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The Anatomy of Humbug
How does advertising work? Does it have to attract conscious attention in order to transmit a ‘Unique Selling Proposition’? Or does it insinuate emotional associations into the subconscious mind? Or is it just about being famous... or maybe something else?
In Paul Feldwick’s radical new view, all theories of how advertising works have their uses – and all are dangerous if they are taken too literally as the truth. The Anatomy of Humbug deftly and entertainingly picks apart the historical roots of our common – and often contradictory – beliefs about advertising, in order to create space for a more flexible, creative and effective approach to this fascinating and complex field of human communication.
Drawing on insights ranging from the nineteenth-century showman P.T. Barnum to the twentieth-century communications theorist Paul Watzlawick, as well as influential admen such as Bernbach, Reeves and Ogilvy, Feldwick argues that the advertising industry will only be able to deal with increasingly rapid change in the media landscape if it both understands its past and is able to criticise its most entrenched habits of thought.
The Anatomy of Humbug is an accessible business book that will help advertising and marketing professionals create better campaigns.
In Paul Feldwick’s radical new view, all theories of how advertising works have their uses – and all are dangerous if they are taken too literally as the truth. The Anatomy of Humbug deftly and entertainingly picks apart the historical roots of our common – and often contradictory – beliefs about advertising, in order to create space for a more flexible, creative and effective approach to this fascinating and complex field of human communication.
Drawing on insights ranging from the nineteenth-century showman P.T. Barnum to the twentieth-century communications theorist Paul Watzlawick, as well as influential admen such as Bernbach, Reeves and Ogilvy, Feldwick argues that the advertising industry will only be able to deal with increasingly rapid change in the media landscape if it both understands its past and is able to criticise its most entrenched habits of thought.
The Anatomy of Humbug is an accessible business book that will help advertising and marketing professionals create better campaigns.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 19, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 9, 2016
Essential Read for Advertising and Marketing People! Feldwick went through the history of modern advertising, its school of thoughts, and shows to readers that many modern day debates on the subject are really old topics. From research vs intuition, to functional vs emotional, Feldwick shows that perhaps the debates are unnecessary. In fact, we may have had all the wisdom in hand about making great communication had we not been distracted by industry quarrels.
VERY recommended for Advertising and Marketing practitioners, both junior and experienced alike. Very accessible and illuminating.
VERY recommended for Advertising and Marketing practitioners, both junior and experienced alike. Very accessible and illuminating.
March 12, 2015
He might resist the term, but Paul Feldwick has written a brief intellectual history of advertising, one that tells the story of the different ways the ad industry has thought of itself. Whether advertisers present their work as the application of art, science, or common sense, it rests on assumptions and axioms that go back decades - but often have very shallow foundations.
The first part of the book is a battle between the two main theories of advertising - "rational persuasion" on the one hand (the idea that ads work by giving us information and persuading us to act on it) and "subconscious seduction" (the notion that ads play on our subconscious motivations and emotions). As Feldwick uncovers the shaky ground the rationalist ideas were built on, and points out their limitations, it's obvious where his sympathies lie. It's a gripping story, well-told, but it's one in which the bad guys win, and the "Salesmanship" model still dominates theories of advertising decades later - though as Feldwick notes, this may finally be changing.
In the second part of the book Feldwick presents the strengths and weaknesses not just of "Salesmanship" and "Seduction" but four other models of advertising - "Salience", "Social Connection", "Spin" and "Showmanship". This section is denser, but a little weaker - fascinating ideas crammed into brief summaries, which suffer from the relative lack of examples. But it's the part more likely to appeal to advertising insiders, who will enjoy Feldwick's disdain for dogmatism and embrace the idea that there's no single right way to think about the job. Even so, Feldwick's admirably catholic approach doesn't quite convince: five of his six models rest on appeals to aspects of the unconscious, and even his examples of salesmanship at work rest on storytelling or razzle-dazzle.
Still, Feldwick is a fine raconteur and he's written a fine book on a rich topic. Just don't trust his lack of conclusion.
The first part of the book is a battle between the two main theories of advertising - "rational persuasion" on the one hand (the idea that ads work by giving us information and persuading us to act on it) and "subconscious seduction" (the notion that ads play on our subconscious motivations and emotions). As Feldwick uncovers the shaky ground the rationalist ideas were built on, and points out their limitations, it's obvious where his sympathies lie. It's a gripping story, well-told, but it's one in which the bad guys win, and the "Salesmanship" model still dominates theories of advertising decades later - though as Feldwick notes, this may finally be changing.
In the second part of the book Feldwick presents the strengths and weaknesses not just of "Salesmanship" and "Seduction" but four other models of advertising - "Salience", "Social Connection", "Spin" and "Showmanship". This section is denser, but a little weaker - fascinating ideas crammed into brief summaries, which suffer from the relative lack of examples. But it's the part more likely to appeal to advertising insiders, who will enjoy Feldwick's disdain for dogmatism and embrace the idea that there's no single right way to think about the job. Even so, Feldwick's admirably catholic approach doesn't quite convince: five of his six models rest on appeals to aspects of the unconscious, and even his examples of salesmanship at work rest on storytelling or razzle-dazzle.
Still, Feldwick is a fine raconteur and he's written a fine book on a rich topic. Just don't trust his lack of conclusion.
January 13, 2024
Although I found some useful insight, I think the book’s tagline is a bit deceiving. “How to Think Differently About Advertising” gave the impression that Feldwick would offer practical advice on the elusive creative process that so often plagues advertisers. Rather than a roadmap for ad creatives, The Anatomy of Humbug is instead a historical analysis of how advertising theory has evolved since the mid-1800s.
Feldwick boils it all down into six core theories:
1. SALESMANSHIP: Ads are meant to generate sales by providing viewers with factual information on the usefulness of the product.
2. SEDUCTION: Ads are meant to attract customers through “subconscious motivation”, which aims to influence the emotional or non-rational facets of buyer decision-making.
3. SALIENCE: Ads are meant to build fame and recognition through memorable experiences that stay in the viewer’s mind for as long as possible.
4. SOCIAL CONNECTION: Ads are meant to develop an attractive brand identity and nurture meaningful relationships between the brand and its target audience.
5. SPIN: Ads are meant to be tools for PR, through which a brand maintains control of public opinion and its own narrative within society.
6. SHOWMANSHIP: Ads are meant to delight and entertain, drawing crowds by being bold, imaginative, and embracing the idea that “there’s no such thing as bad publicity”.
For each theory, Feldwick examines influential figures who pioneered methods that were innovative (and often controversial) at the time. He gives a few examples of notable campaigns that illustrate the theory but most of it is regurgitated from early books on advertising.
The key takeaway is that no single theory on its own can provide a sure-fire method for creating effective ads. Great advertisers employ all methods. They have a deep understanding of the client’s objectives and an intuitive sense of when to apply each theory in the appropriate situations. Advertising is not an exact science, so effectiveness cannot be reliably measured or analyzed. Great ads often rely more on creative imagination and “trusting your gut” than data-driven solutions.
I found much of this rather obvious, although Feldwick claims that big ad agencies these days lean too heavily on too few schools of thought. I agree that brands put too much weight on measurable results…thus, our feeds are inundated with cheap imitations of recently successful work. He who blindly follows trends is bound to kill great ideas. But in my experience as a TVC director, most marketing/ad reps I work with have a decent grasp of the goals that different ad types are trying to achieve at various stages of the sales funnel (virality, awareness, nurturing leads, closing the sale, customer support, public relations, etc). Much of what I’ve learned is already aligned with Feldwick’s theories, so I didn’t feel like I was challenged to “think differently about advertising”. Still, it was a good reinforcement of these concepts, done so in a well-organized way with fascinating historical context.
Anyone in advertising would do well to explore the centuries-old history that’s shaped such an erratic industry… You’d be hard-pressed to find a modern adman who’s heard of John Kennedy or Claude Hopkins, despite the fact they influenced advertising in ways we can only imagine and set the stage for more familiar icons like Burnett and Ogilvy.
Feldwick boils it all down into six core theories:
1. SALESMANSHIP: Ads are meant to generate sales by providing viewers with factual information on the usefulness of the product.
2. SEDUCTION: Ads are meant to attract customers through “subconscious motivation”, which aims to influence the emotional or non-rational facets of buyer decision-making.
3. SALIENCE: Ads are meant to build fame and recognition through memorable experiences that stay in the viewer’s mind for as long as possible.
4. SOCIAL CONNECTION: Ads are meant to develop an attractive brand identity and nurture meaningful relationships between the brand and its target audience.
5. SPIN: Ads are meant to be tools for PR, through which a brand maintains control of public opinion and its own narrative within society.
6. SHOWMANSHIP: Ads are meant to delight and entertain, drawing crowds by being bold, imaginative, and embracing the idea that “there’s no such thing as bad publicity”.
For each theory, Feldwick examines influential figures who pioneered methods that were innovative (and often controversial) at the time. He gives a few examples of notable campaigns that illustrate the theory but most of it is regurgitated from early books on advertising.
The key takeaway is that no single theory on its own can provide a sure-fire method for creating effective ads. Great advertisers employ all methods. They have a deep understanding of the client’s objectives and an intuitive sense of when to apply each theory in the appropriate situations. Advertising is not an exact science, so effectiveness cannot be reliably measured or analyzed. Great ads often rely more on creative imagination and “trusting your gut” than data-driven solutions.
I found much of this rather obvious, although Feldwick claims that big ad agencies these days lean too heavily on too few schools of thought. I agree that brands put too much weight on measurable results…thus, our feeds are inundated with cheap imitations of recently successful work. He who blindly follows trends is bound to kill great ideas. But in my experience as a TVC director, most marketing/ad reps I work with have a decent grasp of the goals that different ad types are trying to achieve at various stages of the sales funnel (virality, awareness, nurturing leads, closing the sale, customer support, public relations, etc). Much of what I’ve learned is already aligned with Feldwick’s theories, so I didn’t feel like I was challenged to “think differently about advertising”. Still, it was a good reinforcement of these concepts, done so in a well-organized way with fascinating historical context.
Anyone in advertising would do well to explore the centuries-old history that’s shaped such an erratic industry… You’d be hard-pressed to find a modern adman who’s heard of John Kennedy or Claude Hopkins, despite the fact they influenced advertising in ways we can only imagine and set the stage for more familiar icons like Burnett and Ogilvy.
October 9, 2019
This is a superb little work that I’d recommend to anyone who works around branding and advertising.
It’s welcome, firstly, because it provides an almost unprecedented look back on the history of the advertising world and past orthodoxies - from ‘salesmanship in print’ (fair point) to the still-won’t-go-away sixties ‘USP’ (go away). It reminds us that, as with the ancients, the debates from a century ago offer lessons for today and - you know what - not so very much has changed.
From the off, a resounding ‘Yes!’ to Feldwick’s introductory taxonomy of the industry’s attitudes to its past - and the tendency to always see ‘today’ as fundamentally different (spoiler: it isn’t). The effect of that ‘ground zero’ mentality is that it has always let the sector act as if today’s world is brand new and that we’re in a sort of Marketing Year Zero, leaving a knowledge vacuum to be filled by self-confidence and bluster. (How many times have you written of a consumer behaving in a brand new way? I certainly have). We love to wax about the world-changing effect of internet, but the media shifts between 1880 (posters, door knocking and shouting) and 1930 (posters, door knocking, shouting, newspapers, radio, cinema) make it look suddenly rather minor.
On the way, we bump into what I feel has always been the most nefarious influence on advertising in our culture: Vance Packard’s dreadful ‘Hidden Persuaders’ of 1974, which did for advertising what Clarkson did for denim. Specifically, it sowed the moral panic that still hums away in sections of the anti-biz world, casting advertising as a bony-fingered demon that will make you spend your child’s dinner money on crisps and turns vicars to fast cars and whisky. It’s a sentiment that still runs through every Guardian editorial on the horrors of advertising Hula Hoops within a 21-mile radius of primary schools.
It’s reassuring, too, to note that the conflict between ‘art’ and ‘science’ in advertising has actually been running in the background for years. ‘The Hidden Persuaders’ buried science and sensible psychological research for a generation, which suited the ‘Advertising is art’ posture beautifully. It led to an era of what Feldwick calls the happy years of the ‘benign conspiracy’ - when planners and trackers did their background stuff, but adland was all about artists, darling. To be fair, plenty of ‘art’-led work in that era stands up and did the job of winning exposure and salience - but, my god, some of it is such dreck (I kissed my copy when I read Feldwick announced that he was sick of seeing that Saatchi pregnant man. Like it wiped out unplanned pregnancy for ever). I too spent many years looking at dreadful work of many a Goldsmiths Clem Fandango - usually the latest gags from YouTube - and it’s bliss to hear that science and sense again matter.
It’s also good to be reminded of the gulf between the grand ideas that notables in the business wrote about (Pollit, Ogilvy, etc - all readable still, obviously) and the far more ordinary, grounded things many of their less celebrated ads actually did and said.
Summing up, Feldwick proposes a working set of alternative, eminently sensible ways of thinking about advertising in other ways - explaining in the process what he means by the ‘humbug’ in the title (he doesn’t mean ‘nonsense’ - he means PT Barnum-level showmanship and provocation). Roll up, roll up. It’s a fine read, punters.
It’s welcome, firstly, because it provides an almost unprecedented look back on the history of the advertising world and past orthodoxies - from ‘salesmanship in print’ (fair point) to the still-won’t-go-away sixties ‘USP’ (go away). It reminds us that, as with the ancients, the debates from a century ago offer lessons for today and - you know what - not so very much has changed.
From the off, a resounding ‘Yes!’ to Feldwick’s introductory taxonomy of the industry’s attitudes to its past - and the tendency to always see ‘today’ as fundamentally different (spoiler: it isn’t). The effect of that ‘ground zero’ mentality is that it has always let the sector act as if today’s world is brand new and that we’re in a sort of Marketing Year Zero, leaving a knowledge vacuum to be filled by self-confidence and bluster. (How many times have you written of a consumer behaving in a brand new way? I certainly have). We love to wax about the world-changing effect of internet, but the media shifts between 1880 (posters, door knocking and shouting) and 1930 (posters, door knocking, shouting, newspapers, radio, cinema) make it look suddenly rather minor.
On the way, we bump into what I feel has always been the most nefarious influence on advertising in our culture: Vance Packard’s dreadful ‘Hidden Persuaders’ of 1974, which did for advertising what Clarkson did for denim. Specifically, it sowed the moral panic that still hums away in sections of the anti-biz world, casting advertising as a bony-fingered demon that will make you spend your child’s dinner money on crisps and turns vicars to fast cars and whisky. It’s a sentiment that still runs through every Guardian editorial on the horrors of advertising Hula Hoops within a 21-mile radius of primary schools.
It’s reassuring, too, to note that the conflict between ‘art’ and ‘science’ in advertising has actually been running in the background for years. ‘The Hidden Persuaders’ buried science and sensible psychological research for a generation, which suited the ‘Advertising is art’ posture beautifully. It led to an era of what Feldwick calls the happy years of the ‘benign conspiracy’ - when planners and trackers did their background stuff, but adland was all about artists, darling. To be fair, plenty of ‘art’-led work in that era stands up and did the job of winning exposure and salience - but, my god, some of it is such dreck (I kissed my copy when I read Feldwick announced that he was sick of seeing that Saatchi pregnant man. Like it wiped out unplanned pregnancy for ever). I too spent many years looking at dreadful work of many a Goldsmiths Clem Fandango - usually the latest gags from YouTube - and it’s bliss to hear that science and sense again matter.
It’s also good to be reminded of the gulf between the grand ideas that notables in the business wrote about (Pollit, Ogilvy, etc - all readable still, obviously) and the far more ordinary, grounded things many of their less celebrated ads actually did and said.
Summing up, Feldwick proposes a working set of alternative, eminently sensible ways of thinking about advertising in other ways - explaining in the process what he means by the ‘humbug’ in the title (he doesn’t mean ‘nonsense’ - he means PT Barnum-level showmanship and provocation). Roll up, roll up. It’s a fine read, punters.
March 9, 2022
This is one of those rare business books that's not over after the intro and first chapter.
In one sense, it's a solid history of advertising (and thus marketing and branding), that also touches on public relations history.
In a higher sense, though, it's a (thankfully non-academic) work of critical scholarship in which the theory landscape of advertising, marketing, and branding is carefully investigated and when needed (which is often) just as carefully debunked.
The author is obviously brilliant (and reads his own book well on Audible). But not quite as funny as his counterpart Rory Sutherland is in Alchemy. You might say he lacks humbug. Nor is he as good a writer as David Ogilvy - though his critical analysis of the latter is fascinating. Actually, he lacks the narrative power of many of the famous influencers he critiques.
But his ideas are just as intriguing as anyone - and maybe more honest than those he critiques.
As the author meanders through the 20th century, you will encounter non-romanticized biographies and subversive but well-argued takes on the emptiness of theory in advertising and its sibling disciplines. The takedown of Claude Hopkins for example is quite brilliant. Ditto for Bill Bernbeck.
As an aside, someone should write this book in this style on the history of theory in consulting. I would not be surprised if many of them were equally contrived - meaning non-scientific theories hinging on a catchy name and core idea, whose ultimate purpose is to generate business.
The author has not ruined this book with any grand pronouncements of his own, thank god. But like a good storyteller, he wraps up it all with a surprising and interesting twist that I won't spoil.
In one sense, it's a solid history of advertising (and thus marketing and branding), that also touches on public relations history.
In a higher sense, though, it's a (thankfully non-academic) work of critical scholarship in which the theory landscape of advertising, marketing, and branding is carefully investigated and when needed (which is often) just as carefully debunked.
The author is obviously brilliant (and reads his own book well on Audible). But not quite as funny as his counterpart Rory Sutherland is in Alchemy. You might say he lacks humbug. Nor is he as good a writer as David Ogilvy - though his critical analysis of the latter is fascinating. Actually, he lacks the narrative power of many of the famous influencers he critiques.
But his ideas are just as intriguing as anyone - and maybe more honest than those he critiques.
As the author meanders through the 20th century, you will encounter non-romanticized biographies and subversive but well-argued takes on the emptiness of theory in advertising and its sibling disciplines. The takedown of Claude Hopkins for example is quite brilliant. Ditto for Bill Bernbeck.
As an aside, someone should write this book in this style on the history of theory in consulting. I would not be surprised if many of them were equally contrived - meaning non-scientific theories hinging on a catchy name and core idea, whose ultimate purpose is to generate business.
The author has not ruined this book with any grand pronouncements of his own, thank god. But like a good storyteller, he wraps up it all with a surprising and interesting twist that I won't spoil.
July 22, 2018
As an ad agency strategist, I found this helpful and interesting - although you don't need advertising experience to follow it, as it's very clear and digestible. The book takes you through the theories of advertising of the past (but still very much present in today's thinking), broadly grouped by Feldwick into 'salesmanship' (inc. USP, AIDA, 'Reason why' etc) and 'seduction' (system 1 thinking, motivation research etc.), with a third section detailing various other theories and comparing them all. Since finishing the book, I've found that a better understanding of these ways of thinking has helped me understand the origins of some of the assumptions people in my industry often make (e.g. asserting that a strategy must stem from a Unique Selling Point) and think for myself about whether I agree in each context.
February 3, 2022
this book is a very relevant and interesting read for anyone working in advertising - whatever form it has today. we ad people don’t usually know a lot about the history of our profession and all the theories it encompasses and how they contextualize and explain most of the concepts we use daily. we talk about and base our practice in thesis that maybe many of us have no idea were created 100 years ago. Feldwick gathers in this book the most relevant “schools” of thought in advertising since than and give even the most contemporary debates a bigger context.
November 14, 2023
This book is well written and well researched. Paul Feldwick provides historical perspective of how approaches to advertisement were developed and changed throughout the history. Although this book deals a lot with history it does not feel like any history book that provides the reader with useless dates and events. Instead, the author gives his own ideas and thoughts about the historical changes and tries to connect them together, oftentimes giving a CRITICAL view on some of them.
Nothing outstanding, but just a solid well written, well researched book.
Nothing outstanding, but just a solid well written, well researched book.
July 16, 2018
A brilliant book beautifully written, a must-read for a planner or anyone working in communications. Fieldwick presents a sort of literature review of all the theories of how advertising works.
The book finds the sweet spot between practical and academic grounding, although sometimes academic theories are dropped in without any other explanation eg. Likelihood Elaboration Model, Comte or Foucault.
I borrowed this book but loved it so much I will purchase for myself.
The book finds the sweet spot between practical and academic grounding, although sometimes academic theories are dropped in without any other explanation eg. Likelihood Elaboration Model, Comte or Foucault.
I borrowed this book but loved it so much I will purchase for myself.
October 10, 2019
This is in my 'if you only read one book about advertising' position.
It delves into the history of Advertising and shows where the current paradigms come from.
Then it presents the different ways we can see how that discipline works.
I believe he also exposes the current 'digital optimisation' obsession for what it is - simply a swing (back) to one side of an argument that doesn't take us any further and is most certainly detrimental to good work.
It delves into the history of Advertising and shows where the current paradigms come from.
Then it presents the different ways we can see how that discipline works.
I believe he also exposes the current 'digital optimisation' obsession for what it is - simply a swing (back) to one side of an argument that doesn't take us any further and is most certainly detrimental to good work.
June 4, 2022
A great introduction to different theories of advertising. Loved how Feldwick approached the history of advertising, ranging from Hopkins to Reeves. He also takes a critical eye on how these theories play out together. It's not just one, but can be a mix of all.
Would recommend to anyone who's just started in advertising, and are wanting to learn from those who have gone before us.
Would recommend to anyone who's just started in advertising, and are wanting to learn from those who have gone before us.
September 26, 2025
Một lần nữa, chúng ta có thể giải phóng bản thân bằng cách học cách đọc quá khứ một cách trân trọng, như một nguồn cảm hứng, hơn là như một nguồn quy tắc và tiền lệ.
Nghiên cứu học thuật về quảng cáo về nguyên tắc có thể đến từ một loạt các ngành, nhưng có lẽ hai ngành chính là kinh tế học và, trên hết, khoa học hành vi hoặc tâm lý học.
(một vài trích đoạn mình thấy ấn tượng)
Nghiên cứu học thuật về quảng cáo về nguyên tắc có thể đến từ một loạt các ngành, nhưng có lẽ hai ngành chính là kinh tế học và, trên hết, khoa học hành vi hoặc tâm lý học.
(một vài trích đoạn mình thấy ấn tượng)
April 6, 2020
A clear and brief explanation of the advertising thought process through the decades from Hopkins to Byron sharp. What I liked in this book is the balance between the details and breadth of topics covered. It helped me to understand and analyse the flow of advertising as a science and art.
February 5, 2017
This book is good for giving us insight how advertising man used to work. Some points may contradict each other. But, this book will changes how we see an ad.
September 12, 2017
This book broadened my mind in this advertising world. It made me see this world in many different ways
April 2, 2021
Best book, discussing the most pertinent questions which every marketer faces on a regular basis i.e. How advertising works? This will not answer the question but will give you right perspective, for you to find the right answer.
August 27, 2023
A great introduction to the history of advertising. I would recommend everybody in the business (client of agency) to read it.
July 10, 2024
Critical and concise overview of 6 different schools of thought on the advertising. Some back reading might be needed to really get them as it doesn't expand on them in depth.
April 12, 2025
The best book I’ve ever read on advertising
March 1, 2016
I have lost track of how many discussions, arguments and debates I have had about how advertising works. How many articles, papers, blog posts and books I've read. How many talks, lectures and seminars I've been to. And at the end of it, there is no Holy Grail.
A breakthrough moment came to me a few years into my career when the agency Hall and Partners leapt onto the UK market research scene with an MRS paper, a philosophy and methodology that seemed eminently sensible to me: advertising works in ways that may well be mysterious, but are certainly various. It can work through the mind, or at least rational thought (Persuasion), or through the emotions (Involvement) or through the senses (Salience).
I've just finished Paul Feldwick's excellent book, The Anatomy of Humbug. I had a similar feeling of a breakthrough on reading this - it's a review of advertising practitioner (rather than academic) thought from the 19th century onwards. Six ways in which advertising probably works (which are not mutually exclusive) are outlined. Please note, however, that Mr Feldwick mentions that six is simply a convenient number - these are in no way 'The Six Definitive Ways In Which Advertising Works.'
They include our old friends Salesmanship, Seduction and Salience, which correspond approximately to the three ways outlined by Hall & Partners. Then Mr Feldwick adds Social Connection, Spin and Showbiz.
The 'schools of thought' are illustrated by quotes and anecdotes from ad men and researchers through the ages, some I'd heard of (Bernbach, Ogilvy, Rosser Reeves, Stephen King, Ernest Dichter and showman P.T.Barnum) and others that I hadn't, who I now feel compelled to read up on (Lasker, Hopkins, Starch, Bernays). At last, after nearly three decades in advertising, I know what 'Starch' and 'DAGMAR' refer to!
The book is refreshing to read - intelligent, witty, incisive and opinionated in a good way - a long way from the standard business book blah. I liked the way that the book ends with 'Showmanship.' How often have you thought, or said, after all the posturing and pontificating and over-intellectualising - come on, it's only advertising!
I suspect that many of us are quite happy to be suckers. We know the rules of the game. We know about hype, but do we really care as long as we get value for money? To me, 'Showmanship' is a bit like 'Salience' - it's an immediate appeal to the senses, instant gratification, and not to be analysed or taken too seriously.
As another (fictional) 19th century showman (Mr Sleary, the circus owner in Dickens' Hard Times) said:
People must be entertained.
And maybe it's brands that should be doing just that.
A breakthrough moment came to me a few years into my career when the agency Hall and Partners leapt onto the UK market research scene with an MRS paper, a philosophy and methodology that seemed eminently sensible to me: advertising works in ways that may well be mysterious, but are certainly various. It can work through the mind, or at least rational thought (Persuasion), or through the emotions (Involvement) or through the senses (Salience).
I've just finished Paul Feldwick's excellent book, The Anatomy of Humbug. I had a similar feeling of a breakthrough on reading this - it's a review of advertising practitioner (rather than academic) thought from the 19th century onwards. Six ways in which advertising probably works (which are not mutually exclusive) are outlined. Please note, however, that Mr Feldwick mentions that six is simply a convenient number - these are in no way 'The Six Definitive Ways In Which Advertising Works.'
They include our old friends Salesmanship, Seduction and Salience, which correspond approximately to the three ways outlined by Hall & Partners. Then Mr Feldwick adds Social Connection, Spin and Showbiz.
The 'schools of thought' are illustrated by quotes and anecdotes from ad men and researchers through the ages, some I'd heard of (Bernbach, Ogilvy, Rosser Reeves, Stephen King, Ernest Dichter and showman P.T.Barnum) and others that I hadn't, who I now feel compelled to read up on (Lasker, Hopkins, Starch, Bernays). At last, after nearly three decades in advertising, I know what 'Starch' and 'DAGMAR' refer to!
The book is refreshing to read - intelligent, witty, incisive and opinionated in a good way - a long way from the standard business book blah. I liked the way that the book ends with 'Showmanship.' How often have you thought, or said, after all the posturing and pontificating and over-intellectualising - come on, it's only advertising!
I suspect that many of us are quite happy to be suckers. We know the rules of the game. We know about hype, but do we really care as long as we get value for money? To me, 'Showmanship' is a bit like 'Salience' - it's an immediate appeal to the senses, instant gratification, and not to be analysed or taken too seriously.
As another (fictional) 19th century showman (Mr Sleary, the circus owner in Dickens' Hard Times) said:
People must be entertained.
And maybe it's brands that should be doing just that.
February 24, 2015
Excellent, engaging, informative and very more-ish: No, this is not advertising humbug. Will you look at advertising in the same light ever again?
The author seeks to get you thinking about how advertising works, building upon the science and theories of advertising gurus over the past century or so to develop a fairly open, forward-thinking plan of what should work. The results may surprise you, even if you think you know the industry well. Essentially the author believes there is no one, true way to advertise. It requires the careful and considered mixture of many elements, tuned towards the audience you are hoping to reel in. It sounds obvious doesn’t it? So why don’t more people get it and do it? The author believes that the industry doesn’t really understand or know its past, preferring to stride forward and perhaps make the same mistakes, whilst being a little bit too sensitive towards self-criticism.
You don’t have to work in the advertising or marketing business to like this book. It is carefully and sensitively written to be a great “general” title whilst, of course, to the industry participant it can be a very powerful weapon in the right hands. Yet this is not a how-to book where you just follow the numbered steps. You need to do a bit of thinking.
This book gives generously with its knowledge and advice, yet be careful as you can easily waste a lot of time if you plug some of the advertisements mentioned into Google or YouTube. This reviewer has “wasted” (advertising market research study – ed) quite a long time looking at the advertisements from “Centraal Beheer”, a Dutch insurance company. You too will be easily hooked on this Dutch drug! These are more than mere adverts with an annoying slogan or jingle: they are miniature comedies in themselves, with the pay-off caption mentioning the insurance company coming as an almost embarrassed afterthought at the end. Going through the book you will see many examples of advertising campaigns from the past that are promoted today as more modern, innovative, cutting-edge techniques. History repeats itself.
There’s not a lot more to add. Buy this book. Reserve an evening or two to settle down with it and prepare for a sensory overload. It really is that good or to adapt the slogan from a once-famous British advertisement “It does what it says on the tin.”
The Anatomy of Humbug: How to Think Differently About Advertising, written by Paul Feldwick and published by Troubador Publishing/Matador. ISBN 9781784628468, 208 pages. YYYYY
The author seeks to get you thinking about how advertising works, building upon the science and theories of advertising gurus over the past century or so to develop a fairly open, forward-thinking plan of what should work. The results may surprise you, even if you think you know the industry well. Essentially the author believes there is no one, true way to advertise. It requires the careful and considered mixture of many elements, tuned towards the audience you are hoping to reel in. It sounds obvious doesn’t it? So why don’t more people get it and do it? The author believes that the industry doesn’t really understand or know its past, preferring to stride forward and perhaps make the same mistakes, whilst being a little bit too sensitive towards self-criticism.
You don’t have to work in the advertising or marketing business to like this book. It is carefully and sensitively written to be a great “general” title whilst, of course, to the industry participant it can be a very powerful weapon in the right hands. Yet this is not a how-to book where you just follow the numbered steps. You need to do a bit of thinking.
This book gives generously with its knowledge and advice, yet be careful as you can easily waste a lot of time if you plug some of the advertisements mentioned into Google or YouTube. This reviewer has “wasted” (advertising market research study – ed) quite a long time looking at the advertisements from “Centraal Beheer”, a Dutch insurance company. You too will be easily hooked on this Dutch drug! These are more than mere adverts with an annoying slogan or jingle: they are miniature comedies in themselves, with the pay-off caption mentioning the insurance company coming as an almost embarrassed afterthought at the end. Going through the book you will see many examples of advertising campaigns from the past that are promoted today as more modern, innovative, cutting-edge techniques. History repeats itself.
There’s not a lot more to add. Buy this book. Reserve an evening or two to settle down with it and prepare for a sensory overload. It really is that good or to adapt the slogan from a once-famous British advertisement “It does what it says on the tin.”
The Anatomy of Humbug: How to Think Differently About Advertising, written by Paul Feldwick and published by Troubador Publishing/Matador. ISBN 9781784628468, 208 pages. YYYYY
February 23, 2015
I've got a lot of time for Paul Feldwick. I had the opportunity to meet him and discuss his thoughts on brands and he's as perceptive as he ever was. And this book illustrates it.
Too much of advertising thought is focused on the now and the next. Not enough looks back at the past, except in a dismissive or light fashion. In this book Paul looks at the current narratives that pervade advertising thought - The Enlightenment, The Golden Age, The Year Zero Narrative - and then takes us through the development of various streams of thought around how advertising works, touching on rationality, single-minded propositions, emotion etc.
Throughout he takes a measured approach. A lot of these different schools of thought work, primarily because their proposers tended to mix in various other schools (perhaps without realising it) and they work best when they work towards creating 'humbug' - a spectacle designed to attract, entertain and sell, in the way of P T Barnum.
The result is a bit 'somwhere in the middle' but it's a necessary point in a world where advertising thought tends to be divisive and arbitrarily binary. A must-read for anyone in the industry.
Too much of advertising thought is focused on the now and the next. Not enough looks back at the past, except in a dismissive or light fashion. In this book Paul looks at the current narratives that pervade advertising thought - The Enlightenment, The Golden Age, The Year Zero Narrative - and then takes us through the development of various streams of thought around how advertising works, touching on rationality, single-minded propositions, emotion etc.
Throughout he takes a measured approach. A lot of these different schools of thought work, primarily because their proposers tended to mix in various other schools (perhaps without realising it) and they work best when they work towards creating 'humbug' - a spectacle designed to attract, entertain and sell, in the way of P T Barnum.
The result is a bit 'somwhere in the middle' but it's a necessary point in a world where advertising thought tends to be divisive and arbitrarily binary. A must-read for anyone in the industry.
October 10, 2015
The Anatomy of Humbug is a thought provoking book about the driving forces behind the last ~150 years of advertising. It chronicles the movers and shakers and the beliefs they pioneered for their time and place. We go full circle from lots of facts and copy to precious little facts but more feel good factor.
I loved the Madison Avenue 50s-60s era as that seems the most explosive. Having watched and loved Mad Men, I am geared to appreciate the genius of the time.
I don't know that I walked away with the insight I was after but I understand more of the concepts and ways of thinking. Is advertising a science? No. There is no master formula that works for all, but this book gives a lot of interesting, entertaining background to the art and magic that is advertising.
I loved the Madison Avenue 50s-60s era as that seems the most explosive. Having watched and loved Mad Men, I am geared to appreciate the genius of the time.
I don't know that I walked away with the insight I was after but I understand more of the concepts and ways of thinking. Is advertising a science? No. There is no master formula that works for all, but this book gives a lot of interesting, entertaining background to the art and magic that is advertising.
January 1, 2024
Is advertising salesmanship, seduction, salience, social connection, spin, or showbiz?
Does advertising work by rational persuasion or emotional influence or mere attention? Is it true that ‘the more you tell the more you sell’ or that you need one unique single-minded proposition or that you don’t need conscious message comprehension at all?
The answer has changed (and continues to change) across the history of the advertising and communication world (at least, the UK and US dominant schools)
This book serves as a potent reminder that there are no easy answers, the theory of advertising will only get you so far, and the practice is the only path to effectiveness.
Does advertising work by rational persuasion or emotional influence or mere attention? Is it true that ‘the more you tell the more you sell’ or that you need one unique single-minded proposition or that you don’t need conscious message comprehension at all?
The answer has changed (and continues to change) across the history of the advertising and communication world (at least, the UK and US dominant schools)
This book serves as a potent reminder that there are no easy answers, the theory of advertising will only get you so far, and the practice is the only path to effectiveness.
June 25, 2015
The Anatomy of Humbug talks about the different advertising theories dominating the advertising world. It discusses the differences as well as the synergy among those.
What I like about this book is its direct presentation of the theories as experienced by a practitioner. It is written for those who are working in advertising field.
Although already pointed out by the author, I think that the book will be more effective by putting some examples of ads as he discusses them.
What I like about this book is its direct presentation of the theories as experienced by a practitioner. It is written for those who are working in advertising field.
Although already pointed out by the author, I think that the book will be more effective by putting some examples of ads as he discusses them.
July 20, 2020
This one came highly recommended, but I couldn't get into it. The anecdotes are interesting enough, but apart from presenting a great historical overview there's not a whole lot I feel I've learned from this book.
March 30, 2015
For anyone who has ever thought about how advertising really works this is a must read. Of course there is no definitive answer but this may well be the definitive review of the contenders.
December 4, 2015
As a junior in strategic planning, I have benefited greatly from this reading. Insightful and timeless thoughts for modern planners, as well as a great tribute to advertising thinking.
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