May 13, 2013
P. Selling
20 Ads That Shook the World:
The Century’s Most Groundbreaking Advertising And How It Changed Us All
James B. Twitchell
Just like all the ads around us, it seems as if we are beat over the head with the idea that success comes from distinction. Time and time again, we all hear this notion that if you want to “break though” the clutter, you have to be different. It’s easier said than done with billions of ads around us. So, where did this all start? We have learned about the days when people would paint their street signs in hopes to be the best barber shop in town. Well of course, with little competition meant great business. Unfortunately, we have grown to live in a world full of competition, for jobs, more money, better education, etc. Now take a step back, the people behind selling you all these things are competing for your attention too. Who is the going to sell you the best education, the best food, where is the best place to get a great job? It’s an all around circle of who can get whose attention. In light of all this information we deal with day in and day out, James B. Twitchell has taken us back to the roots of where our advertising comes from. There were groundbreaking advertisements that opened the door to evolution and change. In his book, “20 Ads that Shook the World”, we are taken through this history and story of our past. Everyone thinks advertising is just the cousin to the creepy used car’s salesman, but there is a rich culture behind what we do that no one knows about! It’s not just people sitting in conference room thinking about how to get your money, ok, well maybe it is, but it’s not what society makes it out to be. Their ignorance comes from a lack of education. Twitchell’s 20 ads are a plethora of information and as he retells the deep history rooted back to the “good old days”, he tells this story in hopes of enlightening those with a preconceived notion. Twitchell lays