659. Books on advertising and public relations

The links below are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I will receive a commission at no charge to you. I recommend all the titles. 

Further Reading:

Vance Packard The Hidden Persuaders, 1957.

Vince Packard’s classic look at how psychological techniques were used in the mid-20th century to influence Americans to watch, buy, and vote is an eye-opening look at how societal manipulation has changed the course of history.

Tim Wu The Attention Merchants: The Epic Scramble to Get Inside Our Heads, 2016.

The tools businesses use to grab our attention are ever more sophisticated. First, law professor Tim Wu looks at messaging in the past and the age of mobile devices. Then, he considers the effects this has on our society.

Ray Welch Copywriter: A Life of Making Ads and Other Mistakes, 2003.

Ray Welch completed a successful career in copywriting when the trade was still mostly in print. So he asked his graphic arts friends to help with his memoir. Each one who accepted was given a complete chapter with the instructions to “do whatever you want.” The resulting combination of stories and art provides a unique look into twentieth-century advertising.

For more information on the Further Reading section, see Further Reading: Start Here.