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Admen, Mad Men, and the Real World of Advertising: Essential Lessons for Business and Life
A bestselling author and advertising veteran shares a life's lessons from the ad trade.
Admen, Mad Men, and The Real World of Advertising is written to be easily digestible by interns, CEOS, or anyone who has ever watched a television commercial or clicked on a banner ad. Irreverent, packed with useful information, and unflinchingly honest, it is a serious business book by a seriously funny man and a must for anyone who lives, works, or plays in today's commercial culture.
Dave Marinaccio, cofounder and the Chief Creative Officer at LMO Advertising, is a veteran of the industry who, as a young man starting out, studied stand-up at Second City in Chicago. He later wrote an international bestseller, All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Watching Star Trek . His equally entertaining new book takes us inside the world of advertising, offering stories and observations from his three decades at some of America's best-known agencies, working with clients from Pizza Hut to the Holocaust Museum. In short, punchy chapters, Dave pulls back the curtain and shares his insights on how marketing decisions are made and other lessons. His topics range from logos, the big idea, and selling perfume to how we undervalue our gifts, to do-overs, celebrities, and "meetingsmanship." And more than a few lessons turn out to be apt not just for business but for our stressed-out lives.
Admen, Mad Men, and The Real World of Advertising is written to be easily digestible by interns, CEOS, or anyone who has ever watched a television commercial or clicked on a banner ad. Irreverent, packed with useful information, and unflinchingly honest, it is a serious business book by a seriously funny man and a must for anyone who lives, works, or plays in today's commercial culture.
Dave Marinaccio, cofounder and the Chief Creative Officer at LMO Advertising, is a veteran of the industry who, as a young man starting out, studied stand-up at Second City in Chicago. He later wrote an international bestseller, All I Really Need to Know I Learned from Watching Star Trek . His equally entertaining new book takes us inside the world of advertising, offering stories and observations from his three decades at some of America's best-known agencies, working with clients from Pizza Hut to the Holocaust Museum. In short, punchy chapters, Dave pulls back the curtain and shares his insights on how marketing decisions are made and other lessons. His topics range from logos, the big idea, and selling perfume to how we undervalue our gifts, to do-overs, celebrities, and "meetingsmanship." And more than a few lessons turn out to be apt not just for business but for our stressed-out lives.
- GenresNonfictionBusiness
230 pages, Hardcover
First published November 3, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 13, 2017
Fun stories from a longtime agency copywriter. Shenanigans like smoking pot and trying to maintain in front of the big boss and faking a nameplate so clients would stop using his office as a phone booth. War stories like how a decent idea mutated with every request into something that fits none of the brand characteristics. There's a surprisingly fun story about a campaign for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
Marinaccio describes how agencies pitch ideas: "At a typical client meeting, an agency will present three ideas. The first is the idea everybody expects. It isn't that creative, but it isn't supposed to be. It is meant to communicate that you listened to the client's concerns and created a piece of advertising that responds directly to those concerns.
"Idea #1 settles everyone down.
"Idea #2 is more creative than #1. It is an unexpected solution to the marketing problem. You actually like it. It's a solid piece of work. Its major purpose is to open the thinking in the room.
"Idea #3 is the one you want to sell. It's cool...By the time you present idea #3, you're cooking. There is electricity in the room. The first two ideas were crude line drawings. Idea #3 uses photographs and computer type. To further tip the scales in your favor, you play a piece of music and read sample copy. All the stops have been pulled.
".... So, a great client buys idea #3. A good client buys idea #2. A safe client buys idea #1. And a bad client? A bad client won't buy anything you create. They simply dictate the advertising to you. They tell you what to write, what to draw, then take the music home and ask their spouse's opinion."
He's also got a nice bit about dealing with objections, in the "Leaping to Conclusions" chapter. It's a three-step process: Take a deep breath and agree with the objection. Then walk back from the edge. And change the conversation.
Example from a client's objection to a coupon: "I don't want to be the kind of company that gives its product away."
1. Agree: "I don't want folks to think you're that kind of company either."
2. Walk back: "But I do want to be the kind of company that believes so strongly in our products that we are willing to let potential customers sample our product inexpensively."
3. Change: "Because I believe if we induce trial, this product will convert samplers to regular purchasers."
It's an easy, entertaining read. The chapters are very short, so it's more a collection of essays/blog posts than a typical book. There's nothing life-changing in it but it's a fun way to pass some time.
Marinaccio describes how agencies pitch ideas: "At a typical client meeting, an agency will present three ideas. The first is the idea everybody expects. It isn't that creative, but it isn't supposed to be. It is meant to communicate that you listened to the client's concerns and created a piece of advertising that responds directly to those concerns.
"Idea #1 settles everyone down.
"Idea #2 is more creative than #1. It is an unexpected solution to the marketing problem. You actually like it. It's a solid piece of work. Its major purpose is to open the thinking in the room.
"Idea #3 is the one you want to sell. It's cool...By the time you present idea #3, you're cooking. There is electricity in the room. The first two ideas were crude line drawings. Idea #3 uses photographs and computer type. To further tip the scales in your favor, you play a piece of music and read sample copy. All the stops have been pulled.
".... So, a great client buys idea #3. A good client buys idea #2. A safe client buys idea #1. And a bad client? A bad client won't buy anything you create. They simply dictate the advertising to you. They tell you what to write, what to draw, then take the music home and ask their spouse's opinion."
He's also got a nice bit about dealing with objections, in the "Leaping to Conclusions" chapter. It's a three-step process: Take a deep breath and agree with the objection. Then walk back from the edge. And change the conversation.
Example from a client's objection to a coupon: "I don't want to be the kind of company that gives its product away."
1. Agree: "I don't want folks to think you're that kind of company either."
2. Walk back: "But I do want to be the kind of company that believes so strongly in our products that we are willing to let potential customers sample our product inexpensively."
3. Change: "Because I believe if we induce trial, this product will convert samplers to regular purchasers."
It's an easy, entertaining read. The chapters are very short, so it's more a collection of essays/blog posts than a typical book. There's nothing life-changing in it but it's a fun way to pass some time.
April 28, 2020
The chapters are indeed like chicken nuggets. Really short, easy to read and yummy. Some of them teach you something and with others you just have a good time while reading. I liked some of the chapters more than others. The ones I don't like that much were a little bit shallow. The authors writes about his personal experiences therefore you can't expect proved and researched content.
July 1, 2022
I lost interest quickly and don’t suppose I got past page fifty.
December 29, 2023
As a copywriter, I found this book relatable af. It was fun! Insightful and very very snappy.
November 1, 2022
A few years ago, someone I knew gave me some advice on how to promote my work more effectively. He told me I should read Dave Marinaccio's "Admen, Mad Men, and the Real World of Advertising." In particular, he cited the book's analysis of how Coke overtook Moxie. I had a lot of professional respect for this person and I remembered that story forever. But I thought that he was an asshole, so I ignored him. Last week, I randomly revisited our conversation and decided to give this book a chance.
For a book that's all about bullshit, it doesn't waste time. That's partly by design. Instead boring his audience with lectures, Marinaccio offers quick stories stories from his time working in advertising. Some are personal. Some are case studies of other companies. But my favorite chapter was when he recapped working with a client whose president claimed to value "humility" above everything else. The kicker? The president frequently bragged about being the most humble person in his company.
Reading these stories makes you feel like a child listening to his grandad. Except your grandad is drinking whiskey and telling you how he once smoked weed with his creative director. Although the life lessons offered in this book aren't particularly unique, Marinaccio's writing style, wealth of industry knowledge, and memorable quips are worth a brief read. At the very least, take it from me. It's worth occasionally listening to assholes.
For a book that's all about bullshit, it doesn't waste time. That's partly by design. Instead boring his audience with lectures, Marinaccio offers quick stories stories from his time working in advertising. Some are personal. Some are case studies of other companies. But my favorite chapter was when he recapped working with a client whose president claimed to value "humility" above everything else. The kicker? The president frequently bragged about being the most humble person in his company.
Reading these stories makes you feel like a child listening to his grandad. Except your grandad is drinking whiskey and telling you how he once smoked weed with his creative director. Although the life lessons offered in this book aren't particularly unique, Marinaccio's writing style, wealth of industry knowledge, and memorable quips are worth a brief read. At the very least, take it from me. It's worth occasionally listening to assholes.
August 30, 2015
Great read! One of the most entertaining and engaging business books I've read.
December 31, 2015
to read my review, please visit http://the-agency-review.com/admen-ma...
December 25, 2015
I loved this book. it was like sitting with the author over drinks while he regaled you with stories and insights learned throughout his career. Very interesting.
January 20, 2016
Couldn't help but laugh at some anecdotes shared as they were so familiar. Loved the insights, and it is great for anyone working away on the agency-side.
March 1, 2016
A lot of lessons given in the form of humourous anecdotes, generally 204 pages long. An easy, enjoyable read.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews