So you want to be a creative?
"What would you say you do here?" - Office Space, 1999
As a copywriter on the creative team here at Off Madison Ave I get asked some form of this question by pretty much every intern that works here. It's great that they are interested, but often they don't know what exactly they're interested in. They know they want to work in advertising but have no idea what a creative actually does. And that's not surprising. Especially when they see me and my art director sitting at a coffee shop with nothing more than a notebook and some old issues of Communication Arts. The creative process can be somewhat mysterious. Heck, sometimes it even surprises me. So I always recommend a few books to these inquiring interns and to anyone else who may be interested in what it takes to "make ads." Here is a list of the top books that I believe give a good insight into the creative advertising process.
Summer reading for the creatively inclined:
1. Hey Whipple, Squeeze This - Luke Sullivan, 1998, 2008 - Recently updated to include online advertising and direct mail, this is hands-down the best book I've read that really captures what it's like to work as a creative. Copywriter Luke Sullivan takes readers through the ins and outs of the concepting process and includes tons of real examples. If you only read one book on advertising, read this one.
2. Ogilvy on Advertising - David Ogilvy, 1985 - An oldie but goodie. Written by a true advertising legend, some of the styles in the ads may seem outdated now but the concepts are still relevant and worth learning. It's a great history lesson on some of the best ads ever created.
3. Communication Arts Advertising Annual - Every year Communication Arts (CA) puts out an advertising annual featuring some of the top creative work from around the world. Print, broadcast, interactive, it's all included. These are the ads to study, memorize and strive to beat.
4. Juicing the Orange: How to Turn Creativity into a Powerful Business Advantage - Pat Fallon and Fred Senn, 2006 - This book takes a look at some of the most creative and successful campaigns in recent years and offers insight into the factors that made these campaigns work. An informative read for creatives or anyone who works at an agency.
5. The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell, 2002 - Okay, so this book isn't about the creative process or even advertising in general (although it's definitely included) but I think it's a worthy read because of Gladwell's insights into epidemics, fads and how messaging can influence culture.
Further reading:
Don't Make Me Think - Steve Krug, 2005 - Tips, tricks and examples of usability design for the web
Letting Go of the Words: Writing Web Content That Works - Janice Redish, 2007
And for those of you who don't want to read - creative advertising in film and TV:
Movies:Art & Copy, 2009 - Interviews with some of the biggest names in advertising, talking about some of their biggest ideas.
Crazy People, 1990 - Dudley Moore stars in this movie about an ad guy who ends up in a mental institution and the patients help him create ads. It's dumb but it's funny.
TV: Mad Men. Besides all the drama of extramarital affairs and 1960's social issues, this show is actually pretty accurate in its portrayal of how an agency works. There's just less smoking in client meetings now.
About the Author: Holly Ringerud
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1 comment so far
David Rojo says:
Truth be told I would probably include a few other books by Malcolm Gladwell. His books just make you look at things a little bit differently.
I would also throw in some branding books such as "The Brand Gap" and "The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding."
Great list though.