The End of Advertising: Why It Had to Die, and the Creative Resurrection to Come - A Book Review

Originally published on LinkedIn, 1/20/18

I browsed the Barnes & Noble shelves, looking for something that might give me some different insights into the ad industry, so Andrew Essex's "The End of Advertising: Why It Had to Die, and the Creative Resurrection to Come" stuck out like a sore thumb. I'm sure I smiled nervously, before picking it up, reading more and deciding to purchase it.

Essex, a former executive with Droga5 (and a magazine publisher before that), begins his book, describing his dilemma--an ad exec of more than 10 years having reached the point where he disliked advertising, or most facets of it. He prides himself on having been with Droga5, because it always produces top-notch work, or as he says, "ads that don't suck," as opposed to the overwhelming majority of ads that do.

With Essex's sometimes sarcastic tone, his thinking here could be misconstrued as hubris, but I understand it to be the way he empathizes with people who feel inundated with TV commercials, web ads, radio spots and everything else that he feels is a product of artifice; lacking authenticity and creativity. The book, then, builds on the history of ad block technology, Essex's own adoption of it, how it will eventually spell the end of traditional advertising.

I have avoided ad blockers, even while a good friend remains adamant I add one to my web browser. I think I have a subconscious understanding that I would be undermining hard work done by those of my ilk. That mindset, however, hasn't stopped Essex. As he explains, an instance with the New York Times app was once interrupted by an advertisement so poorly conceived, tone deaf, annoying and unfunny, that he was so bothered by it, he gave in and downloaded the software.

What follows are a series of advertising history lessons, Mad Men references (which I'm 100% okay with), and deeper looks at how in the era of streaming, traditional ads are becoming more annoying, yet avoidable with ad blockers (or by paying a premium). In a number of instances, Essex talks about how his young children have grown up without exposure to TV commercials, something "appointment TV viewers" won't be able wrap their heads around. Yet the lack of exposure hasn't stopped brands from reaching his children in making strong impressions.

Without giving away major spoilers, this isn't just a former ad exec complaining about what he feels doesn't work over the span of 240 pages. The first two-thirds of the book pay off when Essex gives great examples of how Citibank, LEGO and other companies are rethinking their approaches; going in unconventional, yet exciting, new directions.

The book is filled with small pieces of wisdom that will stick with the reader, from David Ogilvy quotes to Essex's own revelations. My biggest takeaway is that advertising can no longer be seen as "the thing that sells the thing." Essex challenges the industry and his readers to let advertising "be the thing, not the thing that sells the thing." It's a simple enough idea, but in the broader context, it pushes advertisers to reach customers in authentic ways, while creating quality experiences rather than interruptions.

For young (or experienced) advertisers, marketers or PR folks, I recommend "The End of Advertising." I feared that by the end of the book, I would feel punched in the face by a guy who has been where I am and grew to hate it, hence my nerves when I first read the title. Instead, I enjoyed reading the unique perspective of someone who is more enthusiastic about the numerous possibilities advertisers have to innovate and reach customers. There are also of lot of great laughs along the way.