When I was just starting out in marketing I didn’t know where to begin.

I needed to learn about the craft and I needed to learn quickly.

If questions came up in an interview, I would need at least a modicum of theoretical and background knowledge on the subject.

I thought about doing a LinkedIn course but a) I couldn’t afford it and b) I wanted more control over my ‘self-education.’

So, like any good Gen Z member, I turned to YouTube and the endless number of TED Talks available.

Here are some of the most useful ones I’ve found:

5. Rory Sutherland: Perspective is everything

Let me preface by saying that Rory Sutherland is probably the single most influential factor in my pursuit of a marketing job.

When I finished university, I didn’t know what I wanted to do or be.

By chance, I stumbled across Rory after he appeared on Chris Williamson’s podcast and fell in love with the subject of behavioural psychology, of which he speaks so eloquently.

In Perspective is everything, you can expect to learn how reframing the conversation we have with ourselves can change the very nature of our experience.

How psychological answers are sometimes more effective than simply throwing money at the problem.

And how to find the sweet spot between economics, psychology, and technology.

(There’s loads of Rory content out there, I recommend watching every second of it – he’s very entertaining).

4. Giuseppe Stigliano: How to become a marketing superhero

“In this part of the world we need marketing to make sense of our own existence, to communicate with others, to build our identity.”

Giuseppe takes an interesting approach to highlighting the unsustainability, inequality, waste and globalisation issues associated with marketing.

He clearly loves marketing – but he recognises its flaws and problems.

Then he asks: “How can we reconcile these contradictions?”

It’s a great talk that is full of passion and really demonstrates some of the most important considerations that we, as marketers, should be aware of within our profession.

3. Jessica Apotheker: What will happen to marketing in the age of AI?

AI will be the next big productivity revelation – but how do we set ourselves up to capitalise on it?

That’s the question that Jessica seeks to answer in her talk.

She argues that, if we steer the productivity revolution (AI) in the right way, it will improve the ability of marketers to be creative, rather than taking it away.

It’s an insightful talk and highly relevant to our current time.

2. Derek Thompson: The four-letter code to selling anything

“We are living in a cult of novelty. Companies want us to like new things, to buy new things, to crave new things… but the truth is that we don’t like novelty.”

Derek argues that, contrary to popular beliefs about novelty and “the new,” familiarity is the key to emotional connection.

We, as marketers must sell new things as though they are old favourites.

The real challenge, is to create familiar surprises.

You’ll have to watch the whole talk to see what Derek’s solution to the problem is but I promise it’s worth the watch.

1. Barry Schwartz: The paradox of choice

An oldie, (it was published 17 years ago), but a goodie.

Psychologist Barry Schwartz explores the downside of having too many choices.

An overwhelming number of options can lead to decision paralysis, unrealistic expectations, and diminished satisfaction rather than increased agency and freedom.

As marketers, we need to understand that presenting consumers with too many options can lead to decision fatigue, and reduce the likelihood of a purchase.

It’s one of the best talks on a marketing theory I’ve seen and Barry explains it eloquently and concisely.

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