Inspirational Reading, 27 Sep 2008
This book was given to me when I started in the advertising industry and has inspired me to push myself creatively and to challenge everything. The book presents a high risk high gain strategy of managing your career by thinking out of the ordinary. I think as a direct result of reading this book I have used the presentation that my boss deemed 'too different' and questioned the norm on a daily basis, which has so far worked out well for me!!

Although this book is obviously been aimed at the creative industries, a couple of my friends read it when we were on holiday (a doctor and farmer) and they seemed to take away as much from it as I did. Takes about 20 minutes to read and leaves you feeling motivated and chomping on the bit to do better.

Ideal present for any career driven person.


Buy a Moleskin Note Book Instead, cos' it's just as empty....., 19 Sep 2008
A pat on the back for being so Good.

More empty rhetoric.

This book taught me.

Here is some self help for you.

But somehow I really warm to Paul Ardens book, even though he's a jammy so and so.

worth uk standard postage

why are you reading this? Why don't you?

Carry in your Handbag all day!, 18 Sep 2008
Fantastic, small and my bible. I carry it around with me and am forever annoying others with quotes from the book. I am a Financial Adviser, not in Advertising, but still think it's fantastic...just buying some more!

A Nice Way to Spend an Hour, 06 Aug 2008
For the price of this book you cannot go wrong buying it . It is a quirky little thing and good fun to read - or rather 'flick through'. I bought it after reading Paul Arden's obituary in the Telegraph in which the book was mentioned. As you would expect from a Creative Director this book has been produced in a very creative way. Frankly, I think it is worth buying just for that. However, in it you will also find lots and lots of useful career and business tips. Well worth having on your bookshelf.

Thought provoking and useful for everyone, 26 Jul 2008
Paul Arden's book is a like a breath of fresh air compared to many help or guidebooks out there. The way he combines the images and photographs to highlight the message of the text reflects why he's so well renowned. For someone who isn't involved with advertising or marketing I expected to take away only a limited amount from reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised.

The snapshot way in which the ideas are presented keeps you constantly engaged and thinking. Thought provoking ideas such as - "Don't look for the next opportunity, the one you have in hand is the opportunity" and how we might want to get off a certain job but it could just be the best work we ever do. The idea of "Don't put on a speech, give a show" really hit home. I do speeches and thought that's why people were there, Paul tells us differently.

There's a lot here that everyone who want's to think and act differently will benefit from. A book that you'll read in one sitting and then read over and again. So in case you didn't know, don't covet your ideas and present on a Tuesday.

Inspirational Reading, 27 Sep 2008
This book was given to me when I started in the advertising industry and has inspired me to push myself creatively and to challenge everything. The book presents a high risk high gain strategy of managing your career by thinking out of the ordinary. I think as a direct result of reading this book I have used the presentation that my boss deemed 'too different' and questioned the norm on a daily basis, which has so far worked out well for me!!

Although this book is obviously been aimed at the creative industries, a couple of my friends read it when we were on holiday (a doctor and farmer) and they seemed to take away as much from it as I did. Takes about 20 minutes to read and leaves you feeling motivated and chomping on the bit to do better.

Ideal present for any career driven person.


Buy a Moleskin Note Book Instead, cos' it's just as empty....., 19 Sep 2008
A pat on the back for being so Good.

More empty rhetoric.

This book taught me.

Here is some self help for you.

But somehow I really warm to Paul Ardens book, even though he's a jammy so and so.

worth uk standard postage

why are you reading this? Why don't you?

Carry in your Handbag all day!, 18 Sep 2008
Fantastic, small and my bible. I carry it around with me and am forever annoying others with quotes from the book. I am a Financial Adviser, not in Advertising, but still think it's fantastic...just buying some more!

A Nice Way to Spend an Hour, 06 Aug 2008
For the price of this book you cannot go wrong buying it . It is a quirky little thing and good fun to read - or rather 'flick through'. I bought it after reading Paul Arden's obituary in the Telegraph in which the book was mentioned. As you would expect from a Creative Director this book has been produced in a very creative way. Frankly, I think it is worth buying just for that. However, in it you will also find lots and lots of useful career and business tips. Well worth having on your bookshelf.

Thought provoking and useful for everyone, 26 Jul 2008
Paul Arden's book is a like a breath of fresh air compared to many help or guidebooks out there. The way he combines the images and photographs to highlight the message of the text reflects why he's so well renowned. For someone who isn't involved with advertising or marketing I expected to take away only a limited amount from reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised.

The snapshot way in which the ideas are presented keeps you constantly engaged and thinking. Thought provoking ideas such as - "Don't look for the next opportunity, the one you have in hand is the opportunity" and how we might want to get off a certain job but it could just be the best work we ever do. The idea of "Don't put on a speech, give a show" really hit home. I do speeches and thought that's why people were there, Paul tells us differently.

There's a lot here that everyone who want's to think and act differently will benefit from. A book that you'll read in one sitting and then read over and again. So in case you didn't know, don't covet your ideas and present on a Tuesday.


Don't Just Read This Book... USE IT!, 11 Mar 2008
If you run a business and you either hire people to write your marketing and advertising material, or you do it yourself, this book should be at arms length whenever you roll out a promotion, advert, sales letter or anything else you write to sell your products and services.

If you know about this book and you don't use it, you're plain raving bonkers. It IS a high priced marketing and advertising consultant for what, under 15 quid!!?

I dare you to find a better bargain anywhere!

Raja Hireker -

From the master, 29 Jan 2008
This was the first book on advertising I ever read. Entertaining and insightful, it helped me fall in love with what has been my career ever since.

This book is all you need..., 07 Apr 2007
This book contains everything you will ever need to know about creating successful advertising . The principles he expounds are as relevant today as when the book was published in the 80's. 224 pages, and not a word wasted.

Essential, 15 Jun 2006
Simply one of the best books on advertising ever written. If you're in business and plan to use advertising (whether you're going to design it yourself or pay someone else to do it), you need to read this book. It'll save you from making so many mistakes.

an amazing man!, 08 May 2003
It has often been said David Ogilvy was a genius in his own mind. Well, it was in many others as well. He build Ogilvy and Mather in the giant it is with simple beliefs. He wrote this Admans Guide to Advertising, but he went past it, umbuing it with his whit and charm. Instead of a dry how-to-book on advertising read only by people in the industy, he created a book anyone could enjoy. His writing is strong, sincere and straight from the heart. Why the book has earned millions and will continue to do so.

A man well missed!

Inspirational Reading, 27 Sep 2008
This book was given to me when I started in the advertising industry and has inspired me to push myself creatively and to challenge everything. The book presents a high risk high gain strategy of managing your career by thinking out of the ordinary. I think as a direct result of reading this book I have used the presentation that my boss deemed 'too different' and questioned the norm on a daily basis, which has so far worked out well for me!!

Although this book is obviously been aimed at the creative industries, a couple of my friends read it when we were on holiday (a doctor and farmer) and they seemed to take away as much from it as I did. Takes about 20 minutes to read and leaves you feeling motivated and chomping on the bit to do better.

Ideal present for any career driven person.


Buy a Moleskin Note Book Instead, cos' it's just as empty....., 19 Sep 2008
A pat on the back for being so Good.

More empty rhetoric.

This book taught me.

Here is some self help for you.

But somehow I really warm to Paul Ardens book, even though he's a jammy so and so.

worth uk standard postage

why are you reading this? Why don't you?

Carry in your Handbag all day!, 18 Sep 2008
Fantastic, small and my bible. I carry it around with me and am forever annoying others with quotes from the book. I am a Financial Adviser, not in Advertising, but still think it's fantastic...just buying some more!

A Nice Way to Spend an Hour, 06 Aug 2008
For the price of this book you cannot go wrong buying it . It is a quirky little thing and good fun to read - or rather 'flick through'. I bought it after reading Paul Arden's obituary in the Telegraph in which the book was mentioned. As you would expect from a Creative Director this book has been produced in a very creative way. Frankly, I think it is worth buying just for that. However, in it you will also find lots and lots of useful career and business tips. Well worth having on your bookshelf.

Thought provoking and useful for everyone, 26 Jul 2008
Paul Arden's book is a like a breath of fresh air compared to many help or guidebooks out there. The way he combines the images and photographs to highlight the message of the text reflects why he's so well renowned. For someone who isn't involved with advertising or marketing I expected to take away only a limited amount from reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised.

The snapshot way in which the ideas are presented keeps you constantly engaged and thinking. Thought provoking ideas such as - "Don't look for the next opportunity, the one you have in hand is the opportunity" and how we might want to get off a certain job but it could just be the best work we ever do. The idea of "Don't put on a speech, give a show" really hit home. I do speeches and thought that's why people were there, Paul tells us differently.

There's a lot here that everyone who want's to think and act differently will benefit from. A book that you'll read in one sitting and then read over and again. So in case you didn't know, don't covet your ideas and present on a Tuesday.


Don't Just Read This Book... USE IT!, 11 Mar 2008
If you run a business and you either hire people to write your marketing and advertising material, or you do it yourself, this book should be at arms length whenever you roll out a promotion, advert, sales letter or anything else you write to sell your products and services.

If you know about this book and you don't use it, you're plain raving bonkers. It IS a high priced marketing and advertising consultant for what, under 15 quid!!?

I dare you to find a better bargain anywhere!

Raja Hireker -

From the master, 29 Jan 2008
This was the first book on advertising I ever read. Entertaining and insightful, it helped me fall in love with what has been my career ever since.

This book is all you need..., 07 Apr 2007
This book contains everything you will ever need to know about creating successful advertising . The principles he expounds are as relevant today as when the book was published in the 80's. 224 pages, and not a word wasted.

Essential, 15 Jun 2006
Simply one of the best books on advertising ever written. If you're in business and plan to use advertising (whether you're going to design it yourself or pay someone else to do it), you need to read this book. It'll save you from making so many mistakes.

an amazing man!, 08 May 2003
It has often been said David Ogilvy was a genius in his own mind. Well, it was in many others as well. He build Ogilvy and Mather in the giant it is with simple beliefs. He wrote this Admans Guide to Advertising, but he went past it, umbuing it with his whit and charm. Instead of a dry how-to-book on advertising read only by people in the industy, he created a book anyone could enjoy. His writing is strong, sincere and straight from the heart. Why the book has earned millions and will continue to do so.

A man well missed!

Pick of the bunch for advertisers, 22 Dec 2007
Which book to buy on advertising?

If you are interested as a lay person in understanding how advertisers work, then "Ogilvy on Advertising" probably can't be beaten -- even though it's quite a few years old now.
If you want to understand the history of advertising, then "Twenty Ads that Shook the World" is pretty good.
If you are a student, then "The fundamentals of creative advertising" is a good place to begin.
If you just want a really beautiful (and inspiring) book, then "Advertising - new techniques for visual seduction" is superb.

However, if you are an advertiser, and you want to raise your game, maybe to the world-class, this book is the pick of the bunch. It organises its obligatory (and delicious) pictures of successful ads around the creative process that led to them. The largest section, "The Kickstart Catalogue", gives a "kickstart question" to go with every ad presented. This neatly gets beyond the great frustration of looking at advertising books -- they tell you want wonderful ideas have been used, and are therefore no longer available. Although you can't steal the ad, you can use the kickstart question, such as "How can a benefit be represented by showing the opposite of what people expect?"

The Kickstart catalogue occupies 150 of 264 pages. There are also good sections on developing the creative team, on humour, on classic creative techniques and on visualisation, as well as a useful section of interviews and resources.

If you just like reading books about advertising, this is probably a nice book to have on your coffee table. If you make your living from advertising creativity, this is probably a book you will want to keep on your desk.

innovative, 07 Feb 2007
excellent- an easy read and ideas seem very exciting to adopt, from a virtual point of view as I was in the beauty industry I found headtotoebeauty.co.uk a good advertising rescource, there are lots of other similar ones in the book.


Excellent book for Ads, 10 Apr 2005
Clearly structure, brilliant ideas bring you to a new advertising world. I like it!

open your mind !!!, 25 Jun 2002
With this book you will learn how to think, plan and design working-advertises. Lots of well-known advertises are analysed in order to understand why the author did all the decisions... what to design, that message you want to trasmit to the viewer and so on.
You will not find "how-to-do-it", or "hands-on" sections, but only suggestions on how to think about a product, how to design it, what customers will think viewing your art-work.
Simply outstanding !!!

Inspirational Reading, 27 Sep 2008
This book was given to me when I started in the advertising industry and has inspired me to push myself creatively and to challenge everything. The book presents a high risk high gain strategy of managing your career by thinking out of the ordinary. I think as a direct result of reading this book I have used the presentation that my boss deemed 'too different' and questioned the norm on a daily basis, which has so far worked out well for me!!

Although this book is obviously been aimed at the creative industries, a couple of my friends read it when we were on holiday (a doctor and farmer) and they seemed to take away as much from it as I did. Takes about 20 minutes to read and leaves you feeling motivated and chomping on the bit to do better.

Ideal present for any career driven person.


Buy a Moleskin Note Book Instead, cos' it's just as empty....., 19 Sep 2008
A pat on the back for being so Good.

More empty rhetoric.

This book taught me.

Here is some self help for you.

But somehow I really warm to Paul Ardens book, even though he's a jammy so and so.

worth uk standard postage

why are you reading this? Why don't you?

Carry in your Handbag all day!, 18 Sep 2008
Fantastic, small and my bible. I carry it around with me and am forever annoying others with quotes from the book. I am a Financial Adviser, not in Advertising, but still think it's fantastic...just buying some more!

A Nice Way to Spend an Hour, 06 Aug 2008
For the price of this book you cannot go wrong buying it . It is a quirky little thing and good fun to read - or rather 'flick through'. I bought it after reading Paul Arden's obituary in the Telegraph in which the book was mentioned. As you would expect from a Creative Director this book has been produced in a very creative way. Frankly, I think it is worth buying just for that. However, in it you will also find lots and lots of useful career and business tips. Well worth having on your bookshelf.

Thought provoking and useful for everyone, 26 Jul 2008
Paul Arden's book is a like a breath of fresh air compared to many help or guidebooks out there. The way he combines the images and photographs to highlight the message of the text reflects why he's so well renowned. For someone who isn't involved with advertising or marketing I expected to take away only a limited amount from reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised.

The snapshot way in which the ideas are presented keeps you constantly engaged and thinking. Thought provoking ideas such as - "Don't look for the next opportunity, the one you have in hand is the opportunity" and how we might want to get off a certain job but it could just be the best work we ever do. The idea of "Don't put on a speech, give a show" really hit home. I do speeches and thought that's why people were there, Paul tells us differently.

There's a lot here that everyone who want's to think and act differently will benefit from. A book that you'll read in one sitting and then read over and again. So in case you didn't know, don't covet your ideas and present on a Tuesday.


Don't Just Read This Book... USE IT!, 11 Mar 2008
If you run a business and you either hire people to write your marketing and advertising material, or you do it yourself, this book should be at arms length whenever you roll out a promotion, advert, sales letter or anything else you write to sell your products and services.

If you know about this book and you don't use it, you're plain raving bonkers. It IS a high priced marketing and advertising consultant for what, under 15 quid!!?

I dare you to find a better bargain anywhere!

Raja Hireker -

From the master, 29 Jan 2008
This was the first book on advertising I ever read. Entertaining and insightful, it helped me fall in love with what has been my career ever since.

This book is all you need..., 07 Apr 2007
This book contains everything you will ever need to know about creating successful advertising . The principles he expounds are as relevant today as when the book was published in the 80's. 224 pages, and not a word wasted.

Essential, 15 Jun 2006
Simply one of the best books on advertising ever written. If you're in business and plan to use advertising (whether you're going to design it yourself or pay someone else to do it), you need to read this book. It'll save you from making so many mistakes.

an amazing man!, 08 May 2003
It has often been said David Ogilvy was a genius in his own mind. Well, it was in many others as well. He build Ogilvy and Mather in the giant it is with simple beliefs. He wrote this Admans Guide to Advertising, but he went past it, umbuing it with his whit and charm. Instead of a dry how-to-book on advertising read only by people in the industy, he created a book anyone could enjoy. His writing is strong, sincere and straight from the heart. Why the book has earned millions and will continue to do so.

A man well missed!

Pick of the bunch for advertisers, 22 Dec 2007
Which book to buy on advertising?

If you are interested as a lay person in understanding how advertisers work, then "Ogilvy on Advertising" probably can't be beaten -- even though it's quite a few years old now.
If you want to understand the history of advertising, then "Twenty Ads that Shook the World" is pretty good.
If you are a student, then "The fundamentals of creative advertising" is a good place to begin.
If you just want a really beautiful (and inspiring) book, then "Advertising - new techniques for visual seduction" is superb.

However, if you are an advertiser, and you want to raise your game, maybe to the world-class, this book is the pick of the bunch. It organises its obligatory (and delicious) pictures of successful ads around the creative process that led to them. The largest section, "The Kickstart Catalogue", gives a "kickstart question" to go with every ad presented. This neatly gets beyond the great frustration of looking at advertising books -- they tell you want wonderful ideas have been used, and are therefore no longer available. Although you can't steal the ad, you can use the kickstart question, such as "How can a benefit be represented by showing the opposite of what people expect?"

The Kickstart catalogue occupies 150 of 264 pages. There are also good sections on developing the creative team, on humour, on classic creative techniques and on visualisation, as well as a useful section of interviews and resources.

If you just like reading books about advertising, this is probably a nice book to have on your coffee table. If you make your living from advertising creativity, this is probably a book you will want to keep on your desk.

innovative, 07 Feb 2007
excellent- an easy read and ideas seem very exciting to adopt, from a virtual point of view as I was in the beauty industry I found headtotoebeauty.co.uk a good advertising rescource, there are lots of other similar ones in the book.


Excellent book for Ads, 10 Apr 2005
Clearly structure, brilliant ideas bring you to a new advertising world. I like it!

open your mind !!!, 25 Jun 2002
With this book you will learn how to think, plan and design working-advertises. Lots of well-known advertises are analysed in order to understand why the author did all the decisions... what to design, that message you want to trasmit to the viewer and so on.
You will not find "how-to-do-it", or "hands-on" sections, but only suggestions on how to think about a product, how to design it, what customers will think viewing your art-work.
Simply outstanding !!!

A Technique for Producing Ideas, 20 Feb 2008
A short book like this deserves a short review. This book is less about technique and more about procedure. Young's most important point is that new ideas come about through making connections with other disparate ones. Apart from that the book reads more like an ad man's notebook and is very dated. Historically interesting but of limited use.

Worth Reading, 26 Nov 2007
Very few books I've read are so direct and simple. The author gives away his secrets in this book, he says that he is not scared to do so because - as with many things - very few people are actually dedicated and disciplined enough to follow through (I'm paraphrasing).

It gives you the principles and methods in a 1 hour read, whether you get ideas and the quality of your ideas all depend on you.

Great, great, great book.


Just FIVE simple steps....., 03 Oct 2007
......that's all it takes to learn how to come up with new & creative ideas, time after time. As Young says, the idea & the technique itself are so plain & logically simple that you may even miss it; despite the fact that the book is only some 48 pages long. It's easy to read & in your haste to learn "the secret" you may finish the book too quickly. Some thoughtful reading is required, so please don't dismiss the book because of its apparent brevity.

The fact that the book has survived successfully for over 40 years in print is testament to Young unique (but not new) teaching.

Although Young does not refer to it, I am reminded of many writers & books that go into great detail explaining the "science of the mind" & the wonderful way the brain [or mind] works & how it can be used to spawn new ideas & create solutions to problems. Sometimes referred to Mental Science, its philosophy & teachings go back thousands of years & weren't fully recognised until around the time of the 1900's.

If after reading this you wish to develop & research this technique further, I would highly recommend Emmet Fox's "Power Through Constructive Thinking".

A MUST READ, 28 Oct 2001
Although it is not a very new book (about 50 years old), its significant, simplified, and disciplined way for innovative thinking is just as effective and valuable as the day it was first published. I am sure you will fall in love with the book so much that it will take an hour to read. Enjoy reading!

Inspirational Reading, 27 Sep 2008
This book was given to me when I started in the advertising industry and has inspired me to push myself creatively and to challenge everything. The book presents a high risk high gain strategy of managing your career by thinking out of the ordinary. I think as a direct result of reading this book I have used the presentation that my boss deemed 'too different' and questioned the norm on a daily basis, which has so far worked out well for me!!

Although this book is obviously been aimed at the creative industries, a couple of my friends read it when we were on holiday (a doctor and farmer) and they seemed to take away as much from it as I did. Takes about 20 minutes to read and leaves you feeling motivated and chomping on the bit to do better.

Ideal present for any career driven person.


Buy a Moleskin Note Book Instead, cos' it's just as empty....., 19 Sep 2008
A pat on the back for being so Good.

More empty rhetoric.

This book taught me.

Here is some self help for you.

But somehow I really warm to Paul Ardens book, even though he's a jammy so and so.

worth uk standard postage

why are you reading this? Why don't you?

Carry in your Handbag all day!, 18 Sep 2008
Fantastic, small and my bible. I carry it around with me and am forever annoying others with quotes from the book. I am a Financial Adviser, not in Advertising, but still think it's fantastic...just buying some more!

A Nice Way to Spend an Hour, 06 Aug 2008
For the price of this book you cannot go wrong buying it . It is a quirky little thing and good fun to read - or rather 'flick through'. I bought it after reading Paul Arden's obituary in the Telegraph in which the book was mentioned. As you would expect from a Creative Director this book has been produced in a very creative way. Frankly, I think it is worth buying just for that. However, in it you will also find lots and lots of useful career and business tips. Well worth having on your bookshelf.

Thought provoking and useful for everyone, 26 Jul 2008
Paul Arden's book is a like a breath of fresh air compared to many help or guidebooks out there. The way he combines the images and photographs to highlight the message of the text reflects why he's so well renowned. For someone who isn't involved with advertising or marketing I expected to take away only a limited amount from reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised.

The snapshot way in which the ideas are presented keeps you constantly engaged and thinking. Thought provoking ideas such as - "Don't look for the next opportunity, the one you have in hand is the opportunity" and how we might want to get off a certain job but it could just be the best work we ever do. The idea of "Don't put on a speech, give a show" really hit home. I do speeches and thought that's why people were there, Paul tells us differently.

There's a lot here that everyone who want's to think and act differently will benefit from. A book that you'll read in one sitting and then read over and again. So in case you didn't know, don't covet your ideas and present on a Tuesday.


Don't Just Read This Book... USE IT!, 11 Mar 2008
If you run a business and you either hire people to write your marketing and advertising material, or you do it yourself, this book should be at arms length whenever you roll out a promotion, advert, sales letter or anything else you write to sell your products and services.

If you know about this book and you don't use it, you're plain raving bonkers. It IS a high priced marketing and advertising consultant for what, under 15 quid!!?

I dare you to find a better bargain anywhere!

Raja Hireker -

From the master, 29 Jan 2008
This was the first book on advertising I ever read. Entertaining and insightful, it helped me fall in love with what has been my career ever since.

This book is all you need..., 07 Apr 2007
This book contains everything you will ever need to know about creating successful advertising . The principles he expounds are as relevant today as when the book was published in the 80's. 224 pages, and not a word wasted.

Essential, 15 Jun 2006
Simply one of the best books on advertising ever written. If you're in business and plan to use advertising (whether you're going to design it yourself or pay someone else to do it), you need to read this book. It'll save you from making so many mistakes.

an amazing man!, 08 May 2003
It has often been said David Ogilvy was a genius in his own mind. Well, it was in many others as well. He build Ogilvy and Mather in the giant it is with simple beliefs. He wrote this Admans Guide to Advertising, but he went past it, umbuing it with his whit and charm. Instead of a dry how-to-book on advertising read only by people in the industy, he created a book anyone could enjoy. His writing is strong, sincere and straight from the heart. Why the book has earned millions and will continue to do so.

A man well missed!

Pick of the bunch for advertisers, 22 Dec 2007
Which book to buy on advertising?

If you are interested as a lay person in understanding how advertisers work, then "Ogilvy on Advertising" probably can't be beaten -- even though it's quite a few years old now.
If you want to understand the history of advertising, then "Twenty Ads that Shook the World" is pretty good.
If you are a student, then "The fundamentals of creative advertising" is a good place to begin.
If you just want a really beautiful (and inspiring) book, then "Advertising - new techniques for visual seduction" is superb.

However, if you are an advertiser, and you want to raise your game, maybe to the world-class, this book is the pick of the bunch. It organises its obligatory (and delicious) pictures of successful ads around the creative process that led to them. The largest section, "The Kickstart Catalogue", gives a "kickstart question" to go with every ad presented. This neatly gets beyond the great frustration of looking at advertising books -- they tell you want wonderful ideas have been used, and are therefore no longer available. Although you can't steal the ad, you can use the kickstart question, such as "How can a benefit be represented by showing the opposite of what people expect?"

The Kickstart catalogue occupies 150 of 264 pages. There are also good sections on developing the creative team, on humour, on classic creative techniques and on visualisation, as well as a useful section of interviews and resources.

If you just like reading books about advertising, this is probably a nice book to have on your coffee table. If you make your living from advertising creativity, this is probably a book you will want to keep on your desk.

innovative, 07 Feb 2007
excellent- an easy read and ideas seem very exciting to adopt, from a virtual point of view as I was in the beauty industry I found headtotoebeauty.co.uk a good advertising rescource, there are lots of other similar ones in the book.


Excellent book for Ads, 10 Apr 2005
Clearly structure, brilliant ideas bring you to a new advertising world. I like it!

open your mind !!!, 25 Jun 2002
With this book you will learn how to think, plan and design working-advertises. Lots of well-known advertises are analysed in order to understand why the author did all the decisions... what to design, that message you want to trasmit to the viewer and so on.
You will not find "how-to-do-it", or "hands-on" sections, but only suggestions on how to think about a product, how to design it, what customers will think viewing your art-work.
Simply outstanding !!!

A Technique for Producing Ideas, 20 Feb 2008
A short book like this deserves a short review. This book is less about technique and more about procedure. Young's most important point is that new ideas come about through making connections with other disparate ones. Apart from that the book reads more like an ad man's notebook and is very dated. Historically interesting but of limited use.

Worth Reading, 26 Nov 2007
Very few books I've read are so direct and simple. The author gives away his secrets in this book, he says that he is not scared to do so because - as with many things - very few people are actually dedicated and disciplined enough to follow through (I'm paraphrasing).

It gives you the principles and methods in a 1 hour read, whether you get ideas and the quality of your ideas all depend on you.

Great, great, great book.


Just FIVE simple steps....., 03 Oct 2007
......that's all it takes to learn how to come up with new & creative ideas, time after time. As Young says, the idea & the technique itself are so plain & logically simple that you may even miss it; despite the fact that the book is only some 48 pages long. It's easy to read & in your haste to learn "the secret" you may finish the book too quickly. Some thoughtful reading is required, so please don't dismiss the book because of its apparent brevity.

The fact that the book has survived successfully for over 40 years in print is testament to Young unique (but not new) teaching.

Although Young does not refer to it, I am reminded of many writers & books that go into great detail explaining the "science of the mind" & the wonderful way the brain [or mind] works & how it can be used to spawn new ideas & create solutions to problems. Sometimes referred to Mental Science, its philosophy & teachings go back thousands of years & weren't fully recognised until around the time of the 1900's.

If after reading this you wish to develop & research this technique further, I would highly recommend Emmet Fox's "Power Through Constructive Thinking".

A MUST READ, 28 Oct 2001
Although it is not a very new book (about 50 years old), its significant, simplified, and disciplined way for innovative thinking is just as effective and valuable as the day it was first published. I am sure you will fall in love with the book so much that it will take an hour to read. Enjoy reading!

Solid guidebook to making a perfect presentation , 26 Sep 2008
This book about making effective presentations is markedly different from many others. This personal account, complete with stories from the advertising business, shows what makes a presentation successful. Author Jon Steel is a self-proclaimed iconoclast who did well in the ad business. He uses examples from the O.J. Simpson trial, advertising competitions and London's pitch to host the 2012 Olympics. (The city won and the story behind the contest is compelling.) Steel's suggestions can help you break the mold that constrains your presentations. getAbstract finds this book practical for anyone who wants a new perspective on developing presentations. People in advertising will find it especially enjoyable and useful.

Inspiring and practical, 11 May 2008
Death by PowerPoint is one of the widespread malign results of the wired world we now inhabit. Jon Steel's mission in writing this book is simple: to save the world from dreadful presentations (actually, he uses another word, but it's a bit ripe for Amazon). With an extraordinary breadth of both positive and negative examples, ranging from prostitute cards in London phone booths to what Winston Churchill's famous 'fight them on the beaches' speech would have been like if he'd done it on PowerPoint, Steel demolishes all the worst of pitches both great and small, and uncovers the basis of world-class presentations.

This book is primarily written for the inspirational end of top advertising pitches, but Steel takes care to apply it right down to the transient business presentations that most of us are familiar with. As well as giving all the background thinking, Steel takes us right through a presentation development process, concluding with the London 2012 Olympic bid -- arguably the most famous and influential presentation of the last ten years.

I bought this book to improve my creative marketing pitches. Having read it, I will use it to transform every presentation I make for the rest of my life.

Not bad value for £12.99.

Creating engaging stories that connect, 18 Dec 2006
Jon Steel is a rare breed of truly smart, creative thinkers. Though originally from an advertising background, Perfect Pitch is by no means simply an "advertising book." It is a book about ideas and how to sell them, regardless of your business.

Jon believes that in business we all too often hide behind boring Powerpoint slides when we pitch. It is easier to simply read from a slide than step out and actually engage with your audience. He believes in finding an active insight from which to base the strategy and thinking and from there, developing an engaging and motivating story.

Essentially in a pitch situation you have a limited period of time to connect with your audience and tell them a story. It's not about animated slides or embedded video links.

William Goldman, the scriptwriter, has a very similar premise in Adventures In the Screen Trade. He too talks about the critical importance of the pitch (in his case, pitches for movies) Goldman highlights the importance of finding the hook that captivates and motivates your audience.

Having had the pleasure of working with Jon, in fact on one of the pitches that he references in the book, it is fair to say that he practises what he preaches. The advice he gives is refreshingly free from jargon and rooted in simple common-sense that someones we can all forget.

This book is an essential tool for anyone who is ever in pitch situations with their clients.

Presenting to win, 22 Nov 2006
Jon Steel's book is a breath of fresh air. His key message, that getting the content of the presentation right rather than launching into yet another ill-advised powerpoint, is timely. Too often I have sat through (and given) turgid powerpoint presentations when actually a bit of thought and some emotion would have gone far further.
As with many good presentations, its the recalling of the problems and mistakes (and how they were overcome) that proves the point.
The book has helped me re-focus on getting the analysis right rather than bashing away on the laptop at the last minute! And yes, I have now re-written this weeks major presentation!

Inspirational Reading, 27 Sep 2008
This book was given to me when I started in the advertising industry and has inspired me to push myself creatively and to challenge everything. The book presents a high risk high gain strategy of managing your career by thinking out of the ordinary. I think as a direct result of reading this book I have used the presentation that my boss deemed 'too different' and questioned the norm on a daily basis, which has so far worked out well for me!!

Although this book is obviously been aimed at the creative industries, a couple of my friends read it when we were on holiday (a doctor and farmer) and they seemed to take away as much from it as I did. Takes about 20 minutes to read and leaves you feeling motivated and chomping on the bit to do better.

Ideal present for any career driven person.


Buy a Moleskin Note Book Instead, cos' it's just as empty....., 19 Sep 2008
A pat on the back for being so Good.

More empty rhetoric.

This book taught me.

Here is some self help for you.

But somehow I really warm to Paul Ardens book, even though he's a jammy so and so.

worth uk standard postage

why are you reading this? Why don't you?

Carry in your Handbag all day!, 18 Sep 2008
Fantastic, small and my bible. I carry it around with me and am forever annoying others with quotes from the book. I am a Financial Adviser, not in Advertising, but still think it's fantastic...just buying some more!

A Nice Way to Spend an Hour, 06 Aug 2008
For the price of this book you cannot go wrong buying it . It is a quirky little thing and good fun to read - or rather 'flick through'. I bought it after reading Paul Arden's obituary in the Telegraph in which the book was mentioned. As you would expect from a Creative Director this book has been produced in a very creative way. Frankly, I think it is worth buying just for that. However, in it you will also find lots and lots of useful career and business tips. Well worth having on your bookshelf.

Thought provoking and useful for everyone, 26 Jul 2008
Paul Arden's book is a like a breath of fresh air compared to many help or guidebooks out there. The way he combines the images and photographs to highlight the message of the text reflects why he's so well renowned. For someone who isn't involved with advertising or marketing I expected to take away only a limited amount from reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised.

The snapshot way in which the ideas are presented keeps you constantly engaged and thinking. Thought provoking ideas such as - "Don't look for the next opportunity, the one you have in hand is the opportunity" and how we might want to get off a certain job but it could just be the best work we ever do. The idea of "Don't put on a speech, give a show" really hit home. I do speeches and thought that's why people were there, Paul tells us differently.

There's a lot here that everyone who want's to think and act differently will benefit from. A book that you'll read in one sitting and then read over and again. So in case you didn't know, don't covet your ideas and present on a Tuesday.


Don't Just Read This Book... USE IT!, 11 Mar 2008
If you run a business and you either hire people to write your marketing and advertising material, or you do it yourself, this book should be at arms length whenever you roll out a promotion, advert, sales letter or anything else you write to sell your products and services.

If you know about this book and you don't use it, you're plain raving bonkers. It IS a high priced marketing and advertising consultant for what, under 15 quid!!?

I dare you to find a better bargain anywhere!

Raja Hireker -

From the master, 29 Jan 2008
This was the first book on advertising I ever read. Entertaining and insightful, it helped me fall in love with what has been my career ever since.

This book is all you need..., 07 Apr 2007
This book contains everything you will ever need to know about creating successful advertising . The principles he expounds are as relevant today as when the book was published in the 80's. 224 pages, and not a word wasted.

Essential, 15 Jun 2006
Simply one of the best books on advertising ever written. If you're in business and plan to use advertising (whether you're going to design it yourself or pay someone else to do it), you need to read this book. It'll save you from making so many mistakes.

an amazing man!, 08 May 2003
It has often been said David Ogilvy was a genius in his own mind. Well, it was in many others as well. He build Ogilvy and Mather in the giant it is with simple beliefs. He wrote this Admans Guide to Advertising, but he went past it, umbuing it with his whit and charm. Instead of a dry how-to-book on advertising read only by people in the industy, he created a book anyone could enjoy. His writing is strong, sincere and straight from the heart. Why the book has earned millions and will continue to do so.

A man well missed!

Pick of the bunch for advertisers, 22 Dec 2007
Which book to buy on advertising?

If you are interested as a lay person in understanding how advertisers work, then "Ogilvy on Advertising" probably can't be beaten -- even though it's quite a few years old now.
If you want to understand the history of advertising, then "Twenty Ads that Shook the World" is pretty good.
If you are a student, then "The fundamentals of creative advertising" is a good place to begin.
If you just want a really beautiful (and inspiring) book, then "Advertising - new techniques for visual seduction" is superb.

However, if you are an advertiser, and you want to raise your game, maybe to the world-class, this book is the pick of the bunch. It organises its obligatory (and delicious) pictures of successful ads around the creative process that led to them. The largest section, "The Kickstart Catalogue", gives a "kickstart question" to go with every ad presented. This neatly gets beyond the great frustration of looking at advertising books -- they tell you want wonderful ideas have been used, and are therefore no longer available. Although you can't steal the ad, you can use the kickstart question, such as "How can a benefit be represented by showing the opposite of what people expect?"

The Kickstart catalogue occupies 150 of 264 pages. There are also good sections on developing the creative team, on humour, on classic creative techniques and on visualisation, as well as a useful section of interviews and resources.

If you just like reading books about advertising, this is probably a nice book to have on your coffee table. If you make your living from advertising creativity, this is probably a book you will want to keep on your desk.

innovative, 07 Feb 2007
excellent- an easy read and ideas seem very exciting to adopt, from a virtual point of view as I was in the beauty industry I found headtotoebeauty.co.uk a good advertising rescource, there are lots of other similar ones in the book.


Excellent book for Ads, 10 Apr 2005
Clearly structure, brilliant ideas bring you to a new advertising world. I like it!

open your mind !!!, 25 Jun 2002
With this book you will learn how to think, plan and design working-advertises. Lots of well-known advertises are analysed in order to understand why the author did all the decisions... what to design, that message you want to trasmit to the viewer and so on.
You will not find "how-to-do-it", or "hands-on" sections, but only suggestions on how to think about a product, how to design it, what customers will think viewing your art-work.
Simply outstanding !!!

A Technique for Producing Ideas, 20 Feb 2008
A short book like this deserves a short review. This book is less about technique and more about procedure. Young's most important point is that new ideas come about through making connections with other disparate ones. Apart from that the book reads more like an ad man's notebook and is very dated. Historically interesting but of limited use.

Worth Reading, 26 Nov 2007
Very few books I've read are so direct and simple. The author gives away his secrets in this book, he says that he is not scared to do so because - as with many things - very few people are actually dedicated and disciplined enough to follow through (I'm paraphrasing).

It gives you the principles and methods in a 1 hour read, whether you get ideas and the quality of your ideas all depend on you.

Great, great, great book.


Just FIVE simple steps....., 03 Oct 2007
......that's all it takes to learn how to come up with new & creative ideas, time after time. As Young says, the idea & the technique itself are so plain & logically simple that you may even miss it; despite the fact that the book is only some 48 pages long. It's easy to read & in your haste to learn "the secret" you may finish the book too quickly. Some thoughtful reading is required, so please don't dismiss the book because of its apparent brevity.

The fact that the book has survived successfully for over 40 years in print is testament to Young unique (but not new) teaching.

Although Young does not refer to it, I am reminded of many writers & books that go into great detail explaining the "science of the mind" & the wonderful way the brain [or mind] works & how it can be used to spawn new ideas & create solutions to problems. Sometimes referred to Mental Science, its philosophy & teachings go back thousands of years & weren't fully recognised until around the time of the 1900's.

If after reading this you wish to develop & research this technique further, I would highly recommend Emmet Fox's "Power Through Constructive Thinking".

A MUST READ, 28 Oct 2001
Although it is not a very new book (about 50 years old), its significant, simplified, and disciplined way for innovative thinking is just as effective and valuable as the day it was first published. I am sure you will fall in love with the book so much that it will take an hour to read. Enjoy reading!

Solid guidebook to making a perfect presentation , 26 Sep 2008
This book about making effective presentations is markedly different from many others. This personal account, complete with stories from the advertising business, shows what makes a presentation successful. Author Jon Steel is a self-proclaimed iconoclast who did well in the ad business. He uses examples from the O.J. Simpson trial, advertising competitions and London's pitch to host the 2012 Olympics. (The city won and the story behind the contest is compelling.) Steel's suggestions can help you break the mold that constrains your presentations. getAbstract finds this book practical for anyone who wants a new perspective on developing presentations. People in advertising will find it especially enjoyable and useful.

Inspiring and practical, 11 May 2008
Death by PowerPoint is one of the widespread malign results of the wired world we now inhabit. Jon Steel's mission in writing this book is simple: to save the world from dreadful presentations (actually, he uses another word, but it's a bit ripe for Amazon). With an extraordinary breadth of both positive and negative examples, ranging from prostitute cards in London phone booths to what Winston Churchill's famous 'fight them on the beaches' speech would have been like if he'd done it on PowerPoint, Steel demolishes all the worst of pitches both great and small, and uncovers the basis of world-class presentations.

This book is primarily written for the inspirational end of top advertising pitches, but Steel takes care to apply it right down to the transient business presentations that most of us are familiar with. As well as giving all the background thinking, Steel takes us right through a presentation development process, concluding with the London 2012 Olympic bid -- arguably the most famous and influential presentation of the last ten years.

I bought this book to improve my creative marketing pitches. Having read it, I will use it to transform every presentation I make for the rest of my life.

Not bad value for £12.99.

Creating engaging stories that connect, 18 Dec 2006
Jon Steel is a rare breed of truly smart, creative thinkers. Though originally from an advertising background, Perfect Pitch is by no means simply an "advertising book." It is a book about ideas and how to sell them, regardless of your business.

Jon believes that in business we all too often hide behind boring Powerpoint slides when we pitch. It is easier to simply read from a slide than step out and actually engage with your audience. He believes in finding an active insight from which to base the strategy and thinking and from there, developing an engaging and motivating story.

Essentially in a pitch situation you have a limited period of time to connect with your audience and tell them a story. It's not about animated slides or embedded video links.

William Goldman, the scriptwriter, has a very similar premise in Adventures In the Screen Trade. He too talks about the critical importance of the pitch (in his case, pitches for movies) Goldman highlights the importance of finding the hook that captivates and motivates your audience.

Having had the pleasure of working with Jon, in fact on one of the pitches that he references in the book, it is fair to say that he practises what he preaches. The advice he gives is refreshingly free from jargon and rooted in simple common-sense that someones we can all forget.

This book is an essential tool for anyone who is ever in pitch situations with their clients.

Presenting to win, 22 Nov 2006
Jon Steel's book is a breath of fresh air. His key message, that getting the content of the presentation right rather than launching into yet another ill-advised powerpoint, is timely. Too often I have sat through (and given) turgid powerpoint presentations when actually a bit of thought and some emotion would have gone far further.
As with many good presentations, its the recalling of the problems and mistakes (and how they were overcome) that proves the point.
The book has helped me re-focus on getting the analysis right rather than bashing away on the laptop at the last minute! And yes, I have now re-written this weeks major presentation!

great, 18 May 2008
This book gives a real incite into the fashion industry and, unlike many informative books, is a great read too. I couldn't put it down and found it really fascinating. Highly recommended.

A complete guide to the fashion BUSINESS!, 06 Nov 2006
This book is essential reading for anyone interested in fashion or thinking of going into this field of work. I have been in the industry for 10 years and most of the experiences and thoughts i have had are included in this book. A complete guide to the fashion business from how fashion magazine never criticise their paymaster's (the designers!) and how global brands are turning people away from designer wear.
An excellent book for anyone interested or thinking of going into the fashion business

Highly Recommended!, 21 Oct 2005
If you want to understand the true meaning of style, the fashion world can explain it. No other industry is as adept at transforming a commodity into an art form, and doing so repeatedly on a seasonal basis. Journalist Mark Tungate presents a terrific overview of many key aspects of this gritty yet ephemeral business. His wide-ranging book covers everything from fashion photography to haute couture, modeling agencies, accessories, second hand clothes and even the history of department stores. He goes into journalistic detail about established and avant-garde designers, photographers, ad agencies and trend consultants who work side by side to sell image to the public. This is a serious book, complete with the URL's of key Web sites, and profiles of the top designers who create brands. Tungate goes inside fashion firms that know how to sell dreams and illusions made of Italian fabrics and fine leather. We recommend this book to marketers - even those who are not fashion minded - who want to rejuvenate their creativity and pick up some new sources of inspiration and style.

Inspirational Reading, 27 Sep 2008
This book was given to me when I started in the advertising industry and has inspired me to push myself creatively and to challenge everything. The book presents a high risk high gain strategy of managing your career by thinking out of the ordinary. I think as a direct result of reading this book I have used the presentation that my boss deemed 'too different' and questioned the norm on a daily basis, which has so far worked out well for me!!

Although this book is obviously been aimed at the creative industries, a couple of my friends read it when we were on holiday (a doctor and farmer) and they seemed to take away as much from it as I did. Takes about 20 minutes to read and leaves you feeling motivated and chomping on the bit to do better.

Ideal present for any career driven person.


Buy a Moleskin Note Book Instead, cos' it's just as empty....., 19 Sep 2008
A pat on the back for being so Good.

More empty rhetoric.

This book taught me.

Here is some self help for you.

But somehow I really warm to Paul Ardens book, even though he's a jammy so and so.

worth uk standard postage

why are you reading this? Why don't you?

Carry in your Handbag all day!, 18 Sep 2008
Fantastic, small and my bible. I carry it around with me and am forever annoying others with quotes from the book. I am a Financial Adviser, not in Advertising, but still think it's fantastic...just buying some more!

A Nice Way to Spend an Hour, 06 Aug 2008
For the price of this book you cannot go wrong buying it . It is a quirky little thing and good fun to read - or rather 'flick through'. I bought it after reading Paul Arden's obituary in the Telegraph in which the book was mentioned. As you would expect from a Creative Director this book has been produced in a very creative way. Frankly, I think it is worth buying just for that. However, in it you will also find lots and lots of useful career and business tips. Well worth having on your bookshelf.

Thought provoking and useful for everyone, 26 Jul 2008
Paul Arden's book is a like a breath of fresh air compared to many help or guidebooks out there. The way he combines the images and photographs to highlight the message of the text reflects why he's so well renowned. For someone who isn't involved with advertising or marketing I expected to take away only a limited amount from reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised.

The snapshot way in which the ideas are presented keeps you constantly engaged and thinking. Thought provoking ideas such as - "Don't look for the next opportunity, the one you have in hand is the opportunity" and how we might want to get off a certain job but it could just be the best work we ever do. The idea of "Don't put on a speech, give a show" really hit home. I do speeches and thought that's why people were there, Paul tells us differently.

There's a lot here that everyone who want's to think and act differently will benefit from. A book that you'll read in one sitting and then read over and again. So in case you didn't know, don't covet your ideas and present on a Tuesday.


Don't Just Read This Book... USE IT!, 11 Mar 2008
If you run a business and you either hire people to write your marketing and advertising material, or you do it yourself, this book should be at arms length whenever you roll out a promotion, advert, sales letter or anything else you write to sell your products and services.

If you know about this book and you don't use it, you're plain raving bonkers. It IS a high priced marketing and advertising consultant for what, under 15 quid!!?

I dare you to find a better bargain anywhere!

Raja Hireker -

From the master, 29 Jan 2008
This was the first book on advertising I ever read. Entertaining and insightful, it helped me fall in love with what has been my career ever since.

This book is all you need..., 07 Apr 2007
This book contains everything you will ever need to know about creating successful advertising . The principles he expounds are as relevant today as when the book was published in the 80's. 224 pages, and not a word wasted.

Essential, 15 Jun 2006
Simply one of the best books on advertising ever written. If you're in business and plan to use advertising (whether you're going to design it yourself or pay someone else to do it), you need to read this book. It'll save you from making so many mistakes.

an amazing man!, 08 May 2003
It has often been said David Ogilvy was a genius in his own mind. Well, it was in many others as well. He build Ogilvy and Mather in the giant it is with simple beliefs. He wrote this Admans Guide to Advertising, but he went past it, umbuing it with his whit and charm. Instead of a dry how-to-book on advertising read only by people in the industy, he created a book anyone could enjoy. His writing is strong, sincere and straight from the heart. Why the book has earned millions and will continue to do so.

A man well missed!

Pick of the bunch for advertisers, 22 Dec 2007
Which book to buy on advertising?

If you are interested as a lay person in understanding how advertisers work, then "Ogilvy on Advertising" probably can't be beaten -- even though it's quite a few years old now.
If you want to understand the history of advertising, then "Twenty Ads that Shook the World" is pretty good.
If you are a student, then "The fundamentals of creative advertising" is a good place to begin.
If you just want a really beautiful (and inspiring) book, then "Advertising - new techniques for visual seduction" is superb.

However, if you are an advertiser, and you want to raise your game, maybe to the world-class, this book is the pick of the bunch. It organises its obligatory (and delicious) pictures of successful ads around the creative process that led to them. The largest section, "The Kickstart Catalogue", gives a "kickstart question" to go with every ad presented. This neatly gets beyond the great frustration of looking at advertising books -- they tell you want wonderful ideas have been used, and are therefore no longer available. Although you can't steal the ad, you can use the kickstart question, such as "How can a benefit be represented by showing the opposite of what people expect?"

The Kickstart catalogue occupies 150 of 264 pages. There are also good sections on developing the creative team, on humour, on classic creative techniques and on visualisation, as well as a useful section of interviews and resources.

If you just like reading books about advertising, this is probably a nice book to have on your coffee table. If you make your living from advertising creativity, this is probably a book you will want to keep on your desk.

innovative, 07 Feb 2007
excellent- an easy read and ideas seem very exciting to adopt, from a virtual point of view as I was in the beauty industry I found headtotoebeauty.co.uk a good advertising rescource, there are lots of other similar ones in the book.


Excellent book for Ads, 10 Apr 2005
Clearly structure, brilliant ideas bring you to a new advertising world. I like it!

open your mind !!!, 25 Jun 2002
With this book you will learn how to think, plan and design working-advertises. Lots of well-known advertises are analysed in order to understand why the author did all the decisions... what to design, that message you want to trasmit to the viewer and so on.
You will not find "how-to-do-it", or "hands-on" sections, but only suggestions on how to think about a product, how to design it, what customers will think viewing your art-work.
Simply outstanding !!!

A Technique for Producing Ideas, 20 Feb 2008
A short book like this deserves a short review. This book is less about technique and more about procedure. Young's most important point is that new ideas come about through making connections with other disparate ones. Apart from that the book reads more like an ad man's notebook and is very dated. Historically interesting but of limited use.

Worth Reading, 26 Nov 2007
Very few books I've read are so direct and simple. The author gives away his secrets in this book, he says that he is not scared to do so because - as with many things - very few people are actually dedicated and disciplined enough to follow through (I'm paraphrasing).

It gives you the principles and methods in a 1 hour read, whether you get ideas and the quality of your ideas all depend on you.

Great, great, great book.


Just FIVE simple steps....., 03 Oct 2007
......that's all it takes to learn how to come up with new & creative ideas, time after time. As Young says, the idea & the technique itself are so plain & logically simple that you may even miss it; despite the fact that the book is only some 48 pages long. It's easy to read & in your haste to learn "the secret" you may finish the book too quickly. Some thoughtful reading is required, so please don't dismiss the book because of its apparent brevity.

The fact that the book has survived successfully for over 40 years in print is testament to Young unique (but not new) teaching.

Although Young does not refer to it, I am reminded of many writers & books that go into great detail explaining the "science of the mind" & the wonderful way the brain [or mind] works & how it can be used to spawn new ideas & create solutions to problems. Sometimes referred to Mental Science, its philosophy & teachings go back thousands of years & weren't fully recognised until around the time of the 1900's.

If after reading this you wish to develop & research this technique further, I would highly recommend Emmet Fox's "Power Through Constructive Thinking".

A MUST READ, 28 Oct 2001
Although it is not a very new book (about 50 years old), its significant, simplified, and disciplined way for innovative thinking is just as effective and valuable as the day it was first published. I am sure you will fall in love with the book so much that it will take an hour to read. Enjoy reading!

Solid guidebook to making a perfect presentation , 26 Sep 2008
This book about making effective presentations is markedly different from many others. This personal account, complete with stories from the advertising business, shows what makes a presentation successful. Author Jon Steel is a self-proclaimed iconoclast who did well in the ad business. He uses examples from the O.J. Simpson trial, advertising competitions and London's pitch to host the 2012 Olympics. (The city won and the story behind the contest is compelling.) Steel's suggestions can help you break the mold that constrains your presentations. getAbstract finds this book practical for anyone who wants a new perspective on developing presentations. People in advertising will find it especially enjoyable and useful.

Inspiring and practical, 11 May 2008
Death by PowerPoint is one of the widespread malign results of the wired world we now inhabit. Jon Steel's mission in writing this book is simple: to save the world from dreadful presentations (actually, he uses another word, but it's a bit ripe for Amazon). With an extraordinary breadth of both positive and negative examples, ranging from prostitute cards in London phone booths to what Winston Churchill's famous 'fight them on the beaches' speech would have been like if he'd done it on PowerPoint, Steel demolishes all the worst of pitches both great and small, and uncovers the basis of world-class presentations.

This book is primarily written for the inspirational end of top advertising pitches, but Steel takes care to apply it right down to the transient business presentations that most of us are familiar with. As well as giving all the background thinking, Steel takes us right through a presentation development process, concluding with the London 2012 Olympic bid -- arguably the most famous and influential presentation of the last ten years.

I bought this book to improve my creative marketing pitches. Having read it, I will use it to transform every presentation I make for the rest of my life.

Not bad value for £12.99.

Creating engaging stories that connect, 18 Dec 2006
Jon Steel is a rare breed of truly smart, creative thinkers. Though originally from an advertising background, Perfect Pitch is by no means simply an "advertising book." It is a book about ideas and how to sell them, regardless of your business.

Jon believes that in business we all too often hide behind boring Powerpoint slides when we pitch. It is easier to simply read from a slide than step out and actually engage with your audience. He believes in finding an active insight from which to base the strategy and thinking and from there, developing an engaging and motivating story.

Essentially in a pitch situation you have a limited period of time to connect with your audience and tell them a story. It's not about animated slides or embedded video links.

William Goldman, the scriptwriter, has a very similar premise in Adventures In the Screen Trade. He too talks about the critical importance of the pitch (in his case, pitches for movies) Goldman highlights the importance of finding the hook that captivates and motivates your audience.

Having had the pleasure of working with Jon, in fact on one of the pitches that he references in the book, it is fair to say that he practises what he preaches. The advice he gives is refreshingly free from jargon and rooted in simple common-sense that someones we can all forget.

This book is an essential tool for anyone who is ever in pitch situations with their clients.

Presenting to win, 22 Nov 2006
Jon Steel's book is a breath of fresh air. His key message, that getting the content of the presentation right rather than launching into yet another ill-advised powerpoint, is timely. Too often I have sat through (and given) turgid powerpoint presentations when actually a bit of thought and some emotion would have gone far further.
As with many good presentations, its the recalling of the problems and mistakes (and how they were overcome) that proves the point.
The book has helped me re-focus on getting the analysis right rather than bashing away on the laptop at the last minute! And yes, I have now re-written this weeks major presentation!

great, 18 May 2008
This book gives a real incite into the fashion industry and, unlike many informative books, is a great read too. I couldn't put it down and found it really fascinating. Highly recommended.

A complete guide to the fashion BUSINESS!, 06 Nov 2006
This book is essential reading for anyone interested in fashion or thinking of going into this field of work. I have been in the industry for 10 years and most of the experiences and thoughts i have had are included in this book. A complete guide to the fashion business from how fashion magazine never criticise their paymaster's (the designers!) and how global brands are turning people away from designer wear.
An excellent book for anyone interested or thinking of going into the fashion business

Highly Recommended!, 21 Oct 2005
If you want to understand the true meaning of style, the fashion world can explain it. No other industry is as adept at transforming a commodity into an art form, and doing so repeatedly on a seasonal basis. Journalist Mark Tungate presents a terrific overview of many key aspects of this gritty yet ephemeral business. His wide-ranging book covers everything from fashion photography to haute couture, modeling agencies, accessories, second hand clothes and even the history of department stores. He goes into journalistic detail about established and avant-garde designers, photographers, ad agencies and trend consultants who work side by side to sell image to the public. This is a serious book, complete with the URL's of key Web sites, and profiles of the top designers who create brands. Tungate goes inside fashion firms that know how to sell dreams and illusions made of Italian fabrics and fine leather. We recommend this book to marketers - even those who are not fashion minded - who want to rejuvenate their creativity and pick up some new sources of inspiration and style.

An enjoyable read and a classic, 23 Mar 2008
This book is another by David Ogilvy that was a pleasure to read from cover to cover. It's great fun, wittily written, and full of good points. The advertisements are, of course, rather different from those we are used to seeing today, but the thinking and approach are as relevant as ever.


Easy to read, good design, 29 Aug 2006
This is a good edition of the classic of Mr. Ogilvy. I like it, easy to read and easy and good design.
What this book means for all advertisers just advertisers know.
Good to carry everywhere.

Inspirational Reading, 27 Sep 2008
This book was given to me when I started in the advertising industry and has inspired me to push myself creatively and to challenge everything. The book presents a high risk high gain strategy of managing your career by thinking out of the ordinary. I think as a direct result of reading this book I have used the presentation that my boss deemed 'too different' and questioned the norm on a daily basis, which has so far worked out well for me!!

Although this book is obviously been aimed at the creative industries, a couple of my friends read it when we were on holiday (a doctor and farmer) and they seemed to take away as much from it as I did. Takes about 20 minutes to read and leaves you feeling motivated and chomping on the bit to do better.

Ideal present for any career driven person.


Buy a Moleskin Note Book Instead, cos' it's just as empty....., 19 Sep 2008
A pat on the back for being so Good.

More empty rhetoric.

This book taught me.

Here is some self help for you.

But somehow I really warm to Paul Ardens book, even though he's a jammy so and so.

worth uk standard postage

why are you reading this? Why don't you?

Carry in your Handbag all day!, 18 Sep 2008
Fantastic, small and my bible. I carry it around with me and am forever annoying others with quotes from the book. I am a Financial Adviser, not in Advertising, but still think it's fantastic...just buying some more!

A Nice Way to Spend an Hour, 06 Aug 2008
For the price of this book you cannot go wrong buying it . It is a quirky little thing and good fun to read - or rather 'flick through'. I bought it after reading Paul Arden's obituary in the Telegraph in which the book was mentioned. As you would expect from a Creative Director this book has been produced in a very creative way. Frankly, I think it is worth buying just for that. However, in it you will also find lots and lots of useful career and business tips. Well worth having on your bookshelf.

Thought provoking and useful for everyone, 26 Jul 2008
Paul Arden's book is a like a breath of fresh air compared to many help or guidebooks out there. The way he combines the images and photographs to highlight the message of the text reflects why he's so well renowned. For someone who isn't involved with advertising or marketing I expected to take away only a limited amount from reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised.

The snapshot way in which the ideas are presented keeps you constantly engaged and thinking. Thought provoking ideas such as - "Don't look for the next opportunity, the one you have in hand is the opportunity" and how we might want to get off a certain job but it could just be the best work we ever do. The idea of "Don't put on a speech, give a show" really hit home. I do speeches and thought that's why people were there, Paul tells us differently.

There's a lot here that everyone who want's to think and act differently will benefit from. A book that you'll read in one sitting and then read over and again. So in case you didn't know, don't covet your ideas and present on a Tuesday.


Don't Just Read This Book... USE IT!, 11 Mar 2008
If you run a business and you either hire people to write your marketing and advertising material, or you do it yourself, this book should be at arms length whenever you roll out a promotion, advert, sales letter or anything else you write to sell your products and services.

If you know about this book and you don't use it, you're plain raving bonkers. It IS a high priced marketing and advertising consultant for what, under 15 quid!!?

I dare you to find a better bargain anywhere!

Raja Hireker -

From the master, 29 Jan 2008
This was the first book on advertising I ever read. Entertaining and insightful, it helped me fall in love with what has been my career ever since.

This book is all you need..., 07 Apr 2007
This book contains everything you will ever need to know about creating successful advertising . The principles he expounds are as relevant today as when the book was published in the 80's. 224 pages, and not a word wasted.

Essential, 15 Jun 2006
Simply one of the best books on advertising ever written. If you're in business and plan to use advertising (whether you're going to design it yourself or pay someone else to do it), you need to read this book. It'll save you from making so many mistakes.

an amazing man!, 08 May 2003
It has often been said David Ogilvy was a genius in his own mind. Well, it was in many others as well. He build Ogilvy and Mather in the giant it is with simple beliefs. He wrote this Admans Guide to Advertising, but he went past it, umbuing it with his whit and charm. Instead of a dry how-to-book on advertising read only by people in the industy, he created a book anyone could enjoy. His writing is strong, sincere and straight from the heart. Why the book has earned millions and will continue to do so.

A man well missed!

Pick of the bunch for advertisers, 22 Dec 2007
Which book to buy on advertising?

If you are interested as a lay person in understanding how advertisers work, then "Ogilvy on Advertising" probably can't be beaten -- even though it's quite a few years old now.
If you want to understand the history of advertising, then "Twenty Ads that Shook the World" is pretty good.
If you are a student, then "The fundamentals of creative advertising" is a good place to begin.
If you just want a really beautiful (and inspiring) book, then "Advertising - new techniques for visual seduction" is superb.

However, if you are an advertiser, and you want to raise your game, maybe to the world-class, this book is the pick of the bunch. It organises its obligatory (and delicious) pictures of successful ads around the creative process that led to them. The largest section, "The Kickstart Catalogue", gives a "kickstart question" to go with every ad presented. This neatly gets beyond the great frustration of looking at advertising books -- they tell you want wonderful ideas have been used, and are therefore no longer available. Although you can't steal the ad, you can use the kickstart question, such as "How can a benefit be represented by showing the opposite of what people expect?"

The Kickstart catalogue occupies 150 of 264 pages. There are also good sections on developing the creative team, on humour, on classic creative techniques and on visualisation, as well as a useful section of interviews and resources.

If you just like reading books about advertising, this is probably a nice book to have on your coffee table. If you make your living from advertising creativity, this is probably a book you will want to keep on your desk.

innovative, 07 Feb 2007
excellent- an easy read and ideas seem very exciting to adopt, from a virtual point of view as I was in the beauty industry I found headtotoebeauty.co.uk a good advertising rescource, there are lots of other similar ones in the book.


Excellent book for Ads, 10 Apr 2005
Clearly structure, brilliant ideas bring you to a new advertising world. I like it!

open your mind !!!, 25 Jun 2002
With this book you will learn how to think, plan and design working-advertises. Lots of well-known advertises are analysed in order to understand why the author did all the decisions... what to design, that message you want to trasmit to the viewer and so on.
You will not find "how-to-do-it", or "hands-on" sections, but only suggestions on how to think about a product, how to design it, what customers will think viewing your art-work.
Simply outstanding !!!

A Technique for Producing Ideas, 20 Feb 2008
A short book like this deserves a short review. This book is less about technique and more about procedure. Young's most important point is that new ideas come about through making connections with other disparate ones. Apart from that the book reads more like an ad man's notebook and is very dated. Historically interesting but of limited use.

Worth Reading, 26 Nov 2007
Very few books I've read are so direct and simple. The author gives away his secrets in this book, he says that he is not scared to do so because - as with many things - very few people are actually dedicated and disciplined enough to follow through (I'm paraphrasing).

It gives you the principles and methods in a 1 hour read, whether you get ideas and the quality of your ideas all depend on you.

Great, great, great book.


Just FIVE simple steps....., 03 Oct 2007
......that's all it takes to learn how to come up with new & creative ideas, time after time. As Young says, the idea & the technique itself are so plain & logically simple that you may even miss it; despite the fact that the book is only some 48 pages long. It's easy to read & in your haste to learn "the secret" you may finish the book too quickly. Some thoughtful reading is required, so please don't dismiss the book because of its apparent brevity.

The fact that the book has survived successfully for over 40 years in print is testament to Young unique (but not new) teaching.

Although Young does not refer to it, I am reminded of many writers & books that go into great detail explaining the "science of the mind" & the wonderful way the brain [or mind] works & how it can be used to spawn new ideas & create solutions to problems. Sometimes referred to Mental Science, its philosophy & teachings go back thousands of years & weren't fully recognised until around the time of the 1900's.

If after reading this you wish to develop & research this technique further, I would highly recommend Emmet Fox's "Power Through Constructive Thinking".

A MUST READ, 28 Oct 2001
Although it is not a very new book (about 50 years old), its significant, simplified, and disciplined way for innovative thinking is just as effective and valuable as the day it was first published. I am sure you will fall in love with the book so much that it will take an hour to read. Enjoy reading!

Solid guidebook to making a perfect presentation , 26 Sep 2008
This book about making effective presentations is markedly different from many others. This personal account, complete with stories from the advertising business, shows what makes a presentation successful. Author Jon Steel is a self-proclaimed iconoclast who did well in the ad business. He uses examples from the O.J. Simpson trial, advertising competitions and London's pitch to host the 2012 Olympics. (The city won and the story behind the contest is compelling.) Steel's suggestions can help you break the mold that constrains your presentations. getAbstract finds this book practical for anyone who wants a new perspective on developing presentations. People in advertising will find it especially enjoyable and useful.

Inspiring and practical, 11 May 2008
Death by PowerPoint is one of the widespread malign results of the wired world we now inhabit. Jon Steel's mission in writing this book is simple: to save the world from dreadful presentations (actually, he uses another word, but it's a bit ripe for Amazon). With an extraordinary breadth of bot