Marketers Are From Mars, Consumers Are From New Jersey by Bob Hoffman
Bob Hoffman is a writer, speaker, and advisor.
He is author of the popular “Ad Contrarian” blog, named one of the world’s most influential marketing and advertising blogs by Business Insider.
Bob is also the author of “101 Contrarian Ideas About Advertising” which became Amazon’s #1 selling advertising book. Bob has been the CEO of two independent ad agencies and the US operation of an international agency.
He has created advertising for McDonald’s, Toyota, Pepsico, Bank of America, AT&T, and more companies than he cares to think about.
Through his company, Type A Group, Bob advises advertisers, agencies, and media. But who is Bob Hoffman really? Here’s what other have said about him. The Wall Street Journal calls Bob Hoffman “caustic yet truthful.” Time Magazine calls him “fabulously irreverent.” The Financial Times says he’s responsible for “savage critiques of digital hype.” Inc. magazine says he “pulls absolutely no punches” Michael Gass’ Fuel Lines blog calls him “The most provocative man In advertising.”
The Host’s Perspective:
What can you say about long-time ad agency icon Bob Hoffman, also known as The Ad Contrarian?
Here’s what others have said:
The Wall Street Journal calls him “caustic yet truthful.” Time Magazine calls him “fabulously irreverent.” The Financial Times says he’s responsible for “savage critiques of digital hype.”
In “Marketers Are From Mars, Consumers Are From New Jersey” Bob Hoffman shows how marketers and advertisers have lost touch with consumers and are living in a fantasy land of their own invention that is a mass delusion of epic proportions.
He covers the advertising and marketing waterfront and takes prisoners. He skewers the exaggerated role of brands, how ad agencies have lost their way, the mistaking of gimmicks for trends, why marketers misguidedly ignore baby boomers, the wishful thinking of social media marketing, and the massive fraud and corruption of digital display advertising.
As the Ad Contrarian, Bob Hoffman has built an enormous following by consistently calling BS on the advertising and marketing world.
This book is a fun and uproarious read, which starts out strong with the dedication and never lets up.
The dedication reads:
“This book is dedicated to all the funny, cynical, immature bastards I worked with in the agency business. It is not dedicated to all the venal, duplicitous, scheming bastards I also worked with.”
Don’t read this book if you can’t handle the truth. The truth according to The Ad Contrarian, that is.
Listen to the Interview:
Show Notes:
“Marketers Are From Mars, Consumers Are From New Jersey” by Bob Hoffman
“How Brands Grow” by Byron Sharp
“One Plus One Equals Three” by Dave Trott
“Ogilvy on Advertising” by David Ogilvy
“Changing the World Is the Only Fit Work for a Grown Man” by Steve Harrison
Bob’s Blog (AdContrarian.com)
Bob’s Website (TypeAGroup.com)
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