Howard Gossage - practical magic

Practical MagicPractical MagicHoward GossageHoward Gossage

NOTE: Some of this work may seem dated - but the original thinking was revolutionary

NOTE: Some of this work may seem dated - but the original thinking was revolutionary

Practical MagicPractical Magic

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Howard GossageHoward Gossage

Howard GossageHoward Gossage• “The Socrates of

San Francisco”–How about a little

2 minute speech?

• “The Socrates of San Francisco”–How about a little

2 minute speech?



2 minute speech?

• Media Magic


2 minute speech?

• Media Magic



2 minute speech?

• Media Magic


2 minute speech?

• Media Magic • The Firehouse! • The Firehouse!


Hat Day!Hat Day!–They had fun!–They had fun!


2 minute speech?

• Media Magic


2 minute speech?

• Media Magic • The Firehouse! • The Firehouse!

The Best Copywriter in San Francisco…

The Best Copywriter in San Francisco…

• Gets The Howard Gossage Award

• Gets The Howard Gossage Award–And a copy

of this book–And a copy

of this book

The Best Art Director in San Francisco

The Best Art Director in San Francisco

• Receives the Marget Larsen Award• Receives the Marget Larsen Award

Howard GossageHoward Gossage• A Unique Understanding of

Media–Ramparts

• A Unique Understanding of Media–Ramparts–The New Yorker–Irish Whiskey

& Irish Coffee–Eagle Shirts

–The New Yorker–Irish Whiskey

& Irish Coffee–Eagle Shirts

Howard GossageHoward Gossage• Ads That

Worked Very Very Well …

(at the time)

• Ads That Worked Very Very Well …

(at the time)

Howard GossageHoward Gossage• Record-Setting Direct Response

• Revolutionized Radio Advertising– Stan Freberg Story

• Record-Setting Direct Response



• Understood the Power of Publicity – Added to Ad Campaigns– Some Campaigns Became Books!– “IMC” before there was IMC!

• Understood the Power of Publicity – Added to Ad Campaigns– Some Campaigns Became Books!– “IMC” before there was IMC!





Howard GossageHoward Gossage• More Than Advertising…

–Popularized (Publicized) Media Guru Marshall McLuhan

• More Than Advertising…–Popularized (Publicized)

Media Guru Marshall McLuhan




Media Guru Marshall McLuhan

QuickTime™ and aSorenson Video decompressorare needed to see this picture.




Media Guru Marshall McLuhan –Helped Create Modern

Environmental Movement • w. David Brower

–Helped Create Modern Environmental Movement • w. David Brower




Media Guru Marshall McLuhan –Helped Create Modern

Environmental Movement • w. David Brower

–Helped Create Modern Environmental Movement • w. David Brower

–Almost Created a Small Country in the Caribbean (Anguilla)

–Almost Created a Small Country in the Caribbean (Anguilla)

Howard GossageHoward Gossage• An Ad Man Who Thought

There Were Things More Important Than Advertising–A Duty to the Public–Howard on Billboards–Media & “The Hot Dog Analogy”–“The Billion Dollar Hammer”

• An Ad Man Who Thought There Were Things More Important Than Advertising–A Duty to the Public–Howard on Billboards–Media & “The Hot Dog Analogy”–“The Billion Dollar Hammer”

Key Concepts:Key Concepts:• Propaganda & Propagation

–Advertising as publicity catalyst• Involvement• Media “Extensions”• Practical Magic• Our Larger Role in Society

• Propaganda & Propagation–Advertising as publicity catalyst

• Involvement• Media “Extensions”• Practical Magic• Our Larger Role in Society

Key Concepts:Key Concepts:• Propaganda &

Propagation–Advertising as

Interactive Dialogue w. Audience

• Propaganda & Propagation–Advertising as





–Qantas



–Qantas




–Qantas



–Qantas

Key Concepts:Key Concepts:• Involvement

–“leave room for the mouse”

–Coupons & Contests

–Irish Whiskey

• Involvement–“leave room for

the mouse”–Coupons &

Contests–Irish Whiskey

Key Concepts:Key Concepts:• Involvement



–Eagle Shirts



Contests–Eagle Shirts

Key Concepts:Key Concepts:• Media

Extensions• Media

Extensions• Involvement



–Eagle Shirts



Contests–Eagle Shirts


Propagation• Propaganda &


a publicity catalyst

• Rainier Ale

–Advertising as a publicity catalyst

• Rainier Ale

Key Concepts:Key Concepts:

The Beethoven Sweatshirt

The Beethoven Sweatshirt



• Rainier Ale



• Rainier Ale




• Rainier Ale



• Rainier Ale

• Example: Scientific American Paper Airplane Contest






Practical MagicPractical Magic• Example:

Scientific American Paper Airplane Contest


Another Media ExtensionAnother Media Extension


You Can Do ThisYou Can Do This• Propagate Your Brand!

–Contests–Continuity–Publicity

• Involvement!• Media Extensions!

• Propagate Your Brand!–Contests–Continuity–Publicity

• Involvement!• Media Extensions!

• Organic Campaign Creation

• What’s the Magic Trick?–PINK AIR!

• Organic Campaign Creation

• What’s the Magic Trick?–PINK AIR!


PINK AIR!PINK AIR!

PINK AIR!PINK AIR!

PINK AIR!PINK AIR!

PINK AIR!PINK AIR!

PINK AIR!PINK AIR!

PINK AIR!PINK AIR!

PINK AIR!PINK AIR!

Practical MagicPractical Magic• That’s what

advertising is…– “Pango Peach”

article (Harpers)– Imitative &

Contagious Magic– Totems & Taboos– Icons (shirt label)

• That’s what advertising is…– “Pango Peach”


Contagious Magic– Totems & Taboos– Icons (shirt label)

Practical MagicPractical Magic• That’s what

advertising is…– “Pango Peach”


Contagious Magic– Totems & Taboos– Icons (shirt label)– Myth & Metaphor







• Modern example…




• Modern example…


You Can Do ThisYou Can Do This• Make Some Magic!

–Take your brand and develop a practical but magical property

–Best Ideas Get a Prize!•www.adbuzz.com

• Make Some Magic!–Take your brand and develop a practical but magical property

–Best Ideas Get a Prize!•www.adbuzz.com

A Larger Role…A Larger Role…• Our Larger

Role in Society • “Our Fictitious

Freedom of the Press”

• Our Larger Role in Society

• “Our Fictitious Freedom of the Press”

• The Hot Dog Analogy

• The Hot Dog Analogy

–From media serving its readers/viewers/etc. to…

–Media delivering readers/ viewers/etc. to advertisers

–Are you served or delivered?–And… has that made it a better

or worse environment for advertising?

–From media serving its readers/viewers/etc. to…

–Media delivering readers/ viewers/etc. to advertisers

–Are you served or delivered?–And… has that made it a better

or worse environment for advertising?

The Big Flip!The Big Flip!



• Lamb Chops• Lamb Chops

A Larger Role…A Larger Role…

• Anguilla• Leopold Kohr • “…a nation of bus

boys.”

• Anguilla• Leopold Kohr • “…a nation of bus

boys.”


• Sierra Club


• Sierra Club



• Sierra Club• Protect the

Grand Canyon Project


• Sierra Club• Protect the

Grand Canyon Project


• Aftermath• Aftermath

The Magic of Connection:The Magic of Connection:

• People & Ideas!– McLuhan– Steinbeck– Leopold Kohr – Ramparts – …and more

• He’d promote new ideas for the joy of it

• People & Ideas!– McLuhan– Steinbeck– Leopold Kohr – Ramparts – …and more

• He’d promote new ideas for the joy of it

Lunch: Landor, Gossage, McLuhan, Wolfe… and more.

Lunch: Landor, Gossage, McLuhan, Wolfe… and more.

You Can Do ThisYou Can Do This• Have a Higher Purpose!• Be Flahoolick!

–Use your talents with “princely generosity”

• Have as much fun as possible.–Host a lunch w.bright people.–Write a letter.–

• Have a Higher Purpose!• Be Flahoolick!

–Use your talents with “princely generosity”

• Have as much fun as possible.–Host a lunch w.bright people.–Write a letter.–

Final Thought…Final Thought…What are you

doing to make the world a better

place?[The Howard Gossage Good Deed Exercise]

What are you doing to make the

world a better place?

[The Howard Gossage Good Deed Exercise]

Howard Gets The Last Word…

Howard Gets The Last Word…

Famous Last Words…

Famous Last Words…

“Mammonoids & Tediophobes”“Mammonoids

& Tediophobes”

Any Questions

Any Questionsor Many

Questions?or Many

Questions?

Education

Howard Gossage - practical magic