Marketing Legends Hall of Fame

Who are the most influential people in the world of marketing, ever? Here’s the largest collection of Marketing Greats ever assembled online, with their Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook profiles where such things exist so you can follow and learn from the greats.

UPDATE: The Marketing Legends Hall of Fame has recently (Nov 2016) been significantly updated and incorporated into The Definitive Business Growth Toolkit, which you can download free here.

“The giants of direct marketing need no intro­duction. These great innovators in the direct and digital marketing industry have one thing in common: Each and every one of them — in their own way — changed the game, carving a path for generations of marketers to follow.” — From the November 30, 2009 Issue of Direct Marketing News

I’ve studied marketing for over 20 years, by going directly to the marketing greats. This list represents my mentors.

Classical Marketing

• Jay Abraham, the world’s highest paid marketing consultant: The Abraham Group
• Mary Kay Ash *, Inventor of Network Marketing
• N.W. Ayer *, Inventor of the Advertising Agency
• William (Bill) Bernbach, Advertising Creative Director: Doyle Dane Berbach (DDB)
• Drayton Bird, Direct Response Marketing Legend: Official Site, LinkedIn
• John R. Brinkley *, Inventor of Broadcast Advertising
• Robert B. Cialdini *, Influence and Persuasion: Official Site, Twitter, Facebook
• John Caples *, one of advertising’s most effective copywriters: John Caples International Awards, Obituary
• André Citroën, Inventor of the Electric Billboard for Citroën in Paris.
• Robert Collier *, author of The Robert Collier Letter Book: Collier Publications
• Conrad Gessner *, Inventor of Viral Marketing by starting Tulipmania in 1634
• Jeffrey Gitomer, has built a sales training empire: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Henry Jamison (Jam) Handy *, Inventor of the Marketing Video
• Claude C. Hopkins *, Advertising Pioneer and author of Scientific Advertising
• Philip Kotler, the world’s leading strategic marketer: Kotler Marketing Group
• Lily Langtry, Inventor of the Celebrity Endorsement
• Theodore Levitt, Former Editor of Harvard Business Review: Biography
• Clayton Makepeace, World’s Highest-Paid Marketing Coach and Copywriter: Official Site, LinkedIn, Response Ink
• Ken McCarthy *, Internet Marketing Pioneer: Official Site, Twitter
• David Ogilvy *, often called “The Father of Advertising”: Biography
• Tom Peters, Business Management Practices: Official Site, Twitter, Facebook
• Ron Popeil *, Inventor of the Infomercial: Official Site, Infomercial Quotes
• Rosser Reeves *, Pioneer of Television Advertising: Reality in Advertising
• Brian Tracy, Business Motivational Speaker: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook

Copywriting

• Gary Bencivenga, One of the world’s most respected copywriters: Official Site, LinkedIn
• Robert W. Bly, Copywriter and Trainer: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• John Carlton, Copywriter and Trainer: Official Site, Twitter, Facebook
• Ray Edwards, Direct Response Copywriter: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn
• Michel Fortin, Direct Response Copywriter and Marketing Consultant: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• David Garfinkel, Direct Marketing for Entrepreneurial Businesses: Official Site, LinkedIn
• Gary Halbert, Copywriting Guru: The Gary Halbert Letter
• Ted Nicholas, Master Copywriter: Official Site
• Eugene Schwartz, Author of Breakthrough Advertising
• Lester Wunderman *, Creator of Modern Day Direct Marketing: Wunderman.com

Online/Digital Marketing

• Jay Berkowitz, Internet Marketing Consultant: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Ten Golden Rules
• Declan Dunn, New Media Publisher & Business Development: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Mike Enlow, Retired Internet Marketing Expert: Official Site, Twitter
• Ken Evoy, Founder of SiteSell: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Brad Fallon and Andy Jenkins, SEO Experts: Brad Fallon Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, uQast, Stompernet. Andy Jenkins Official Site, Twitter
• Don Crowther, Online Marketing and Social Media Expert: Official Site, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn
• Mitch Joel, “Rock Star of Digital Marketing”: Official Site, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Six Pixels of Separation
• Mark Joyner, The Father of Internet Marketing: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Simpleology, Construct Zero
• Dan Kennedy, Small Business Marketing Ideas: Official Site, Twitter
• Frank Kern, Internet Marketer: Official Site, Twitter
• Jim Kukral, Internet Marketing for Business: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn
• Perry Marshall, Wizard of Adwords: Official Site, Twitter, Facebook
• Corey Rudl, Early Internet Marketer: Biography, Tribute Site
• Marlon Sanders, Step by Step Internet Marketing: Official Site, Twitter
• David Meerman Scott, Online Marketing Strategist: Official Site, Twitter, WebInkNow
• Joe Vitale, Author of Cyber Writing, the first print book about online copywriting: Official Site, LinkedIn, Twitter
• Jeff Walker, Creator of Product Launch Formula: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook.

Branding

• David A. Aaker, Brand Strategy: Official Site, Twitter, Facebook, UC Berkley and Prophet
• John Moore, Marketingologist: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn
• Dan Schawbel, Personal Branding Guru: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Personal Branding Blog
• Donald Trump, Business Branding: Official Biography, Twitter

Social Marketing

• Jay Baer, Social Media Strategy: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Convince and Convert
• Chris Brogan, Beyond Social Media: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Human Business Works
• Nathan Kievman, Corporate Social Media Solutions: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Deming Hill
• Penny Power, Founder of Ecademy: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Ecademy
• Thomas Power, Chairman of Ecademy: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Ecademy
• Euan Semple, Social Media for Business: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Mari Smith, Facebook Marketing Expert: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn

Guerrilla Marketing

• Phineas Taylor Barnum *, Showman, Entrepreneur and Creator of the Barnum & Bailey Circus
• Richard Branson *, Founder of Virgin Group: Official Site, Twitter
• Gerry Faloona, Motivational Speaker: Official Site, LinkedIn, Guerrilla Marketing Presentation
• Seth Godin *, Father of Permission Marketing: Official Site, Blog, TED, Twitter
• Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield, authors of the Chicken Soup series: Mark Victor Hansen Official Site, Jack Canfield Official Site, Jack Canfield Twitter, Jack Canfield LinkedIn
• Guy Kawasaki, Marketed the Apple Macintosh in 1984: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn
• Jay Conrad Levinson, the Father of Guerrilla Marketing: Official Site, Blog, Twitter
• Joe Sugarman, Mail Order Maverick: Official Site, Twitter

Other Noteworthy Additions

• Scott Bedbury, Advertising Executive formerly associated with Nike and Starbucks: Brandstream, Twitter
• Donny Deutsch, Chairman of Deutsch Inc., an advertising agency: Official Site, Twitter
• Nancy Duarte *, Business Presentations Using Cognition and Persuasion: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn
• David T. Fagan, Icon Builder and Rainmaker: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, The Icon Builder
• Keith Ferrazzi, Sales and Marketing Consultant, Relationships of Business: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn
• Doug Firebaugh, Expert in MLM and Network Marketing: Official Site, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn
• David Frey, Small Business Marketing Best Practices: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Anders Gronstedt, Integrated Marketing Communications and Branding: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Sally Hogshead, Advertising and Personal Branding: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Chet Holmes, Business Coaching: Official Site
• Paul Lemberg, Small Business Coaching: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Harvey MacKay, Business Motivational Speaker: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn
• Michael Masterson, Author and Entrepreneur: Official Site, Early to Rise
• Eben Pagan, Online Educator: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn
• Rich Schefren, Entrepreneur: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn
• Daniel H. Pink, Business and Technology: Official Site, Twitter
• Richard G. Rosen, Convergence Marketing: Official Site
• Tony Rubleski, President of Mind Capture Group: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Don E. Schultz: Father of Integrated Marketing: Biography, Brand Finance
• Steven K. Scott, Maverick Entrepreneur: Official Site, Twitter, Facebook, Random House
• Jagdish Sheth, Professor of Marketing and Business Consultant: Official Site
• Social Media Examiner, Collective of Experts on Social Media: Official Site, Twitter
• J.F. (Jim) Straw, Mailorder Expert: Official Site, Business Lyceum
• Isaac Burton Tigrett, Founder of Hard Rock Cafe: Official Site
• Gary Vaynerchuk, author on the subjects of social media, brand building and e-commerce: Official Site, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Jerry Weintraub, Entertainment Promoter: Bibliography

Further Online Articles:

• Advertising Hall of Fame,
• Branding Hall of Fame,
• 10 Most Influential Webbies 2010,
• Top 10 SEO’s 2009,
• Adweeks 30 Most Influential Marketers 2008

Methodology

Here’s how to use this list to expand your marketing knowledge.

• All links open in a new page;
• Where a public page or profile is available, click on the individual’s name — this is usually a Wikipedia page (yes, I know Wikipedia has its faults);
• Where the individual has social links, please do follow them — most are active and provide fantastic content;
• Fame does not equal innovation. Many modern marketers simply repackage information from classical marketers. Where (in my opinion only) a marketer has truly provided some form of innovation, this will be indicated by a red asterisk after their name (*).

Missing in Action?

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