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Book Summary and Reviews of The King of Madison Avenue by Kenneth Roman

The King of Madison Avenue by Kenneth Roman

The King of Madison Avenue

David Ogilvy and the Making of Modern Advertising

by Kenneth Roman

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  • Published:
  • Jan 2009, 304 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

Famous for his colorful personality and formidable intellect, David Ogilvy left an indelible mark on the advertising world, transforming it into a dynamic industry full of passionate, creative individuals. This first-ever biography traces Ogilvy’s remarkable life, from his short-lived college education and undercover work during World War II to his many successful years in New York advertising. Ogilvy's fascinating life and career make for an intriguing study from both a biographical and a business standpoint. Idiosyncratic, full of contradictions, and characterized by a powerful intellect, he redefined the business and became an icon within the advertising world, inspiring countless people to devote their lives to it.

This biography is based on a wealth of material from decades of working alongside the advertising giant, including a large collection of photos, memos, recordings, notes, and extensive archives of Ogilvy’s personal papers. The book describes the creation of some of history's most famous advertising campaigns.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Starred Review. Lively writing and an affectionate yet honest tone make this an astonishingly charming and informative biography." - Publishers Weekly.

"Straightforward, well-crafted biography of the outsider who shaped American advertising." - Kirkus Reviews.

"Clear, concise communications that make the right point will launch your career or business to new heights" - Robert Seelert, Chairman, Saatchi & Saatchi PLC.

"A timeless treasure of the enduring principles that everyone in the advertising supply chain - those who create, place, manage, review and approve - should read over and over again. It's the definitive road map to creating great work." - James Speros, Chairman, Association of National Advertisers.

"Without pulling any punches, the book tells readers what works." - Dallas Morning News.

This information about The King of Madison Avenue was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

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Author Information

Kenneth Roman

Kenneth Roman worked directly with David Ogilvy at Ogilvy & Mather for 26 years, beginning as an account executive and rising up to eventually become Chairman and CEO. He is the co-author of several books, including the bestselling business classics How to Advertise and Writing that Works, both of which are in their third editions. He lives in New York City. David Ogilvy retired to France in 1973 and died in 1999.

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