it provokes thought. – Angela Mitchell

My favorite book this year was Kellogg On Branding, an anthology by the marketing faculty of the Kellogg School of Management. It’s more textbook-y than some of the other branding books out there but engaging through plenty of real world examples. My favorite example is about a flower store called KaBloom. How cool of a name for a flower store is that? The book provided a very good base knowledge of branding…and really made me want to attend Kellogg for graduate school. My favorite On Branding nugget of wisdom: “The brand must reflect the organization’s culture and its reality. If it does not, the brand is a fraud…Branding can and should call direct attention to the unique characteristics that set a company apart from its competition.” – Danielle Wipperfurth

Part personal experience, part sociological observation, Hal Niedzviecki’s The Peep Diaries is a funny and sobering look at the desire to share our lives with strangers and the entertainment of looking in on others. Lessons on privacy, reputation management, and the power of social media had me reading it cover to cover, and occasionally going online to look up one of the book’s subjects because I just couldn’t help but “peep.” – Jacob Wolfsheimer

Some of us had trouble choosing just one book:

It’s a tie between Twilight and the Project Management Institute (PMI) Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). Twilight because I’m a sucker for vampire romance, and PMBOK because who doesn’t love a solid business model? – Jessica Richmond

…while others drew their inspiration from reading outside of books:

My favorite reading of 2009 was not a book, but three guiding beacons I read with religion: The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Washington Business Journal. The world is a fast-changing place, and the business environment in which we operate evolves even faster. I need my daily fix of these great resources to keep my finger on the pulse and my head in the game. These guiding beacons provide a regular survey of our diverse clients’ needs and empower us to place Rock Creek on the forefront of strategic business operations and innovative client solutions. – David Rinaldo

And another non-book favorite read:

Among tutorial-driven design websites, Video Copilot has been my favorite over the past year. The site’s host, Andrew Kramer, is an extremely knowledgeable Adobe After Effects designer, and his tutorials showcase the cutting edge capabilities of the software. His presentations are entertaining and fast-paced, and he doesn’t shy away from tackling complex techniques. Every tutorial that I have viewed has uncovered an important new trick to add to my arsenal. His work was featured on the big screen earlier this year in the opening credits for Star Trek. – Colby Waller

For me, Adland and Content Strategy for the Web were the favorites.

As Kristen Newton, our director of strategy, said when recommending Content Strategy for the Web, “this is the book that put content strategy on the map.” The book establishes best practices for web content, offers practical advice, and reinvigorates the reader to go out there and strategize. And it’s always nice to know you’re not alone in the challenges you face—anyone who’s spent quality time creating web content will think, “That happens to me all the time!” while reading this book. Content Strategy for the Web is an essential read for anyone involved in web design, not just those working with words.

As for Adland, I enjoyed this honest and humorous look at the past, present, and future of the advertising industry, from the (dying?) 30-second Super Bowl spot to the innovative ways branding is being taught and learned at the VCU Brandcenter. Written by a veteran copywriter and creative director, Adland is a must-read for copywriters and Mad Men fans, but will entertain anyone who wants to know the dirty truth about modern advertising.

What was your favorite book of 2009? Let us know in the comments.

* All books mentioned in this blog post were purchased or checked out from the library.

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Natalya Minkovsky

Senior Strategist

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