Made to Stick

Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

By: Chip Heath, Dan Heath

Narrated by: Charles Kahlenberg

Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The instant classic about why some ideas thrive, why others die, and how to make your ideas stick.

“Anyone interested in influencing others—to buy, to vote, to learn, to diet, to give to charity or to start a revolution—can learn from this book.”—The Washington Post

Mark Twain once observed, “A lie can get halfway around the world before the truth can even get its boots on.” His observation rings true: Urban legends, conspiracy theories, and bogus news stories circulate effortlessly. Meanwhile, people with important ideas—entrepreneurs, teachers, politicians, and journalists—struggle to make them “stick.”

In Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Heath reveal the anatomy of ideas that stick and explain ways to make ideas stickier, such as applying the human scale principle, using the Velcro Theory of Memory, and creating curiosity gaps. Along the way, we discover that sticky messages of all kinds—from the infamous “kidney theft ring” hoax to a coach’s lessons on sportsmanship to a vision for a new product at Sony—draw their power from the same six traits.

Made to Stick will transform the way you communicate. It’s a fast-paced tour of success stories (and failures): the Nobel Prize-winning scientist who drank a glass of bacteria to prove a point about stomach ulcers; the charities who make use of the Mother Teresa Effect; the elementary-school teacher whose simulation actually prevented racial prejudice.

Provocative, eye-opening, and often surprisingly funny, Made to Stick shows us the vital principles of winning ideas—and tells us how we can apply these rules to making our own messages stick.

©2006 Chip Heath and Dan Heath (P)2007 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Made to Stick summons plenty of brain science, social history, and behavioral psychology to explain what makes an idea winning and memorable—and the Heaths do the telling with beautiful clarity.”—The Christian Science Monitor

“Utterly compelling.”—Los Angeles Times

“Surprising and provocative.”—The New York Sun

Very Interesting

Really good book, great narrator. This book gave me a lot of ideas for my business. Not a long review but the book is worth listening to.

Simple and smart

This was a well written and interesting peak into the human mind... A good listen and lesson for everyone.

Great content but needs shorter chapters

The chapters were on the long side which made it harder to break up and listen to chunks. I had to start chapters over multiple times as a consequence. Otherwise, this was a great book.

Must read if you want to persuade

Great listen and extremely useful. Looking forward to using all of the suggestions in this book!

Brilliant! Eye opening

One of the best reads. Changes your perspective on how you and others perceive the world around

Maybe the best marketing book I’ve read yet

Clear, tangible ideas and strategies for how to make messages stick. My only criticism is perhaps the book being a little long in the tooth with a few extra “stories”, which is a core points of the book that maybe the authors took the heart a little too seriously, so the book felt may be a little longer than it needed to be. But that’s a very small quibble in an otherwise profoundly insightful deep dive at what makes us remember certain ideas.

Great book and must read

This book was both informative and engaging, easy to digest ideas and see how to apply in my own profession. 10 out of 10 would recommend it!!

The worthwile book

Unexpectedly precise and easy to listen. Simple words and phrases that illustrate an excellent way to make the things you tell people more interesting. Rich with perfect examples from real life.

A great audiobook that worth the time spent on it, particularily because you won't notice this time.

Sticky Stuff

Practical information that can be used in everyday life. An easy listen, down to earth, I learnt a lot. Thanks

A Must-Read

One of the best business books I have read in the past 20 years. Made to Stick not only breaks down the secrets of how to get your customer's attention, it also shows you how to apply those secrets to your own business.