This is a book on advertising. The author uses the Mr. Whipple ads as an example of a horrible ad campaign that beats people to death with a stupid idea. (He does concede that it sold a lot of toilet paper.) The examples of the book show how to advertise in a way that engages your audience and doesn't insult their intelligence. It uses examples of Volkswagen and other companies to show what the author considers to be good advertising.
The book also talks about the process of coming up with advertising ideas. The author describes coming to work, staring at a piece of paper, talking to his office mate about movies, drawing a box on the paper, staring some more, getting some coffee, staring, going to lunch, coming back and getting a new piece of paper, drawing another box, staring at the box.....and finally at the last minute before the deadline coming up with a great idea! I appreciated the candor with which he describes the process. That section would be beneficial to anyone struggling with trying to be creative.
Overall I feel the book provides a pretty good introduction to advertising and to the advertising industry.
a creative writing students holy bible.
I'm a senior at FSU, and I read this in order to prepare myself for the creative side of advertising/ portfolio/grad school. It was on the recommended reading for more then one of the top ad schools. Originally, I found it thru the VCU website. I have to say, that as a creative writing student, I barely get any kind of advice on the advertising world. This book, was phenomenal for several reasons. First and foremost,I learned what I consider to be a great deal. Secondly, and most importantly, I laughed the entire time. Luke Sullivan is a fantastic writer, whom I feel lucky to have stumbled upon his book. I believe anyone can benefit from this easy read. It has helped give me a a great overview. On that note, I was wondering if there was a way to contact him? I'd love to pick his brain :).
Fantastic book. Wish there were more like it!
Great book!
If you want know all about ads: thats the book. Simple, fun and fast. Read two times. One for fun and other to learn.
Hungry?
If this book were a sandwich, it would be lovingly served on the bread
of your choice, still warm from the oven. It would be stuffed with mouth-watering, drool-inducing fillings. It would come with chips, cooked just so, and it would be nestled against a generous side of pickles. It would sit snuggly next to a glass of great beer frosted with
dew drops of icy condensation. Lunch time would last weeks, the hours of siesta would trickle by with glacial stealth, and every day would be Saturday. Heaven. Bliss.
But it's not a sandwich, it's a book. You cannot eat it (although some of you may try), but it's a book that needs to be savored, digested, and reflected on as the world passes by.
It's intelligent, witty, thought-provoking, and informative, but without being preachy. It's not a text book. No. It's better than that: it's a goldmine.
My copy of "Hey Whipple ..." is dog-eared, battered, abused, and well-thumbed. It has lots of little notes in the margins, in the gutters, and across the headers, and when it's shut, a patina of grubby marks graces the edges of the pages.
But it isn't shut for long. No. Not this book.
When I first read it I thought I'd won the lottery. I wanted to keep it a secret while also spending lavishly. And little by little, it gained the aforementioned adornments. Scars of battle. Badges of courage in the face
of adversity.
Sadly, this book will not make you a copywriter. Only time will do that ... time, working with people you like and can learn from, and by producing great ideas that then turn into great work that's bought by clients willing to take a chance on your off-the-wall notions of the things their brand can do.
But if you're looking to get your foot in the door of advertising, this book is your set of skeleton keys. Use it wisely, learn, enjoy, and, above everything else, have fun. And one last thought: bon appetit.