Books for The Future of Advertising?
Class doesn't start until January. But I've got to figure out which books to reference and possibly mandate for my Future of Advertising class at MCAD. This stack is my starting point.
I haven't read them all, yet. But I've read a few of them more than twice. Some are likely familiar, others possibly a bit unusual for a course on advertising, much less the future. But there's method in my madness.
by Rollo May
I first read this about 15 years ago. My memory's vague at the moment, but I seem to recall value in May's observations about the common structures of creativity, across almost any and all disciplines. Seems like a good foundation.
On Writing: A Memoir To The Craft
by Stephen King
This was the first book that taught me how to write. I think writing coherently, but with flavor, will continue to have merit. Even in the future.
by Darrell Huff
"The fact is that, despite its mathematical base, statistics is as much an art as it is a science," writes Huff. Ah ha! My buddy Chris Wexler recommended this slim tome, first published in 1954. Given the continual rise of the importance of data -- be it Google Analytics or an ROI statement -- I'm feeling like Huff's work is worth examining.
by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
I haven't read this yet. By all appearances, it seems to provide lots of worthwhile perspective.
by Jack Foster
First read this about 10 years ago while preparing to teach a course on advertising at Emerson College. I continue to turn to this book for reference and help when the wheels need grease.
Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances
by Judith Weston
Typically, I underline, circle and bracket particularly compelling sections of the books I read. I fold page corners, too. My copy of this book, much like "Gossage" or "Grace of Great Things," is littered with inky markings. "Sometimes a mistake is our subconscious speaking, and we ought to listen to it," Weston writes. This book is written for people in TV and Film, but it's equally applicable to running an advertising agency or working in this new world.
Getting Real: The smarter, faster, easier way to build a successful web application
by 37Signals
We saw Jason Fried speak at the recent MIMA Summit. I just got this in the mail from Lulu Publishing. Can't wait to read it, pen in hand. I'm curious about the ethos or practice of working, and how our newer culture of conversation, "always in beta" and "always on" are affecting methodology.
by Jason Burby & Shane Atchison
Same story. We saw Jason Burby speak at the MIMA Summit, and I thought, "If this guy has a book, I'm buying it." And he does. What drew me in here was the simplicity and strength of Burby's approach to divining business goals and the metrics to measure them. Funny how little of this rigor actually occurs in business today.
by Robert Grudin
Perhaps my favorite book. Enough said.
by Steven Levitt & Stephen Dubner
This book has been sitting on my desk for at least a year. I think the underlying idea of 'seeking connections in new ways' ought to have a place in the Future of Advertising.
Hey Whipple, Squeeze This: A Guide To Creating Great Ads
by Luke Sullivan
I wonder if Luke's considering a revised edition that acknowedges the Internet? Hands down, one of the best, if not the best, book on making ads inside an advertising agency. I suspect this book is used in other classes at MCAD, so I might not include it for that reason.
by Joseph Jaffe
(Is it safe to admit I haven't read the entire book yet?) I'll get there. Looking forward to being able to call Across The Sound with a clear conscious.
by Howard Gossage, et al
My copy is quite well underlined, bracketed and generally marked up. Despite his age and era, Gossage really did have an eye and ear towards the future. "The audience is to be considered first and foremost. You are there at their leisure."
Edited by Gavin Heaton & Drew McLellan
Seems like a no-brainer to include this one. My copy arrived a few weeks ago. I'm looking forward to reading it (after I finish Jaffe's book, of course).
Granted, a vast majority of classroom reference and research for The Future of Advertising will consist of blog reading, posting and participation. But academia requires some scholarly fealty to the printed word.
What are your thoughts? Are these books worth the effort? Are there other books my students and I should be reading? Should I include Chris Anderson's The Long Tail, for example?
What's on your bookshelf? What do you read again and again? What books do you share?