The Art of Writing Advertising : Conversations with Masters of the Craft: David Ogilvy, William Bernbach, Leo Burnett, Rosser Reeves,

by Denis Higgins

"What makes a great advertisement?" Nearly four decades ago, an unmatched group of five advertising pioneers first answered that question in "The Art of Writing Advertising."

Their entertaining and historically compelling answers will provide advertising professionals with valuable techniques for applying breakthrough creativity and innovation in the workplace.

Genres: Business, Writing, Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

Reviews

[Vowen]

An interesting look inside the minds of 5 of the greatest copywriters of all time. It helps to know that they fear the same thing as the rest of us - that the next time they go to write an ad, the ideas just won't come. While most of them agree that knowing your product inside and out, finding the inherent truth or drama of the product and being an avid consumer of culture (books, movies, travel, etc.) are important, when it comes right down to it, even the greats agree there's no formula that exists for how to write a good ad. You simply have to work hard at it, look at it from different angles and figure out what's going to grab the consumer's attention. All in a day's work.

[Santhosh]

Nice and breezy read. Short interviews with 5 of the best known names in the copywriting business by Denis Higgins of Advertising Age. About the industry, their personal styles, their views on what makes good copy, how to write good copy, the lack of any fixed formula, etc. As the book cover states, these are conversations, meaning the interviews are unedited, and thus provide a further compelling portrait of their characters with the book also narrating what happens between questions, how the interviewees initially understood a particular question, their comebacks, how they dismissively get to the point, etc.

[Marc]

The names, for those in the field of advertising, are far from obscure... These are the people who have redefined advertising for the rest of us. From a copyrighter's perspective, These conversations are priceless.

The only hope, is that all ad people would actually read and learn from it... the world would surely benefit...

[Laurence]

Views on how to write Ads by the greatest copywriters in history of advertising. From the people who made VW famous, created Tony the Tiger, made you say, "Melts in your mouth, not in your hands.."

[Lincoln]

These guys are great pragmatist, the true science is not in this book but there interviews are interesting. It is all dialogue with the interview and there opinions.

[Domiron]

I'm an ARTISTE you CANNOT tell me where to put, or even TO put, your logo!! We will use FASHION CAT!!! Do NOT fuck with us Advertisers from the 60s we are NOT talentless hacks!!

[Mercedes Reichmann]

Good, solid and classical advices and perspectives which are still relevant almost 60 years after being published for the first time.

[Jon Ellms]

Quick read, and a good glimpse into the heads of legendary ad men.

[Mohammad Haddadi]

کتاب نویسندگان قدیمی تبلیغات امریکا رو مورد بررسی قرار داده که البته الان نوع تبلیغات به اون شکا منسوخ شده ولی در ایران کاربرد داره البته هسته اصلی تبلیغات صابته فقط نوع نگارش عوض میشه

[Jitariu Catalin]

Interesanta dar fără substanță solida. Câteva idei de gândit.

[Anirudh]

Advertising has always fascinated me and I often tried to get into copy writing without much success (either the salary offered was low or I simply wasn't selected). This book was my inspiration in those days and it is still a great read.

Comprising of interviews with five of the greatest advertisers that ever lived, it provides an amazing glimpse inside the mind of these visionaries and how they view their legacy.

Insightful, interesting, thoroughly entertaining and a no holds barred account of this enchanting world; The Art of Advertising is a must read for anyone who has ever been interested in the big, bad world of advertising.. .

[John]

A must read for anybody trying to define passion in life. Here's some perspectives. One of the most comprehensive books in the world surrounding the love of an industry (Advertising) from 5 of the greatest in history.

[Erick]

Bernbach Rules!

[Veronica Veverica]

Good one

[Book Lover]

relaxing reading :)
You do not read it to become better copywriter, you will read it to meet the people behind "the greatest copywriters"!
....sort of David Ogilvy words:
"I'm not writing for the crowd. I try to write from man to man, to the second person singular. "
(„Nu scriu pentru mulţime. Încerc să scriu ca de la om la om, la persoana a doua singular.“)

[Yasheve]

La mejor parte son los extractos de los anuncios originales