My Life in Advertising

This is books is so actual it's weird. Although there were some tips & tricksno longer available, I really enjoyed reading this.

My Life in Advertising by Claude Hopkins offers a series of anecdotes by the author presenting his successes and failures in advertising. Since the book features insights in the author’s life rather than mundane lists of suggestions, My Life in Advertising is far more interesting than other books on similar topics. However, this method of presenting advice requires that the reader glean Hopkins’s insights rather than merely memorize cheat sheets on the best business practices. In light of this, Hopkins’s book can be reduced to three main sections: key lessons in advertising, what sells a product, and what the advertisement should contain. <br /><br />The most important element of the first section of My Life in Advertising is the importance of knowing one’s audience. Hopkins asserts that it is impossible to judge humanity by oneself. In fact, what one may like may only appeal to oneself. This problem is exacerbated the further one ascends in the business world. In the heights of a boardroom, one is unaware of what appeal to the common man. Even worse, any appeal which seems to come from a higher class will arouse the resentment of the common people. Hence, rather than convincing the common man to purchase the product, the advertisement has the opposite effect. In light of this, good advertisement should avoid “literary style.” Use of “literary style” Hopkins asserts will cause people to think that the advertiser is flaunting his superior education and position and attempting to deceive him with fancy words. In other words, the best advertisement is not sophisticated in appearance but rather “ordinary” and “plebian.”<br /><br />Hopkins notes that the most effective way to know one’s audience is to engage in canvassing. What Hopkins understands by canvassing is the presenting of a theoretical (or actual) product to hundreds of different individuals in order to acquire their perception of it. While in charge of the Palmolive brand, Hopkins interviewed hundreds of men to understand what they desired in a shaving cream. Armed with this knowledge, Hopkins was able to advertise that the Palmolive brand of shaving cream provided these features. Even though other products offered similar features, ignorance that these features were highly desired prevented the competitors from using similar advertising. Though those removed from the common man may have believed that the common man desired a particular fragrance of shaving cream, canvassing illustrated that men in fact desired effective lathering. <br /><br />Of course, merely canvassing is not sufficient to properly understand what the common person wants. After data has been acquired, Hopkins believes that it is necessary to test the data in small batches. Research had shown that consumers desired oats which cooked more quickly. When a product was developed which cooked in just two minutes (rather than the typical fifteen), the directors of Quaker Oats sought to immediately replace the current line of oatmeal. Hopkins, however, suggested that the data be tested on a small market. His intuition was correct. Quaker Oats discovered that while the market desired a quicker oat, they also wanted the flavor of their oatmeal to remain the same. Consequently, when the two-minute oats were tested, the different flavor of the product caused made it a disaster. Armed with the realization that the consumer desired both quicker oats and a consistent flavor, Quaker Oats successful rolled out Quicker Oats. <br /><br />The final key lesson that Hopkins presents is that advertisement must be personal. He notes that in advertising to large groups it is easy to treat people as a mass rather than as individuals. Yet if one wishes to appeal to a person, it is necessary to treat them as such. When one approaches advertising on a personal basis, one can approach the individual on a mutual relationship of trust. The advertiser can offer an individual an incentive with trust as the only collateral. Hopkins argues that not only does human nature wish to fulfill that trust, it also wishes to offer something in return, namely, a purchase. When a sample of cigars is offered with the option of a refund if the customer is not satisfied, the producer will often sell the product and rarely be cheated. While certain individuals will attempt to cheat, the safeguards are often far more expensive than simple trust. <br /><br />The second section of My Life in Advertising focuses on what sells a product. Hopkins notes, “One must outbid all others in some way. He must offer advantages in qualities, service, or terms, or he must create a seeming advantage by citing facts which others fail to cite.” In other words, one’s product must offer something which the competitors fail to offer. If the public desires this additional service, one will outsell one’s competitors. In light of this, Hopkins suggests that samples of a product should be given to potentially interested individuals. However, rather than giving out the product en mass (again, advertising should be personal), Hopkins suggest that the sample should be redeemed with a coupon. If the individual is interested enough to cut out the coupon, he will be far more likely to purchase the product. At the same time, it is important not to call the sample free as it tends to cheapen the product. Instead, the producer should offer to purchase the sample for the individual. Depending on the product, offering a free gift may offer similar benefits as the sample. When consumers purchase a certain number of products, a secret gift is given them. It is essential that the gift remain secret in order to prevent customers from deciding that they do not desire the gift. In both instances, the customer receives something which is entirely to his benefit – he cannot reasonably refuse it. Once he has seen the effectiveness of a product, he is likely to continue purchasing it. <br /><br />Likewise, Hopkins notes that inciting curiosity is an effective way to introduce a thereto unknown or undesired product. By making the largest cake or a vacuum cleaner with a rare wood (or by offering a secret gift), the producer draws potential customers to his product. When curiosity is coupled with a service, the desired effect is almost guaranteed. By placing the largest cake in a store, customers were drawn to the grocers’ services and large quantities of lard were sold. This idea underscores the most important aspect of Hopkins’s book: advertising should be altruistic. People by nature seek to serve themselves. If the advertiser’s motives as presented as such, he will be unsuccessful. Instead, the advertiser should seek to offer a service. The cake served to get the grocer more business. Of course, it also has the effective of requiring the grocer to sell the product product. Both individuals win. <br /><br />Continuing the idea of offering a service, Hopkins believes that advertising should offer a guarantee. When the customer is assured that he will lose nothing by trying a product, he is far more likely to try it. If this is coupled with the a free sample, many individuals will begin purchasing the product. At the same time, it is important that the guarantee be personable. By having local individuals (such as town’s pharmacists) be responsible for ensuring the guarantee, people are far more likely to trust it since it is someone they know. By coupling a guarantee with a free sample, the customer is faced with a proposition which he is sure to benefit from. Of course, when the customer wins, the producer and the advertiser win. <br /><br />The third section of My Life in Advertising lists the qualities which an advertisement should have. As noted previously, it is imperative that an advertisement does not contain complicated language. Similarly, it is important the language used be precise and not employ exaggeration. For example, though the catch word “pure” is simple, it did not effectively or precisely convey the idea which the maker of the beer was attempting to portray. Rather, a discussion of why his beer was pure was far more effective. At the same time, Hopkins suggests that an advertisement should also be romantic if possible. A simple precise story is far more appealing if it romantic. Hopkins offers the example of an auto manufacture that was bankrupt but quickly had to begin producing cars in tents because demand for the car outpaced the ability to build factories. Nevertheless, Hopkins warns against advertisement which attempts to be entertaining. While it is imperative that the advertisement be interesting, it cannot possibly compete with the entertainment portions of a newspaper. <br /><br />In addition to precise and romantic advertisements, Hopkins realizes that it is important for all advertisements to reflect the current attitude of the general public. When reliability was highly sought after in a car, the advertisement should reflect the car’s reliability. This of course comes back to the importance of knowing one’s audience. If one were unaware of the importance of reliability over aesthetics or comfort, one’s advertisement would be unsuccessful. The current desires of the public can effectively employed in advertising by featuring an expert which corresponds to the public’s desires. Though the expert may be unknown to the general public, the mere presence of an expert adds credence to the reliability and excellence of a product. People are far more likely to trust a person than a faceless company. <br /><br />In conclusions, Hopkins’s proposes that an advertisement will be successful if it reflects an understanding of what the common man desires and presents it in a manner which is familiar and understandable. Similarly, advertisements should seek to address individuals rather than the faceless group of mankind. In addressing individuals, it is essential to show trust and altruism. This is the central point of Hopkins’s work: all advertisement should be altruistic. If key point of the advertisement is to merely purchase one’s product over one’s competitors, one will be unsuccessful. Instead, if one presents a product as a service which the consumer cannot refuse, one’s advertisement will be most likely be successful.<br /><br /><br />

<b> (The English review is placed beneath the Russian one) </b><br /><br />Перечитывая книгу я уже не нахожу её настолько великолепной чтобы рекомендовать её любому любителю non-fiction. Я бы рекомендовал её только тем, кто как-то связан с маркетингом/PR/рекламой. Остальным книга может показаться скучной. <br />Не смотря на название книги, личной жизни автора в ней не так и много. Где-то четверть и без того маленькой книги автор посвятит своему детству, а точнее важным моментам из детства которые имели ключевое значение для всей будущей жизни автора. Так, было интересно узнать, что автор воспитывался в очень религиозной семье и что то давление, которое оказывала мать, в конце концов, привело к обратному эффекту, т.е. к разрыву и с матерью и с религией (или крайним её проявлением, граничащим с фанатизмом). По крайне мере, автор не выглядит фанатично верующим. Вот этот момент из жизни автора было довольно интересно прочитать.<br />Дальше, после того как автор покинул родной дом, он будет описывать свои карьерные достижения. Я имею в виду, что всю оставшуюся часть книги автор будет описывать кейсы из собственной деловой практики. Как и в первый раз, когда я читал эту книгу, так и сейчас, мне понравилось и запомнилось только два момента из книги. Первый момент связан с PR акцией по продвижению «Cotosuet» и второй, связанный с алкогольной продукцией. Что касается всех остальных кейсов, что приводит автор, то они не запомнились мне ни тогда, ни сейчас. Более того, у меня возникло ощущение, что достаточно прочитать лишь первую половину книги, чтобы понять её главную мысль. В принципе, всё сводится к хорошо организованной PR деятельности. Т.е. необходимо организовать бизнес деятельность таким образом, чтобы товар продавал сам себя. Второй ключевой инструмент, это купоны. И вот насчёт этого, я не совсем уверен, т.е. что в 21 веке этот инструмент всё так же эффективно действует, как это было в 20 веке. И в особенности, когда речь идёт не о США. Тем не менее, основной идеей книги является профессиональная презентация товара во время PR-акции. Другой момент, который особенно важен для специалистов, это тот факт, что книга существенно устарела. Да, всё что пишет автор – продолжает работать. Да и не сводится весь маркетинг к PR активности. Однако специалисты, которые будут читать книгу, должны держать в уме, что реальность существенно изменилась с тех пор и это необходимо учитывать.<br /><br />Rereading the book, I no longer find it magnificent enough to recommend the book to any fan of non-fiction. I would only recommend it to anyone who has something to do with marketing or advertisement. Other people might find the book boring. <br />Despite the title of the book, there's not so much of the author's personal life in it. About a quarter of the small book, the author will devote to his childhood or rather important moments of childhood that was essential to the entire future life of the author. Thus, it was interesting to know that the author was brought up in a very religious family and that the pressure exerted by his mother eventually had led to the opposite effect, i.e., a break with both mother and religion (or its extreme manifestation bordering on fanaticism). At least the author does not look like a zealot. This moment in the author's life was quite interesting to read.<br />Further on, after the author left home, he will describe his career achievements. I mean, for the rest of the book, the author will describe cases from his business practice. Like the first time when I read this book, I only liked and remembered two things from the book. The first point is related to the PR campaign of Cotosuet, and the second point is related to some alcohol products. As for all other cases, which brings the author, they are not memorable to me neither then nor now. Moreover, I had the feeling that it is enough to read only the first half of the book to understand its main idea. Basically, it all comes down to well-organized PR activities. In other words, it is necessary to organize business activities so that the product would sell itself. The second tool is the coupons. And about that, I'm not quite sure, i.e., that in the 21st century this tool is still as efficient as it was in the 20th century. And especially when we're not talking about the United States. However, the main idea of the book is a professional presentation of the product during a PR campaign. The other point that is especially important for professionals is the fact that the book is significantly outdated. Yes, everything that the author writes - still works. Besides, the whole marketing does not come down to PR activity. However, experts who will read the book must keep in mind that reality has changed significantly since then, and this must be taken into account.

A great read that shows advertising efficiency was a thing in the past, as well.

Surprisingly relevant more than a century after its publication. The author's anecdotes reminds one of Horatio Alger novellas.

I am pleased to see basics proving again to be timeless. Techniques such as AB testing, appealing to the value the consumer would gain from a product or service, serving the consumer before even taking money and others, treating consumers as capable and smart people, etc.<br /><br />The book is old. It was written in the 1920/1930s and most references are from the end of 19th, start of 20th century. Be prepared for that if you attempt to read this book. Same applies to the language used. It’s quite a challenge to understand the ideas sometimes when the wording is just alien to a modern day reader.<br /><br />The author does speak of an important point in any endeavor - love for the craft and not the results is what separates the experts from the dilettantes. I say this because that defines where one sets his focus.<br /><br />I’m guessing there’s better modern alternatives to this book, however. Since I’m not in advertising I have no interest in searching for them although I do find the principles discussed here applicable to a multitude of disciplines.<br /><br />

Want to start from the thing, that I haven’t read many advertising books, so I might be subjective so.<br /><br />Hopkins describes a salesman nowadays(at least I see salesmen similar), counting the book written in 1927: listening skills, unattractive appearance, not boasting, a man focused on services he proposed and not on himself, etc. That’s incredible how all those’s kept staying actual. <br /><br />Also, I found it funny to read stories of success from the past, it’s like a kind of tale. Black-white photos, mail advertising - just unalike. <br /><br />Lastly, I quite like and am surprised by is the author’s spell about women’s roles. He is saying about sex equity and women’s joy to work despite being unmarried. And once again this is in 1927:)<br /><br />You can give a try to this book. Anyway, we always have a choice to drop the reading that is not valuable for us:)

I had high hopes for this book, and to be fair, the book perhaps deserves a better star rating, but it is so out-dated. <br /><br />Clearly, some aspects of any auto biography are going to be "out of date," but so many of the books ideas and advice are relative only to the author's time and place. <br /><br />That having been said, I am not even sure the book would be considered well written in its time. The author certainly seemed to have a charismatic life but that charisma was lacking from chapter to chapter. <br /><br />I enjoyed the book, but I cannot recommend it because I derived so little value from the time I spent with it. Perhaps 50-60 years ago, more value was here to be gleaned, but that is gone now. <br /><br />

Хорошее путешествие в рекламу вековой давности от непосредственного участника всех событий. Читать и ужасаться тому, как сейчас всё сильно поменялось. Вынести оттуда вряд ли что-то полезное получится, но, что называется, "для общего развития" - вполне сойдет. Мне, как рекламисту, показалась важной и нужной.

“Tất cả sự khác biệt nằm ở cách suy nghĩ về niềm vui”<br />“Tất cả sự khác biệt nằm ở thái độ”<br />“Sản phẩm tốt chính nó luôn là công cụ bán hàng tuyệt vời nhất”<br />“... chúng ta không thể quyết định sở thích của mọi người ... không nên áp đặt ý kiến cá nhân của mình lên mọi người”<br /><br /><br />