advertising

Specifying a character’s brand of lipstick, shoes or handbag is a commonly accepted way to add an aura of reality or consumer aspiration to books aimed at young readers: just think of “The Gossip Girl,” with that series’s abundant references to Prada. But what if writers and publishers enlisted companies to sponsor those branded mentions, as is the widespread practice in Hollywood?

An interesting essay on Vance Packard’s book The Hidden Persuaders. It’s an old book—published in 1957—but it’s relevance stands the test of time, as it serves to illustrate the level of manipulation we have come to accept, and even embrace, in our present-day consumer culture.

This ad took a fair bit of doing. Guiness’ most expensive advertisement ever, it begins with a domino and ends with 10,000 books unfolding into a giant Guiness bottle. Tres cool. Shot on location in a remote village in northern Argentina, with a population of around 1,000 people. Toppling items included: 6,000 dominoes, 10,000 books, 400 tires, 75 mirrors, 50 fridges, 45 wardrobes and 6 cars.

Even though the book cover features a mole with a giant poop on his head—in fact, the whole book is about poop—the phrase “new plop-up edition” was deemed inappropriate and had to be removed from the book’s ad before it was put up in the London Underground. No plop please, we’re British. :)