Is There Truth In Advertising?
I’m an ad guy as well as a guy’s guy and a novelist. My nine to five for the past twenty-something years has centered on a business that is fun, fast, and many times misunderstood. In the ad game (and it can be a game) we don’t make things up. We deal with the truth, and we find the right bits of truth that tell the story that you want to hear. At least that’s what consumers constantly tell us during focus groups that we deploy to find out just what is wrong and what is right about the brands we represent.
Why Is Culture Branding So Important?
Although great advertising can become part of pop culture- “Where’s the Beef?” or the new Old Spice guy- it usually succeeds best when it leverages what is going on in pop culture in relationship to desired consumers a brand wants to connect with. If they love sweet dessert tastes and alcohol, they get whipped cream and cake-flavored vodka. It’s that simple. The right product with the right message can be driven deep into the culture. When your brand becomes part of the pop culture and consumer landscape, you win.
So Why Write A Novel About Advertising?
There have been many brilliant non-fiction tomes about the ad business and what makes consumers tick. My debut novel, THE GUYS’ GUY’S GUIDE TO LOVE, is a story about love, sex, power, and money. So I asked myself, is there a better environment than advertising to place characters into a fast, frothy world that plays with our perceived truths and imaginations and our perspectives on life and love and the pursuit of happiness? And, I could write about an environment that I know.
So, Is The Novel About Culture Branding?
I did my best to connect with my readers with a positive message and the need to provide a window into understanding how each sex views the other. Having been single for many years until recently, I noticed that there was a disconnect in how men and women perceived each other. It was usually through a lens that filtered out some of the truth. While crafting the story, I was convinced that the truth was not only a good thing, but also a path to a bridge where men and women could meet in the center and see that at the core, they are the same. We all need love and need to be understood. And that ain’t so bad. Maybe it’s not a new idea, but it certainly is one that is as important now as ever. I guess my novel is true to culture branding.
How do you see the truth in advertising?
