Hey Whipple, Squeeze This: The Classic Guide to Creating Great Advertising

Book came with a bent front cover and what I can only assume is a grease stain on the upper left front corner. Not a huge deal, but when you pay $25 for a new paperback book, I'd prefer it to not be dirty and beaten up.

The thoughts, quotes, and advice are all fantastic. Lots of practical advice and will reward anyone who follows it.The one and only thing I don’t like (and probably no one cares and that’s fine) is the occasional stabs at conservatives. Some are very point blank. It’s sad because I’m loving what I’m reading and am so intrigued only to then be shot with an ideological bullet. As an “advertiser” they should be more self aware that leftists aren’t the only ones who want to read their thoughts. Keep the main thing the main thing.In general, great book and will use it often to refer to.

A must read for anyone in the Advertising-Graphic Design world.

Loved this when I was an ad student, I’ve recco'd it countless times. And now 25 years layer it’s an excellent refresher. I learn something new every time I read Luke’s stuff.

I've worked in advertising, communications, and public relations for a long while and this is the book that's made me the most excited about working in the industry. Apart from great advice, it's a real look into the random madness that is the industry. It also offers several reminders to remember what you're getting paid to do and to enjoy and take pride but not take it too seriously. From concepting, to writing, design, campaignability, and building your portfolio, it offers a lot of knowledge for anyone at any point in their ad career. It'll also certainly spark great ideas because when you cover so many solid campaigns, it's only natural ideas will spark here and there. To be filed under books to keep nearby when you're stuck or in a rut.

I suggest you read this book only if you think being creative and receiving applause is more important than getting people to buy your stuff.This is the third time I read this book. I didn’t like it the first two times in earlier editions, but I was unsure why.Now that I’m more experienced and knowledgeable in advertising, marketing, copywriting, and business, I know exactly why I don’t like this book.He starts by describing his adolescent-like graphic fantasy of characters from TV commercials getting chased and killed.Why? He thinks they are in poor taste and unoriginal—just like his fantasy.CREATIVITY = CONFUSIONIt took me three readings over 10 years to understand what he means by “Whipple, Squeeze This” in the title.He wants the character to squeeze his crotch. Fine. What’s not fine is creativity that confuses when the objective is to make money for your business.The Mr. Whipple ad made a lot of money, he writes, but making money is bad because it’s not creative enough. He compares the commercial to spitting on a table: “As an idea, Whipple isn't good. To those who defend the campaign based on sales, I ask, would you also spit on the table to get my attention? It would work, but would you?”The author is intellectually dishonest. It doesn’t make sense. People don’t make sales from spitting on tables.HAS THE AUTHOR MADE MONEY FROM HIS CREATIVE ADS?Look at his bio at the end of the book. He’s won awards and taught at a university. There’s nothing about how much money his ads have made for his clients.At the beginning of the book, he tries to avoid the field of direct-response advertising from his history of advertising—and doesn’t talk about advertising giants like David Ovilvy—because they hold advertising accountable.Money spent on advertising must make money. That’s all that matters.

Fantastic book but the third edition is far superior in my opinion. I first read Hey Whipple ten years ago and it was by a mile the best book in advertising. Times have changed and Luke Sullivan has updated the book to be more contemporary. In my opinion this didn’t improve the book at all but i understand why the author did it. Social media and digital are all the rage these days and weren’t explored in earlier versions. Personally, I almost fell asleep when the author would talk about creative tech and the likes. I know it’s important in our day and age, but I find it incredibly boring. So basically, if you can, get the third edition. If you can’t then get the last one. It’s still a good book.

Nothing is wrong with the book but there was zero padding around the book and there are bends and creases in the pages

The ultimate book for founders, CEO’s and everyone else who understand that good marketing isn’t built on someone’s ego

Whipple never Squeezed This.