The Today Show Welcomes Inc. Cover Boys

Why do some ideas lodge themselves in our minds while others slip in and out? That's the question that authors Chip and Dan Heath explore in their new book Made to Stick. The book, which was only just published, has generated a lot of buzz so far. On his business book blog, Bob Sutton notes that the book was ranked #1 on Amazon.com's pre-order list. The Heath brothers also appeared on the Today Show this morning; to read or view their appearance, click here.

The current issue of Inc., now on newsstands, also features a Q&A with the authors, who talk about their understanding of what makes ideas sticky, and the marketing applications thereof. (They hasten to add that the book is applicable to a wider audience than simply marketers.) Chip Heath explains the "Made to Stick" philosophy this way: "We believe that the best ideas have most of these traits: They are simple, core messages; they are unexpected; they are concrete, credible, and emotional; and they are stories. So when John F. Kennedy said that we were going to put a man on the moon within the decade, that idea stuck because it had many of those qualities. A more current example, and our favorite marketing example, would be Jared, the Subway spokesperson who lost 245 pounds by eating Subway every day. It meets all of those criteria. But believe it or not, some top people at Subway initially objected to the campaign."

To find out why the Subway folks almost rejected Jared, check out the full Q&A by clicking here.

To read and respond to the authors' blog, go here.

Mike Hofman was previously editor of Inc.com and a deputy editor at Inc. magazine, which he joined in 1996. The site was nominated for a National Magazine Award for Digital Media in 2010, and was named the best business website by Folio Magazine. In 2006, Hofman was part of a team of writers nominated for a Webby Award for best business blog. He lives in New York City. @mikehofman