2. The Craving Brain Summary and Analysis

In the early 1900s, advertising genius Claude C. Hopkins is approached with a new toothpaste and asked to promote it. His knowledge on habit-forming has been important in all sorts of areas of society. Toothpaste represents a serious challenge to businesses to sell because virtually no one brushes their teeth. Hopkins doesn't want to agree to the deal, but he's offered a huge sum and decides to take the job. This results in a tooth brushing revolution across the United States. The secret to his success has been duplicated in industries everywhere. He focused on a highly arbitrary function of toothpaste in order to sell it so well. In fact, selling any product hinges on the establishment of a new habit, which according to Hopkins involves predetermined cues, and simple rewards for following through. There is also...