Dr. Jonah Berger | Dr. Jonah Berger

Dr. Jonah Berger Speaker Biography

Wharton Professor, Bestselling Author, Marketing Expert, Consumer Behavior Authority, and Keynote Speaker

Jonah Berger is one of the world’s leading marketing keynote speakers and a Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Internationally recognized for his groundbreaking research on consumer behavior, influence, persuasion, innovation, and organizational change, Berger helps organizations understand why products, ideas, brands, and behaviors catch on—and how leaders can inspire customers, employees, and markets to embrace change. A trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies, startups, nonprofits, and government organizations, Jonah combines cutting-edge behavioral science with practical business strategies that leaders can immediately apply. His keynote presentations help organizations improve marketing effectiveness, accelerate innovation, influence customer behavior, build stronger brands, and lead change more successfully in an increasingly competitive marketplace. The bestselling author of Contagious: Why Things Catch On, Invisible Influence, The Catalyst, and Magic Words, Jonah’s books have sold millions of copies worldwide, been translated into more than 35 languages, and become essential reading for business leaders, marketers, entrepreneurs, and executives. His ability to translate rigorous academic research into engaging, actionable insights has made Jonah Berger one of today’s most sought-after keynote speakers on marketing, consumer psychology, innovation, persuasion, and business growth.

Keynote Speaker Jonah Berger at a Glance

Wharton Professor of Marketing and one of the world’s foremost experts on consumer behavior, influence, persuasion, and why ideas spread.
International bestselling author of Contagious, Invisible Influence, The Catalyst, and Magic Words, with millions of books sold worldwide and translations in more than 35 languages.
Recipient of the American Marketing Association’s Outstanding Faculty Research Award and Wharton’s Iron Professor Award, recognizing excellence in both research and teaching.
Trusted keynote speaker and advisor to Fortune 500 companies, helping organizations improve marketing, drive innovation, influence behavior, strengthen brands, and lead organizational change.

Why Organizations Book Jonah Berger

Organizations hire Jonah Berger because he delivers far more than marketing theory. His keynote presentations combine decades of award-winning research with practical strategies leaders can immediately apply to influence customer behavior, encourage innovation, accelerate organizational change, improve communication, and create products and ideas people naturally want to share. Whether speaking to executive leadership teams, sales organizations, marketing conferences, technology companies, healthcare organizations, financial institutions, or global associations, Jonah provides audiences with evidence-based frameworks that produce measurable business results.

Marketing & Consumer Behavior Expert

Jonah Berger is internationally recognized for transforming the way organizations understand consumer decision-making and word-of-mouth influence. His research explores why people talk about certain products, why some ideas spread while others fail, and how organizations can create stronger customer engagement through behavioral science rather than guesswork. His work has been published in leading academic journals and featured in The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, The Economist, CNBC, NPR, CBS, and numerous other major media outlets. He also teaches one of Wharton’s most popular online courses, helping professionals around the world better understand the psychology behind influence and decision-making.

Innovation & Change Management Speaker

While many organizations attempt to create change by increasing pressure, Jonah’s research demonstrates that lasting transformation comes from identifying and removing the barriers that prevent people from changing in the first place. Drawing from the principles introduced in The Catalyst, Jonah helps organizations understand how to reduce resistance, influence stakeholders, encourage innovation, and accelerate organizational transformation. His research-backed approach has helped leaders navigate everything from digital transformation and product adoption to cultural change and strategic growth initiatives.

Bestselling Author

Jonah’s books have become indispensable resources for leaders, marketers, entrepreneurs, and innovators around the world. His international bestseller Contagious: Why Things Catch On introduced the science behind why products, services, ideas, and content become widely shared, providing organizations with practical strategies for increasing word-of-mouth and customer engagement. In Invisible Influence, he explores the hidden social forces that shape everyday decisions, helping readers better understand consumer psychology and the subtle drivers of behavior. The Catalyst demonstrates how leaders can overcome resistance to change by reducing friction rather than applying additional pressure, making it an essential guide for organizational transformation. His newest bestseller, Magic Words, reveals how specific language choices influence decisions, strengthen communication, improve leadership, and increase persuasion in both business and everyday conversations.

Clients & Speaking Experience

Jonah Berger has advised and spoken for many of the world’s most respected organizations, including Apple, Google, Nike, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, Salesforce, Coca-Cola, Vanguard, Johnson & Johnson, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as numerous startups, nonprofits, and government agencies. He has delivered keynote presentations at premier global conferences including SXSW, Cannes Lions, Fortune Brainstorm, Adobe Summit, and many of the world’s leading marketing, innovation, leadership, and technology events. His engaging presentation style and immediately actionable insights consistently earn high praise from executives and conference organizers alike.

Awards & Recognition

Jonah’s contributions to marketing research and business education have earned widespread recognition. He is the recipient of the American Marketing Association’s Outstanding Faculty Research Award and Wharton’s Iron Professor Award for excellence in teaching. His research has also been recognized by the American Psychological Association and has appeared in The New York Times Magazine’s influential “Year in Ideas.” In addition, he has been named among the American Management Association’s “Top 30 Leaders in Business” and recognized by Fast Company as one of the most creative voices influencing modern business thinking.

Who Hires Jonah Berger?

Jonah Berger is a popular keynote speaker for:

Marketing and sales conferences
Executive leadership meetings
Innovation and digital transformation events
Technology and software companies
Consumer products and retail organizations
Financial services and healthcare companies
Professional associations
Higher education and research institutions

His presentations are particularly valuable for organizations seeking to better understand customer behavior, influence decision-making, strengthen brand loyalty, accelerate innovation, and lead meaningful organizational change.

Why Book Jonah Berger?

For more than 30 years, Speakers.com has connected organizations with many of the world’s most influential business thought leaders. If you’re interested in booking Jonah Berger for a keynote presentation, leadership conference, sales meeting, marketing summit, or executive event, Speakers.com provides direct access to availability, speaking fees, and expert guidance throughout the booking process. Jonah Berger’s engaging, research-driven presentations consistently equip audiences with practical strategies they can immediately apply to improve marketing effectiveness, influence behavior, inspire innovation, strengthen leadership, and drive sustainable business growth.

PLEASE NOTE: Speakers.com is a booking agency for paid speaking engagements and events only. We do not handle media interviews, podcast appearances, book tours, pro bono requests, or provide celebrity contact information.

Dr. Jonah Berger Speaking Topics

Magic Words: What to Say to Get Your Way

From emails and power points to phone calls and pitch meetings, almost everything we do involves words. 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? This talk provides an inside look at the new science of language and how you can use it. 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.

How to Change Anyone’s Mind

Everyone has something they want to change. Salespeople want to change the customer’s mind. Managers want to change employee behavior. Leaders want to change the way an entire organization does business. But change is hard. We persuade and cajole and push and push, but even after all that work, often nothing happens. Things change at a glacial pace, if at all. Could there be a better way? In this new talk, Wharton Professor and change expert Dr. Jonah Berger outlines 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 hidden factors that impede change, why your biggest competitor is inertia, and why big changes require asking for less, not pushing for more. Whether you’re trying to change how consumers think, motivate people to act, or shift the way an entire industry does business, Berger will teach you how to become a catalyst.

Returning to Growth in the New World

Our world has recently undergone unprecedented change at a rapid pace. From remote work and online retail to shifting customer needs and employee mindsets, many things are different than they were before. But as we return to a new normal, smart companies and industries are recognizing the opportunity to also return to growth. How can you get your people on the right track and focused to take advantage of these emerging opportunities? In this timely and forward-looking presentation, Wharton Professor and change expert Dr. Jonah Berger explores how organizations can act now to succeed in the new world. Blending insights from his best-selling book The Catalyst, Berger will discuss the changes in consumer and customer behavior that have occurred so far, which pandemic-driven trends are here to stay, and how to thrive in the new reality we all find ourselves in. He shows how organizations and industries can adapt and motivate their leaders and employees to get on board. Berger will provide actionable tactics for pivoting strategy, thinking beyond the crisis, and changing minds to drive success.

Contagious: Why Things Catch On

Dr. Jonah Berger combines groundbreaking research and powerful stories as he sheds light on why things become popular. Based on 15 years of rigorous academic research, he put together a framework for making anything contagious using the acronym STEPPS: Social currency, triggers, emotion, public, practical value, and stories. In his presentations, he reveals the secret science behind why things succeed and how these six key factors drive all sorts of products, services, and ideas to catch on. Young and full of energy, he is interactive with his audience, quickly demonstrating that our intuitions aren’t always right. Berger also uses funny and compelling examples to reinforce his message and keep his presentation engaging. He provides a set of specific, actionable techniques for driving diffusion. Whether you’re trying to change public perception of an industry, get a product or service to catch on, change organizational culture, or become a more effective leader, these tools will help you get there.

Disruption-Proof

We live in an age of disruption. Entire industries have been uprooted and displaced by new technologies and business models, and the most successful corporations out there didn’t exist just a few decades ago. When it comes to Silicon Valley titans such as Amazon, Uber, and Airbnb, you have to wonder whether incumbents in the consumer goods, automotive, and hotel industries could have gotten their first—and what’s coming next. How can we stay ahead of this relentless innovation? How can we make sure we’re doing the disrupting, and not being disrupted ourselves? In this exciting, new presentation, Wharton Business School Professor and disruption guru, Dr. Jonah Berger, explains how organizations can make themselves “disruption-proof.” Learn why some companies are more likely to get displaced, how executives ought to be reimaging their competitive set to better service evolving consumer needs, and what innovators do differently than everyone else that makes them so successful. From shifting mindsets and redefining your competitive set to “de-risking” innovation and why great companies cannibalize themselves, Berger demonstrates how we can survive, and win, in this new age.

Leading Innovation & Effective Culture Change

In a high-energy presentation based on his groundbreaking research on organizational communication and word of mouth, Dr. Jonah Berger examines the science behind leading effective change in an era of dramatic technological and business transformation. Why is it so difficult to promote change in the first place? How do you grease the system to make people more likely to adopt positive behaviors and ignore negative ones? How do you push past mental barriers that insist innovative practices are impossible or fraught with risk? Jonah Berger offers audiences practical strategies for leading change in a clear and actionable way that encourages buy-in and drives results. He shares how to overcome reticence to change, how to avoid the “curse of knowledge,” and how to build a movement that shifts your audience from passive listeners to active participants, who become a powerful channel for diffusing your message. If your organization is looking for a forward-thinking talk aimed at getting change to catch on, this talk is can’t-miss.

Dr. Jonah Berger Books

The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone’s Mind

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The Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior

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Contagious: Why Things Catch On

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Dr. Jonah Berger Videos

Dr. Jonah Berger Articles

Dr. Jonah Berger Speaker Testimonials

Jonah was perfect for our program! He really digested the information that we sent over to him in advance and pulled relevant items and topics to form some of his presentation slides. This really resonated well with our audience and drew them into his speech in a very meaningful way. People really took his message to heart about learning how to make wind energy a contagious topic for consumers; I mean to the point where you would be speaking with someone later that day and they were referencing some of the lessons from Jonah’s speech! It was fantastic! The meet and greet that we had with Jonah and a handful of our Board members was a real treat as well. These very high level and intelligent folks were hanging on his every word and getting some great advice from him. Even though he challenged their traditional views on marketing strategy and so forth they really understood what he was saying and why it was great!

- AWEA |