Book 1: Advertising

Advertising: My first alphabetical read. This book is mis-titled, it should be titled "the advertising business". This wasn't a particularly illuminating book. Mostly it describes the history and structure of an advertising agency, who sells, who buys and where it goes. Having just finished the fourth MadMen series much of this was familiar territory, though I do now understand that in the post 1970 world the account does not move agencies when the account manager does.  I had hoped that it would explain, at greater length, the psychology behind the buying impulse and the phenomenon of brand loyalty. It does mention these concepts but they are clearly a minor issue for the author. More important to him is the structure of the agency and the various roles and responsibilities therein. There are a number of interesting illustrations and it is clearly written for the UK reader (luckily I grew up in London as much of this would have been lost on me). 


It was certainly interesting to red about some of these but I felt that the thrust of the book was in the wrong direction, I also felt that much of it was stating the obvious and its tone was that aimed at a high school student.


So for my first alphabetical read it was rather a disappointment  but I have already ordered African History which will be number 2.