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Customer Reviews (15)

Do You Recognise the 7 Early Warning Signs of Being Conned?


297 Killer Variations on 20 Basic Headlines That Will Make The Author Rich!

Yes, I'm afraid this is a cynical review but what else is there to say?

How about this? There are 133 numbered pages in this book of which 37 pages are completely blank. (There are also several 'chapters' that end with three lines on top of an otherwise blank page, and there are an awful lot of half blank pages, but I didn't count those.)

Why are all these pages blank? So that you can write your notes there, stupid, not because it's an easy way to pad out a book! Duh!

Okay, but there are 297 Killer headlines right? It says so at the top of the table of contents!

Wrong again my friend. There are actually 20 BASIC headlines and each headline is allocated its own 'chapter' of four pages. Two of those pages will be made up of a dozen or so variations on the headline such as, 'Do you make these computer mistakes?' 'Do you Make these Web Marketing Mistakes' 'Do you make these Reading Mistakes' 'Do you make these home Plumbing mistakes' and the other two pages will be completely blank (for those notes, remember).

Clunk.

That was the sound of my head hitting the keyboard.

There's got to be something of value in this book hasn't there?

Correct.

Each so-called 'chapter' has a few lines explaining how the headline works and giving hints on making it work better, and these are definitely worth reading.

Furthermore right at the very end of the book (p87 - p94)you get a 'Bonus 50 MORE killer headlines' (his words) which are well worth having.

And there's a 'chapter' (p113-p115) on 'What do winning headlines look like', another one 'Real world examples:headlines from internet marketing' (p117-p127) and another one on '10 golden rules for writing powerful headlines' (p129 - p132) that have some golden nuggets in them.

Still, this book could have been written in 25 pages and sold for a quarter of the price .... but anyone who's read e-books knows that if you don't have a lot of content you surround it with hype and multiply the price by 10 ...

What else is there? Well, it's fairly formulaic in that it has a whole load of testimonials at the front (copywriters love these) and a Bonus#1 and Bonus#2 chapters (always at the bottom of long sales letters) and right on the front cover in big bold letters 'Bonus 2 Free CDs! $97 Value!'

The CDs didn't fall out when I opened the book, and I found nothing inside the front or back cover explaining where they were, so I looked at the front page again.

Oh dear. In smaller print, 'Details Inside'.

Hmmm, can't find them anywhere. Ah, here they are, hidden on an inside page. They look good - you only have to pay for the postage - and they might be good, but by now my cynicism is setting like concrete and I don't order.

Instead, I read to the back of the book.

'Your Next Step,' it says. 'Author David Garfinkel has created an entire, comprehensive and easy-to-use systme for writing advertising. His System is called 'Copywriting Templates.''

Cool, I think, maybe this guy is genuinely trying to help me. Let's go to the link he's given and see what he's offering.

Oops! He wants my credit card details and (wait for it) $1197

Damn!

I pick myself up and sit in my chair.

Hmmm, let's check out those testimonials once more. They were genuine, weren't they? Not from people he knew looking to help out a mate and gain some exposure at the same time? Perish the thought!

Well, you decide for yourself.

"Should be mandatory reading for business owners!"

"David Garfinkel has done it again! This masterful writer, in this on-the-button book, provides you not only with 297 killer headlines, but helps you earn $297,000 in extra profits and save $297,000 because now you won't have to run ads with less than superb headlines! If there was ever a book that should be mandatory reading for business owners, this is it. I want to give David a high-five for writing it, but I'll give him a high 297 instead!"

Jay Conrad Levinson, Author, Guerrilla Marketing series of books.

So here's my summary - some nuggets of information, cynically packaged. It's sold in a formulaic way and ended up leaving me with a very bad taste in my mouth (it cost me $47). So bad a taste that I've gone out of my way to leave this review on Amazon.com (I'm from the UK).Were the other reviewers even reading the same book?

Is it worth buying?

Yes, but know what to expect.

And if you're using these headlines then use them honestly. There's nothing worse than buyers remorse, which can lead to lousy reviews like this.

Top-Notch Methods and Examples in Highly Usable Format
Every business owner should study copywriting, even if they plan to hire experts to do it for them.And David Garfinkel is a master teacher of this craft.

Writing headlines and copy is probably the most pure marketing skill that there is, and learning to craft a compelling selling message is an exercise in classic salesmanship...

Just like a great headline, this book is quick to the punch and delivers a ton of value to the reader.David Garfinkel is among the top copywriters in the country and he has spent many years learning how to persuade people to pay attention to and then read his sales letters.

Because if the headline doesn't grab their attention they are throwing the marketing message in the trash or clicking out.And if the letter or ad doesn't continue to intrigue them, they don't finish it.And you know what happens when they don't finish it?

Nothing. (They don't buy, or call you, or take any other action that you want them to take)

The proven answers showing HOW TO write compelling copy that will get read and acted upon are given in this book, as well as great examples.

Powerful, Practical, and Profit Producing...
David Garfinkel is a master copywriting teacher. Period. End of story.

In this practical guide to writing headlines he provides a solid foundation upon which you can build to create your own powerful, profit-producing headlines...which is just what the title promises.No more, no less.The book doesn't bog you down in theories of what works and what doesn't, it doesn't waste your time with lengthy explanations of underlying logic, and it doesn't overwhelm you with too much information.It cuts to the chase, gives you specific formats you can use to create effective headlines,and provides reinforcing information to support your implementation...which is exactly what I expected and wanted, and what the title led me to believe I would get.

BOTTOM LINE:No disappointment here.I have no axe to grind in debating who is the best copywriter in the world and no interest in looking for solutions that don't work.I wanted a great tool that would help me write headlines that would grow my business...Garfinkel's book delivered exactly that and I will anxiously await his next!

Dr. Michael Hudson
www.BigIdeaGuru.com

The Lazy Writer's Way To Powerful, Profitable Headlines
David Garfinkel has a well-established reputation for being the world's best teacher of how to sell stuff with words . . .and if you take a look at this book, you'll see why.

In "Advertising Headlines That Make You Rich: Create Winning Ads, Web Pages, Sales Letters And More", David takes a cue from "Penn & Teller" . . . he pulls back the curtain and shows you the "magic" behind many of the most profitable and most versatile headlines of all time.

As a professional copywriter, I'm constantly wracking my brain for new hooks and headlines for ads for my products and those of my clients. David's book has become an invaluable resource for me, dramatically cutting the time it takes me to craft a killer headline and giving me the inside info I need not just to know *what* works, but to know *why* it works.

If you need to sell stuff, buy this book.

Chris Haddad
haddadink.com

I use it every day!...belongs on your desk as one of your most powerful and highly practical business writing tools


"Advertising Headlines That Make You Rich" is another solid winner by David Garfinkel and belongs on your desk as one of your most powerful and highly practical business writing tools... one you ought to pick up and learn from every day.Using just three of the headline writing suggestions in this book helped me increase sales by 48% within the last 45 days.And if you really follow the guidelines it should do at least that well for you too.

Many business people now understand that great headlines in their salescopy make a huge difference in their bottom line, and give them a fighting chance at the potential customer's business... but time and time again they screw it up by trying to be clever or "funny," or they hit the customer with a verbal hammer over the head.Or even worse, they hire some gunfighter "copywriter" with heavy metal music blasting in his headphones and a "jerk" attitude who calls them "dude" and promises "cash sucking" results or other nonsense.Let's not even talk about those who just roll over and play dead by hiring a semi-English speaker off of "E-lance" to save a buck.Much better is to learn a few tricks of the trade yourself and put them to good use.After all you know your product much better than that "gunfighter" can... or even cares to.

If you are not willing or able to hire a quality copywriter (which you should if you can), there's no need to despair, because David Garfinkel has made writing copy that really sells a possibility for anyone who wants to spend a little time and learn the most powerful methods in just a day or two of study and practice... the most important element, the headline!Even if you do end up hiring a quality copywriter, this book will help you detect if he or she is doing a good job.

What sells is what sells.Business people with an eye to long term success in their endeavors need to understand how to stand on the shoulders of previous giants.In this book he shows you how to do exactly that, proving once again why he is known as the "World's Greatest Copywriting Teacher."The book delivers on its promise, which is show you how to create effective headlines which really sell -- easily and efficiently.

Stop wondering why your sales are as slow and messy as a slug.Get the book and use it every day and start zipping along.You will find that not only does it help you write far more "resultful" headlines for your sales copy, it will also have a dramatic effect on how you view and personally practice the selling process and how to get better results, i.e. more sales!After all, a good headline is pretty much the same as getting your head "straight and simple"(and getting your customer's head straight) about the importance and value of your product or service.This book is worth far more than this meager price in building your business... and you can only get this clarity and guidance from David Garfinkel.Those who have floundered around with other courses know it best... which is why they call him the best copywriting teacher and his courses as the best copywriting courses!
... Read more

Product Description
"If the images don't inspire you to think differently, there probably isn't much that will."—Dynamic Graphics

Twenty years ago an advertiser could reach eighty percent of the American population with just three television commercials. Today it takes 150. Advertising is suffering because of the lack of innovation within the traditional advertising formats and the power that media fragmentation and technology give to consumers to tune out the noise.

The new buzzwords are guerrilla, stealth, ambush, buzz, viral, grassroots, wildfire, and ambient, and Tom Himpe is the first to harness them into an integrated communications approach. There is no longer one route to grab consumer attention, and Advertising is Dead is the only complete survey of this global shift. 435 color illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Long live ad!
This book is a great reference for those who wants to have a different way to think about what advertising can be.Good images and greats texts make this boook the number 1 in my library

Viva la Advertising!Inspirational Ideas, Stunts & Advertising for You
Tom Himpe, the author of this book and the new Advertising Next (2008), has composed a very inspirational, thoughtful, humorous, visually stimulating set of campaigns, ideas, and visuals that focus on "alternative advertising".

What is "alternative advertising" you ask?Well- think about what you know of keywords such as "guerrilla", "viral", "new media", "grassroots", "socially impactful", and "non-traditional creative"... it doesn't focus on interactive but that's not what this book is about so don't let that hang you up- there's plenty other resources for that- but its definitely a fantastic cornucopia of visual communication on what has been done.If you want to get the book to copy the ideas, don't... but if you're looking for something to help get the ideas to flow and would like a bit of a laugh while you're at it- this book is for you.Really, I do highly recommend it.I carried it around in my car for about 3 months as a bit of a brainstorming aid, especially for high impact and grand scale ideas to get the word spreading!It still sits in an easily accessible part of my bookshelves when I start campaign processes for ideas and need something to get the juices going.There is no dust settled on this resource!

If you're a media planner, a creative, a principal, a brand manager, a marketer, or a student- check it out at your local bookstore before purchasing on here.I'm sure once you see it- you'll probably buy it right then & there... it's definitely engaging.Hope this helps on your decision-- overall, a big 4 stars.The only reason it's not 5 is that the focus is on what has been done-- its your job to focus on the strategy, creative, and implementation for what will be in the next books! ... Read more

Product Description
How advertising agencies create successful campaigns

* From the creative brief to the campaign--a full overview of the advertising process

An introduction to the advertising process, The Fundamentals of Creative Advertising provides students with an understanding of how advertising agencies create and produce ad campaigns. The focus is on the various media available to the advertiser, the thinking and planning behind the campaign, the creative brief, and most importantly, the creative solution and execution of the ad campaign. Interviews with influential advertising professionals and revealing case studies are presented in a clear, thoughtful layout with supporting illustrations and photographs. Authoritative and easy to understand, this book is a necessity for everyone interested in the art of advertising. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Once read
...it feels the one book I could do wihtout. I know it's supposed to provide fundamentals but it's really the first and only book of advertising that's given me absolutely nothing.
For me it was a waste of money. ... Read more

Product Description
"If political advertising did not exist, we would have to invent it," writes Katherine Hall Jamieson in her widely praised study, Packaging the Presidency. Now in a new Third Edition, Jamieson expands her authoritative analysis of political advertising, looking at the media campaigns of American presidents from the early days of the republic to the successful 1992 Clinton campaign. Chronicling the evolution of the campaign ad from political songs and slogans through the handbill and newspaper cartoon to radio and television coverage, an argument emerges that is subtle but persuasive: though often equivocal, and even downright sleazy, political advertising is vital in reminding voters of the choices at the heart of democracy.

Much of the book, appropriately, focuses on the powerful media campaigns of the post-war period. In individual chapters devoted to presidential campaigns since 1952, the claims of media strategists, campaign memos, and journalists frame discussions on the impact of candidates from Adlai Stevenson, Richard Nixon, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan to the country's more recent high-profile and media savvy canditates such as Ross Perot and Bill Clinton. This new edition covers such issues as the new forms of exposition created by cable television that so powerfully impacted the 1992 campaign. The wide variety of venues, including MTV and the Nashville Network, coupled with almost daily appearances on morning talk shows, afforded candidates the ability to reach audiences by the millions in "news-ads" that served as free extended commercials. Jamieson points out the success of Ross Perot's unconventional revival of the thirty-minute program spot--an important innovation that reflected both the power of the modern-day "infomercial" and marked a radical change in previously held notions about the viewing electorate's response to longer forms of candidate sponsored communication. Jamieson also addresses the increasing prevalence of "adwatchs," in which the press polices the fairness and accuracy of campaign accusations, offering the public a greater opportunity to assess the claims made in political ads, and giving opponents the enhanced ablitity to use news corrections in counter ads. And we see how campaign intrigue reached a new high with satellite tracking that allowed candidates to capture copies of ads as they went on the air. "We would put ads on the satellite that we weren't going to run," recalls Clinton campaign manager James Carville, "just to freak them out. Fake spots, so they would have to put some time and money together and respond to it."

Just as political advertising is neither as innocent or invidious as it is frequently described, voters are more independent than cynics (and perhaps political advertisers) would like to believe. And as we approach the twenty-first century, with the cloak of television shadowing the country, voters are becoming increasingly more informed. As this fine study convincingly demonstrates, the successful "packaging" of presidents is a complex, and far from automatic, process. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Brilliant as Always....
I was required to read this book for a course and was my first experience with Kathleen Hall Jamieson and I am now one of her biggest fans.

She provides thoughtful, non-partisan analysis (rare in this age of personal commentary) of political advertisements.She discusses what worked, what didn't and why in a clear, thought-provoking yet easy to read manner.

Some of her best work.If you are interested in advertising or politics this book is a must have.

This book is good
Jamison has successfully covered the intricasies of presidential campaign advertising from the beginning of the Republic up to the 1992 campaign.Awell organized and thoughtful book that is easy to read.

The refrence in political advertising
This book is probably the msot thoughful about presidential campaign advertising. You read it like a novel!

Jamieson opens the door of
Packaging the presidency is the most complete and accurate book about presidential advertising and communication of the period ending with the 1992 presidential election. Sometimes humorous, sometimes cynical, KathleenJamieson takes us in a travel back in time within the intricacies ofpolitical communication strategies. This is the best book that I have everread on this subject. This book was recommended to me by another Presidencyspecialist, Stephen J. Wayne, when I was studying at Georgetown: this bookis really a must read! Thanks Kathleen and thanks Professor Wayne. ... Read more

Product Description
Featuring over 1,400 full-color photographs, this book is much more than just a beautiful look at tins. It includes sizes, types, shapes, manufacturers, and current market values for every photograph featured. A complete index simplifies locating any tin. Plus there's great information on valuation, condition, age, care, and cleaning. The tins are divided into sections, such as automotive, cleaners, contraception, cosmetic, dental, guns, medical, fishing, sewing, polishes, samples, shaving, spices, soaps, and others. 1999 values. AUTHORBIO: David Zimmerman has collected advertising tins since 1978. His collection of tins is proudly displayed in his 1861 farm home. 'I won't collect anything I can't display,' he says. He lives in a small farming town just a few miles northeast of Cincinnati, Ohio. REVIEW: Preceding the hundreds of color photographs of advertising tins, this book gives information on manufacturers, samples, condition, value, and age of tins, as well as tips on care and cleaning of tins. There is even an informative section on warehouse finds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Advertising Tins Collectors Enjoy, Enjoy !!
Updated, 2nd edition of the beautiful guide offers 1400 full color, large, sharp photos.The 272 page library volume features beautiful laminated hard back covers.No duplicates from the previous edition.Contentsinclude learning about tins, value, condition, age, tin makers, warehousefinds.Categories of tin collectibles range from automotive,contraceptive, cosmetic and hygenic, to phono needles, samples, typewriterand watch parts.Estimated values are shown. A handy index covers over6,600 items.Very interesting and informative book that advertising tincollectors are sure to enjoy. ... Read more

Product Description
Vividly reminiscent of the goings-on at Sterling Cooper—the late nights, the three-martini lunches, the sex on couches, and, of course, the actual work of plugging products—this is the story of what Madison Avenue was really like in the ’60s. A worldwide bestseller when first published in 1970, this frank, irreverent, and hilarious memoir is a one-of-a-kind cult classic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Great stories. One of my absolute favorite books.
I loved this book. Even though it was written in 1970 it is a keenly insightful journey into the business of advertising from a man who is a legend.

NOTE OF CAUTION - There are anecdotes in this book that got me laughing so hard, tears were running down my face. This can cause problems if you are eating alone. People think you are either severely despondent, choking, or a nut job.

In any case, it is worth reading if you like to laugh while you learn.

Nostalgia
This was a fun read for someone who remembers ads that were popular 40 years ago.(This is the 40th anniversary reissue of Mr. Della Femina's book.)I suspect, however, that younger readers will never have heard of Braniff Airways, much less its pastel colored airplanes.The same would be true for many, if not most, of the other examples described in the book.It was instructive to read Mr. Della Femina's amazement at annual salaries that wouldn't attract a mailroom clerk four decades later.

Clearly over hyped

I watched Jerry Della Femina's interview on Imus and his book sounded like a winner, you know, a precursor to the Mad Men series. What a disappointment. If Mad Men was this boring, I wouldn't watch the show. His writing style is matter of fact wisecracking with few names mentioned (to protect the guilty or absurd) and the supposed hijinx he describes are just not interesting. I have to admit I didn't finish the book and am just hoping I can get maybe 50 cents from it in our next garage sale!

Mediocre at best
I thought the book had been updated to the 21st century but it is the same as the original edition with a modern introduction. It is a good book for those of us who were in the work force during the late 60's / early 70's but the stories in the book won't mean much to someone born in the 70's or later.

Fabulous if you're into advertising
This is a must-read for anyone who is in or is thinking about going into advertising as a career. It gives a real inside look of the insanity of the big agencies and really the industry itself. Even though it was written a number of years ago, it's still very relevant. Technology may have changed, but people really haven't. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is carefully structured to follow the basic sequence of tasks with which a planner is concerned. There are chapters on formulating the core strategy, how to tranform that strategy into an inspiring brief, evaluating the effectiveness of advertising and the broader influence of planning. How to Plan Advertising is a clear, informative and entertaining book, written for anyone who is interested in the way in which advertising is developed in agencies. It provides a foundation of knowledge for those embarking upon a career in advertising, and is an essential reference for all students of business and marketing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great primer on account planning
I bought this book five years ago when I was studying advertising as an undergrad.I knew that I wanted to pursue account planning so I picked up every book I possibly could, and this was one of them.Overall I found it to be a great primer on account planning.Like a lot of planning books its highly UK focused (not surprising considering that is where planning originated, but still discusses a lot of universal issues and processes that are relevant to US planners years after it was first printed.

The book covers everything from the planning context to creative briefs to campaign evaluation.It's pretty comprehensive in nature and has a lot of great theory and case study examples.Although I currently do not reference it as often as I used to, I sometimes go to it when I need a process chart or am looking for some verbage to use in a research proposal.

I think the greatest asset of this book is it helps an aspiring planner get up to speed on all the aspects of the job and provides a good foundation.Obviously nothing takes the place of doing the job and getting hands on experience but as far as books go this one provides a great understanding of the theory and practices.

The main difference between this book and Truth, Lies and Advertising : The Art of Account Planning and this book is that the former is more conversationally written, where this one is a little more process-driven and dry.Neither one is necessarily better or worse than another but if you find you more enjoy antidotes and case studies you might like the former more.However, if you are more drawn to process, principles, and theories you'll likely like this book.

Overall, it's a great book and one I am considering adding to my course reading for an account planning course I am teaching this fall.Is it the one resource I would recommend every planner not be without, probably not, but it still offers a wealth of information and insight. ... Read more

Product Description
Two great traditions--fine art and American advertising--intersect, interact, and explode off the page as ad man Barry Hoffman examines the twentieth century's appropriation of highbrow art to sell us the products we love.

Filled with vibrant ads that playfully use art-history icons--such as da Vinci's Mona Lisa, Michelangelo's David, Botticelli's Venus, and Warhol's soup cans--as well as rarely seen commissioned art from masters such as Willem de Kooning, Jacob Lawrence, and Rene Magritte, Hoffman shows how the boundaries between fine art and advertising have disappeared. In fact, today's cutting-edge artists, such as Damien Hirst, Barbara Kruger, and Jeff Koons, are all part of the ad game.

Seasoning each provocative chapter ("The High Art of Class Lust," "Pop Goes the Easel," "The Greatest Degeneration") with wry observations from art world personalities and advertising luminaries, Hoffman shows us how narrow the gap between art and advertising really is.

So if you like art (even though you don't follow it closely), and advertising (even while you hate the fact that you can't escape it), the irreverent, irrepressible, irresistibly ironic Barry Hoffman gives you Both for the Price of One. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

well crafted book
if you are looking for an art meets advertising intro book, this mgiht be for you. it just touches the surface and is an interesting read

The Art in Ads
This is a book that will appeal to everyone interested in the connection between art and advertising, how they have influenced each other and continue to do so. It provides a short course in both art history and ad history. The writing is alive and engaging. There are hundreds of ads accompanied by the art that influenced them. Missing, however, is any mention of the early Kodak ads based on photos by Ansel Adams, Paul Strand, Edward Weston, and more recently Paul Caponigro, Jerry Uelsmann and others. ... Read more

Product Description
How do you orchestrate the next great advertising campaign? Find out with ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN STRATEGY: A GUIDE TO MARKETING COMMUNICATION PLANS. Inside you'll see step-by-step how to take a great idea through the complete advertising process. And because it's focused on campaigns, ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN STRATEGY: A GUIDE TO MARKETING COMMUNICATION PLANS is loaded with the tips you'll need to succed in the class now and get your project chosen in the future. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

This Book
This book was fairly expensive, but was very helpful toward the campaign project I had to use it for. It helped organize my group and I was the only one who had it, so we referred to it a lot. I would definitely recommend it to anyone that needed it for a campaigns class or just wants to know the process of organizing a campaign in advertising.

Happy
The book came quickly and in pretty good shape.Little to no markings.Overall a good buy.

Dry as Toast
I am using this text for an intermediate-level advertising course and it is so incredibly tedious I think I might die.For every point there are endless paragraphs of explanations but very few examples.This leaves the reader feeling like he or she is reading a technical manual.I would not recommend this for any course unless the instructor was going to supplement with valuable lectures to illustrate this dry and dull text.

Excellent and Helpful!!!
This is a great book for ad student, professionals and amateurs. Is very compact with a lot of informatiion especially in ad estrategys and marketing. You can understand very well the concept of how it works the advertising and the marketing together in this complex topic of the advertising bussiness. Is a great deal!

Great Service
I received the book in great timing and it was exactly as described. Good Job! ... Read more

Product Description
This book will help you and your business move from information to insight to inspiration. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Perfect
Great book. I love you Amazon. Skip the school lines and get your materials here. I saved over $250 by shopping on Amazon.com

required text book for adv grad student
well, this is a required text book of adv grad. I think the book tell readers something deep of the connection between consumer and brand

easy interesting read
I found this to be easy to read because of the way the material is presented and also because the font is huge! relative to other business books or books, in general.It's very informative and interesting at the same time.

Great Advice for Consumers and Those Who Love Them
Who would have thought that a book that tells us how to
market something we may not need to people who may
not want to buy it could be bright, interesting and worth
the price?

"Hitting the Sweet Spot" is written to teach students and
professional marketers, and advertisers and others how
to stay in touch and truly understand their target
audiences. That's not necessarily a bad thing, even for
those who think we're too busy buying and selling
already.

I read this from a consumer's perspective and found it educational. Not once, after I opened the pages, was I tempted to sneer at the point of the book--teaching people how to sell. Why? Because the book strikes me as honest.

Yes, it's teaching kids and others to persuade someone else to do something, perhaps something they don't want. But at no time is there a hint of deception or arm twisting. It's simply a guide to knowing your market.

That's something anyone who works with potential customers in any
venue--and that's a lot of us, folks--needs to understand.

This book will teach you some terminology--early adopters vs. laggards, account planning, laddering and more--that is creeping into ordinary vocabulary, has applications well beyond plain old advertising and therefore must be understood. For those of us who live in this intensely consumer society, I recommend this book because it's really, after all, about us.

The book is written in a comfortably breezy manner, easily read by high school students and up, by Lisa Fortini-Campbell, a top-ranking woman in the advertising/marketing field. She offers us both theory and practical help, in sections ranging from defining the reason for understanding consumers to working with others to achieve goals.

Smart � Pragmatic � Fun
Hitting the Sweet Spot is a classic in the field of marketing literature.Fortini-Campbell's insights came before the dot.com revolution and they have even greater application with the marekting evolution that has come with the web and permission marketing.She combines theory with practical exercises. The Sweet Spot provides a highway from Data to Information to Insight to Inspiration and leads you to becoming an urban anthropolgist and savvy marketing strategist. Whether reading it for the first time or the fifteenth, you will find it indispensable. If you are a marketeer who wants to be continue learning and getting better, sharper, and smarter consumer insights, this is one great road to take. ... Read more

Product Description
Digital Signage gives you macro and micro views of the burgeoning digital signage industry. Whether you are looking for new opportunities or to expand your business, with this book you will be able to clearly understand and accurately analyze the developments, trends and projections. As part of the NAB Executive Technology Briefing series, this book features the future impact of the technology across many different industries and platforms.Explanations of hardware such as displays, servers, and PCs, software such as dynamic on-screen content and software management programs, and technologies like systems integrations and network infrastructures are all covered.

* Part of the NAB Executive Technology Briefing series, which brings you industry technology information in a non-technical fashion
* Comprehensive introduction to Digital Signage software, hardware, technologies, trends, projections and how to approach the industry
* Covers business aspects and market conditions ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Find out what attributes successful digital signage systems must have
In addition to getting a general overview of the industry (what digital signage is, who the stakeholders and some of the bigger players are, possible business models and approaches to measuring return on objectives and investments), you will also get high-level discussions of the roles played by different stakeholders in the digital signage value chain (Set Goals -> Content Creation -> Content Production -> Content Management -> Content Distribution -> Content Publication) and what capabilities successful systems must provide (e.g., planning and scheduling, content security, proof of playback, dynamic screen zones, network control).Overall, a good primer!

ALOOHA
Very good book to start and understand this new business of Digital Signage from a general point of view

One word "Superb"
Very well written and easy to follow. Gives a complete breakdown of the industry and the technology behind Digital Signage. Highly recommended to anyone looking to get an overview of the Digital Signage market.

Light up the future with Digital Signage
The world of advertising is changing. This book goes to the heart of how that's playing out in public spaces everywhere as posters and billboards go digital.

Digital signage platforms offer a compelling alternative for advertisers seeking a complete marketing mix. Jimmy Schaeffler's book of the same name, Digital Signage: Software, Networks, Advertising, and Displays, is a guide to the fundamentals behind this new movement that gets past the buzz and into the key business and technology drivers.

Schaeffler, the consummate new media analyst, brings a unique perspective to these developments for the benefit of the reader.

As I've written elsewhere about the bigger picture ("Give me a digital sign", 07/08, ©2008 Howard Greenfield):

The days of static billboards, posters and traditional advertising signage are numbered. Marketers can now reach their audience in new places. Digital signage will be a $2.6B business by 2010.

This new world of "remotely managed digital display, typically tied in with sales, marketing, and advertising" is available today (think Times Square), and will become more dominant in the next few years, says Carmel Group analyst Jimmy Schaeffler in his new book, Digital Signage.

According to Schaeffler, advertising is moving to digital signage because new ads, communication campaigns, and specials can be updated and targeted to specific audiences in real time. With sleek, flat-screen display hardware costing a tenth of what it did only a few years ago, the wait is over for functional, cost-effective digital signage deployment. Marketers should jump in! Just keep three tips in mind:

1. Plan projects and content around expected audience growth.
2. Test. Conduct measured testing to make sure the system and audience reaction are on target.
3. Expand. Map out the growing market, and move quickly.

Digital signage is a new medium that follows traditional direct marketing principles. "The key" says Graeme Spicer, Director of Retail Strategy at Canada's DW+Partners, "is to get the right content into the right place to the right person." Just make sure you understand its unique public-space and scalability issues when deploying it.

The Point: Techno advances are turning billboards and other signs live! It's time to consider a major jump into digital signage. In this rapidly emerging field, Schaeffler's book is an essential read for those wishing to stay apprised of what's happening today and what's just around the corner.

©2008 All Rights Reserved

... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Fantastic!
Great book! One of a few albums that I could browse over and over again. Fantastic source of inspiration with fresh and sharp ideas.
A must!

awesome
the most witty advertisments ever published!
genius
this is one of my favourite books....

Buy it now
Fantastic, amazing, incredible. I did miss a couple of campaigns, but overall it's a great advertising book, bringing a lot of campaigns from different years together.

Very Good
I was interested for this book because of a friend. It is excellent, I recommends for everybody that likes advertising and needs references.

Outstanding Book.
This book has a nice review of the best ads of 2005/2006. I would recommend it for collectors. Very nice quality also on the cover. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

This book should be reissued.
Why this book isn't back on production and a requirement for any advertising related classes is beyond me.

This is an amazing book that highlights the creative revolution and the guys who started it.

The images are large and easy to see and show people with some useful information also... Just, wow.

Guaranteed to make you feel bad about your own work!
A great review of some of the finest advertising ever created. A little DDB-centric, but that's to be expected, as they were hands-down the driving force behind the creative revolution. Absolutely worth buying, if you can find a copy at a reasonable price.

The best history of the creative revolution
In the sixties and seventies, Doyle Dane Bernbach was the toast of New York advertising, revolutionizing the look, style, and standards of creative work.This is the best book about that golden period, and one ofthe better books about advertising, period.

I sincerely wish someonewould reprint this work.It should be required reading for everyadvertising student - and every brand manager, for that matter. ... Read more

Product Description
As advertising expenditures in the U.S. continue toincrease, the pressure for campaigns to achieve stated goals andproduce a return on investment is intensifying. DAGMAR (DefiningAdvertising Goals for Measured Advertising Results), one of the ANA'smost popular publications, helps ensure that your advertisingstrategies stay on target. This book demonstrates how you can meetyour advertising objectives by using clearly defined goal-settingprocedures and ongoing achievement measurements.DAGMAR provides anin-depth analysis of how to measure advertising results, how theadvertising process works and how to define advertising goals. Itspractical and hard-hitting content is supported by examples, chartsand descriptions, all designed to ensure that brand marketers improvethe effectiveness and cost-efficiency of any advertising campaign. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Clarity
One of the biggest problems I run across as a Marketing Communications Manager is how people define their marketing and advertising goals.Often they mix marketing and advertising objectives and strategies. This book not only helps clarify these but gives excellent examples.In addition, it shows why setting specific goals is paramount to your success.How many times have you received a brief from marketing with the goal of increasing sales? Or decreasing churn?This book will help you prove your successes (and failures). ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description

Advertising is a ubiquitous and powerful force, seducing us into buying wanted and sometimes unwanted products and services, donating to charity (even to causes we have not heard of before), voting for political candidates (even of questionable reputation), and changing our health-related lifestyles for better or worse. The impact of advertising is often subtle and implicit, but sometimes blatant and impossible to overlook.

This book discusses key topics from the fields of social and consumer psychology. Important questions are addressed in the volume such as:

• What impact does advertising have on consumer behaviour? What causes this impact?
• What are the psychological processes responsible for the effectiveness of advertising?
• How do consumers make sense of advertising messages?
• What messages "get across" and when and why?

This is the first book to offer a comprehensive and state-of-the-art overview of the psychological findings on the impact of advertising, and to discuss this research in the context of recent developments in the fields of social and consumer psychology. It presents and discusses results of both classic and contemporary studies in an engaging style that avoids highly technical language.

The authors have included a glossary of frequently used concepts which assist student comprehension, making it a unique and invaluable volume for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, as well as researchers and lecturers in social psychology, marketing, and communications. It is also a useful resource for professionals working in advertising, public health, public services and political communication.

Product Description
More than a means of moving merchandise, advertising has been increasingly recognized not only as an art form all of its own, but also as a defining element of popular culture. Advertising Today provides a thematic overview of the evolution of advertising around the world over the past thirty years, charting influences from the political and social upheavals of the 1960s to the influence of the Internet in the 1990s. Each chapter includes an interview with a key figure in advertising – including Italy's Oliviero Toscani of the controversial Benetton campaigns, American comedian and American-Express spokesperson Jerry Seinfeld, and British adman John Hegarty of Bartle Boyle Hegarty, creator of the world-famous Levi's ads. In analysing specific advertisements, the book simultaneously acts as a history of sorts of global pop culture and a record of the social, cultural, and geo-political temperature-changes that affect our image-saturated environment. Included are over 500 advertisements originally seen in a wide range of media: print, television, billboards, the Internet, and even the very recent, so-called 'guerrilla' advertising – in which practically anything (pieces of fruit, sand dunes on a beach, sidewalks) can act as a surface for promoting a product. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Got advertising?
Hardly anyone outside the industry itself has a high opinion of advertising, and I'm probably no different -- most of the time. However, I've long appreciated the occasional high degree of originality and wit of which ad writers and artists have shown themselves capable, especially since the late 1950s. This fat volume brings all of them together, beginning with Volkwagen's groundbreaking "Think Small" campaign. There are chapters on the influence of European copywriting on American ads, the development of a new "visual language," the rise of backhanded "oddvertising," the growth of advertising as a reflection of (and finally an agent of) social change, and the advent of guerilla anti-advertising, each of them an entertaining and instructive mix of graphics and text. There's even a separate chapter on the ups and downs of the famous and long-running "Got Milk?" campaign. This gorgeous book will keep you studying the artwork and reading the discussions far into the night.

Great Layout, very up-to-date with today's top Ad firms
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful....not only because I'm in it, (brother used me in one of his shoots for Village Voice campaign)...but, buying this book is a great way to see innovation and artistry normally slated for galleries...

rave reviews for this book
As the proud author, just wanted to share w/readers some of the recent press reviews for Advertising Today:
"An amazing book," says Esquire magazine; a 4-star rating from Maxim magazine; Village Voice says "media archaelogists will pore over it for decades to come"; praised on ABC World News; on her radio show, Joan Rivers called it "fabulous" & the hot new coffee table book; J. Walter Thompson pres. Bob Jeffrey says, "Never has a book captured the heart and soul of advertising as much as Advertising Today."

You get a lot of book for your money
This isn't just a book for ad students and insiders, though I imagine they'd love it. I'm not an ad junkie myself, but I happen to love this book because it's a very different and interesting coffee table book, that you can spend hours looking at. The ads featured in the book are amazing - funny, clever, intriguing, sometimes works of art in themselves. And the captions explain what's going on, all that sly thinking and logic behind the ads. I find it's the kind of book that really gets people talking. But be forewarned - it's a huge book, so make sure you have a strong coffee table!

The Curmudgeon
Warren is the best there is when it comes to reviewing the current Ad scene. However there are some factaul errors in the book. i.e. He talks about the breakthrough work that PKL did for Smirnof vodka in the sixties... It was'nt for Smirnof, it was for Wolfschmidt Vodka. Even more important was the work PKL did to launch the first Xerox dry copier, with the famous "Monkey" commercial.
However, the most dramatic ommision was that there was absolutely no mention of Jack Tinker Associates, the InterPublic think tank that kick started Mary Wells into Wells Green Inc.
Otherwise, a great book.
Warren, email me, Ive lost your phone number.
George Parker ... Read more

Product Description
The advertising community's premiere showcase of print ads from around the world. This exquisite Annual is arranged into trade categories such as automotive, beauty & cosmetics, food, corporate and sports. Over 300 examples of single ads and campaigns, plus detailed credits and indexes ensure that art directors, account managers, and graphic designers will find this edition an invaluable reference. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is an examination of how American advertising both mirrors society and creates it.From the first newspaper advertisement in colonial times to the latest Web sites for advertising agencies, Soap, Sex and Cigarettes explores how advertising grew in America, how products and brands were produced and promoted, and how advertisements and agencies reflect and introduce cultural trends and issues.The threads of art, industry, culture, and technology unify the work.The text is chronological in its organization and is lavishly illustrated with advertisements. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

10 Reasons Why You Should Take a Look
Soap, Sex, and Cigarettes: A Cultural History of American Advertising is a useful supplementary textbook for any student or professional interested in Advertising, Branding, and Marketing.If you are on the fence about purchasing this book, here are 10 easy reasons why you should take a look:

1.Chronological Chapters: From 1492 to "Advertising for Today and Tomorrow", Sivulka provides an easy reference for delving into a particular era or flipping through to walk through American Advertising.

2.Engaging Examples: Starting with page one there are three historical examples of advertising and the book offers a wealth of images- a lot of them humorous and engaging in comparison to society now.For example, an 1884 trade card using chromolithography, showing a man proposing and the female stating "Yes on condition that you buy me a 'Domestic' with new wood work and attachments" and 1962's "I dreamed I took the bull by the horns... in my maidenform bra" (visual on page 327... and yes there is a woman in her bra holding a bull by the horn).

3.Telling Timelines: You will find many interesting timelines in this book: historical dates, brands, advertising firsts, woman's suffrage, early radio, television... beneficial for students with term papers and the professional looking for presentation facts for a meeting.

4.Say it again, Sam: Memorable Slogans: Almost every chapter has the progression of "Memorable Slogans" that you will most likely recall or find amusing, even if only from movies, television and online.

5.Celebrity Callouts: Many chapters feature a callout of a key person in advertising history.This is a helpful resource for learning about key players personally and is extremely useful in referencing for building credibility... and they are fun, easy to read.

6.Taste of the Times: Each chapter contains "A Taste of the Times" which puts you into the right historical setting and the events that are occuring as the chapter proceeds- a beneficial feature for more insight.

7.Cream of the Crop: Bests & Favorites: From Favorite TV Jingles & Best TV Commercials over the years in later chapters.It is always advantageous to review and know what has succeeded in history, from war tactics to advertising and graphic design.Becoming a student of history's bests is a knowledge that is impressive and useful.

8.Status & Sex: Well-known throughout history is the use of someone's status/aspirations and sex in advertising.This book addresses these tactics head-on in a refreshing and tongue-in-cheek manner at times.

9.Impressive Index: In the back of this textbook is a index with every large historical event and specific brands, agencies and terms used often.If you need to find out about Erte or Etch A Sketch, they are right there for easy reference.

10.Easy on the Back:Unlike the majority of textbooks that not only build your brain, but your biceps as well, this book by Thomson/Wadsworth is small, light and easy to carry.A lot of information in a small, colorful package.

Cons: I did find some inconsistencies in details of information from time to time in this book, like with Coca-Cola for example.Yet the book with all of its callouts and humorous examples makes it worth it for simply the laughs and guffaws at American History.Also, this textbook is a bit outdated for the last chapters-- 1998 is over 10 years ago now, but thank goodness this is studying history!You'll still find it useful and engaging.

Overall, I am more than happy to recommend this book to anyone (student or professional) seeking a book on the American History of Advertising, or a conversation starting pop-culture book for the coffee table.

Neither History nor Cultural History
The Sivulkas' work is a rather long narrative of American advertising -- with very little to offer beyond reproductions of some rather commonplace ads from the last two hundred years.Much of the information they offer seems to come from other sources, and there is no real bibliography to the book. It is most misleadingly titled "cultural history" since there is so very little to the book beyond a chronology, and that is full of mistakes, over-simplifications, and such bland statements that there is nothing to be learned from this book. Others have written much better and more meaningfulthings about the history of advertising, and charged less than [$$] for it.

Look at yourself
If you want to understand American culture you can see how advertising has taken what is already in the culture and made it an industry to sell dreams...and of course the products these dreams represent.

As someone who teaches advertising concepts I found this book a very good intro to understanding advertising and having students see how it is not separate from the culture.

Written in a very readable style, I recco the book to anyone teaching advertising to creatives or to anyone interested in American culture.

Great reference, name is a bit of a misnomer, though...
Advertising has been around since the dawn of civilization.The ancient Greeks created signs for their theatres and any open-air market of any ancient culture shows evidence of signage advertising different wares.With the invention of the printing press and movable type, however, the age of information and advertising truly began.

The history of American advertising is as packed with dates, places, people and events as any other slice of American history, and in "Soap, Sex and Cigarettes" Juliann Sivulka has done an exhaustive job of outlining these very things.With chapters going from 1492-1800, beginning with the colonization of the States, through the Roaring 20's and ending with "1990s and Beyond:The Media Revolution", this book should be required reading for any marketing/advertising undergrad.Indeed, considering the density of the material-- as thorough as any text on the Revolutionary War-- I imagine it IS required collegiate reading for students entering these professions.

The book is packed with various illustrations of real ads from the time periods, and one could easily get an overview of American advertising by simply leafing through the pages and looking at the ads and how they evolve from a 1608 London woodcut pamphlet advertising the New World ("Excellent fruites by Planting in Virginia") to the modern "Just Do It" and "Got Milk?" high glossy ad campaigns.The text is ordered and well written and can be read both as collegiate material and as casual reading (though there are a LOT of dates, places, times and events for the casual reader).The author frequently includes common ad slogans throughout the book that have become staples of American advertising:"His masters voice", "I'd walk a mile for a Camel", "Remember:only YOU can prevent forest fires" and "melts in your mouth, not in your hand" to name just a VERY few.There are also brief timelines of some of the highlights of product inventions that advertising impacted, such as Twinkies introduction in 1930 (originally filled with banana creme), pet rocks in 1975 and the new age of advertising begun in 1989 by Nissan's Infiniti where the actual product was never shown.

The book is subtitled "A Cultural History of American Advertising", but it is here where it falls short.It's an excellent resource for the history of advertising, but it's not so great at demonstrating how advertising has influenced our society.There are short parts demonstrating the stereotype of people of color and women, for example African-American people portrayed as grinning Sambos who are thrilled to ecstasy that Gold Dust washing powder makes your pots n' pans sparkle; Asian people with long pigtails and coolie hats in outlandish dress; women typically in household roles advertising everything from soap to washing machines (while trying to appear sexy at the same time:"You'd think I'm a flapper, but I CAN keep house"-- S.O.S. Pads, 1927).However, this aspect is not nearly as well fleshed-out as I would have expected from the title.I was expecting something more along the lines of cultural anthropology or Noam Chomsky-- explaining how advertising not only reflected society but INFLUENCED it-- and found little to be had.

No one would argue the fact that sex and celebrity status are constantly being used to sell everything from cars to toothpaste, and the unspoken meaning of most ads is something like "Drink Figgy-Fiz Cola and you'll have to beat the beautiful babes away with a lug wrench!"Most people ignore advertisements or complain about them and generally pay little or no attention to them at all.Still, the amount of advertising is only INCREASING as time goes on and the ads do influence our culture substantially.Should you doubt me, ask yourself why were children murdering other children for Nike shoes during the late 80's?No one was attacking me for my black Keds, and God help you if you wore Buster Browns after the age of 4.Why?Because the ads told us there were certain products to value above others (and therefore we could justify paying 120% more for those products as well) and we believed them.THIS sort of "cultural history" and analysis was missing from this book, which is a shame because Ms. Sivulka could have shed quite a lot of light onto this still-dark corner of our society.Perhaps she didn't because the more we know about advertising and how it works, the less power it holds over us.

In closing, "Soap, Sex and Cigarettes" is a great resource both for the professional marketer/advertiser and a fascinating read for the casual thinker of pop/modern culture.It's a bit expensive (though college texts always are), but it's exhaustively researched and very well written.Highly recommended!

Average Reference Book
While this book has quite a bit of useful history, it is not meant to be read cover to cover.It works in a very straightforward format providing a mostly chronological laundry list of advertisers and advertising agencies.The book lacks an in-depth analysis of the relationship between advertisingand American culture as its subtitle seems to suggest.The sections on minority and web-based advertising are woefully out of date and simplistic. However, the book has some great ad illustrations and there are several supplementary list which are quite interesting.Basically, it's a decent reference book, but not for anyone looking for an interesting take on the history of American advertising. ... Read more