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Rating: 
Summary: Always proof your work
Review: ...If advertising is the rock 'n' roll of the business world, then
this wonderfully designed and beautifully written book is about as
close to Woodstock as you're going to get. For anyone with even the
slightest interest in advertising, Mad Ave is an invaluable guide
covering eight decades (from the 1920s - through to the 1990s) of some
of the best-known ads and campaigns produced by American
agencies. The book's insightful quotes - from some of the best in
the industry - bring the thrill of an idea you've just scribbled on
the back of an envelope magically to life, as that idea goes on to be
crafted into an effective, well-placed and memorable ad that makes it
through the minefield of critics, account execs and client
uncertainty, to finally do what a good ad should do: highlight the
benefits, position the product, increase sales and enhance the
brand. From the junior writer or art director, to the
seen-it-all-before creative director, this book has something for
everyone. And as an aspiring copywriter, I came away from this book
determined to do better work and thinking: "Wow, I wish I'd done
that". There. That's better.
Rating:
Summary: Always proof your work
Review: ... If advertising is the rock 'n' roll of the business world, then
this wonderfully designed and beautifully written book is about as
close to Woodstock as you're going to get. For anyone with even the
slightest interest in advertising, Mad Ave is an invaluable guide
covering eight decades (from the 1920s - through to the 1990s) of some
of the best-known ads and campaigns produced by American
agencies. The book's insightful quotes - from some of the best in
the industry - bring the thrill of an idea you've just scribbled on
the back of an envelope magically to life, as that idea goes on to be
crafted into an effective, well-placed and memorable ad that makes it
through the minefield of critics, account execs and client
uncertainty, to finally do what a good ad should do: highlight the
benefits, position the product, increase sales and enhance the
brand. From the junior writer or art director, to the
seen-it-all-before creative director, this book has something for
everyone. And as an aspiring copywriter, I came away from this book
determined to do better work and thinking: "Wow, I wish I'd done
that". There. That's better.
Rating: 
Summary: Poorly assembled pastiche
Review: This is a weak effort. Interesting and sometimes compelling editorial for each decade (generally essays by agency principals), which has absolutely no relationship to the samples of work shown. The work itself is never glossed, explained, or explored in the larger context of its time frame. The selection of work included is spotty. Reproduction quality is poor, especially on the broadcast material, with many spots featuring only a couple of keyframes and omitting large amounts of dialogue (to the point where the spot makes no sense). Skip this book and look for a used copy of "When Advertising Tried Harder."
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