If you’ve ever wondered why some things catch on and others don’t, then you should read Jonah Berger’s new book Contagious. It’s not strictly an advertising book or a marketing book, and it’s not the old school Mad Men type insights. Here’s a book that is contemporary, relevant, and researched.

A professor of marketing at the Wharton School, Berger dissects a lot of popular movements, ideas, videos, products, et., to tease out the elements that make them so contagious. Along the way you get up to date information and thinking about what makes things popular. And you’ll learn a few interesting things that might surprise you, like the authors claim that only 7% of buyers make decisions based on social networking. Which means a whopping 93% are making their decisions in another way.

If you do any kind of marketing for your organization, the insights in this book are well worth understanding. It doesn’t cover new ground as much as it helps us understand the obvious. And there are a few diamonds in the book that could be worth far more than the $18 amazon price.

It’s not a great book, but it is a good one. And you’ll think of lots of people who should read it.