Everything you’ve wanted to know about advertising & media … but were too afraid to ask.

About the book

Advertising and media has evolved. It isn’t exactly what it used to be - but it shouldn’t be.

Technology has changed. Audiences have changed. Business has changed. Tastes have changed.

Change has defined advertising and media. Change has inspired advertising and media. Its greatest triumphs have been inspired by and driven by change.

In 2020, there are few industries undergoing the same level of change as media and advertising.

Changes that will create new thinking, new expression, new opportunities, new jobs and brand new industries.

We should feel uncomfortable, and we should want to be uncomfortable.

There are many questions we need to answer. And we need to feel okay asking them. Seeking them out. Always stretching ourselves.

And you, reading this book, probably agree. And that’s a good thing. People like you will build the next iterations of media and advertising. People like you will inspire others, employ others, create cultures and create value.

The book is about providing information into five areas that continue to challenge, inspire and inform us. Five areas that are constant variables and influences in our quest to create meaningful work within advertising and media.

This book is broken into 6 segments across 350 plus pages:

1. Media

2. Advertising

3. Effectiveness

4. Strategy

5. Technology

6. The Optimists Toolkit

It’s a book I really hope you can come back to again and again. Something that provides new perspective on something you already knew, or provides the answer to something you don’t. 

These areas of subject matter competency are vital in the modern, adaptable media and advertising professional.

• A sound understanding of media, where it’s been, where it’s going, and how it functions.

• Knowledge of, and appreciation of, the role of advertising, its development, its breakthroughs, and its purpose.

• Understanding of what makes advertising effective, and the theories, research and frameworks that have shaped this body of research over the past century.

• Fundamental understanding of business strategy and how to make strategic decisions that drive value creation.

• A broad understanding of the technologies impacting advertising and media today.

These five areas are the foundation of adaptable, considered and effective advertising and media thinking and practice.

What is built on top of them creates great work. Curiosity. Critical thinking. Consensus building. Commercialism. Closure. This is the Optimists Toolkit. It hopefully provides tips and knowledge to ensure your knowledge of the industry is matched with your ability to navigate its cultural nuances.

Curiosity to ask ‘what if’ and to explore with openness all ideas.

Critical thinking to interrogate and analyse ideas, concepts, and ensure they serve the brief.

Consensus building to align disparate elements around the one goal.

Commercialism to balance the needs of creativity and business.

Closure, in order to make sure the work gets made.

A lot is asked of us, of you, and we need to be prepared that often we don’t have the answers upfront. But at the same time we need to be prepared to ask the questions, find the answers, and keep on learning.

About the author

As of 2020, I’m 17 years into a career in advertising and media. It’s seen me work for publishers, management consultants and agencies, and in the areas of content, media, creative and digital. 

In this time I’ve had the privilege of working on a stack of brands that you may be familiar with - Mazda, Samsung, Bupa, Ford, Disney, Roadshow, Diageo, Virgin, American Express, Kraft, Heinz, Coca Cola and Facebook.

When did I become interested in advertising and media? Pretty early on in my life if I am honest. As a child I loved reading magazines, newspapers and would always be looking for something to inform me of the world going on around me. I loved information - as a kid I would even read the street directory when I sat down to eat. 

The knowledge I hold about the roads and highways of my city may not hold much value in an era of Google Maps, but my curiosity around media and advertising is just as active as it ever has been, probably moreso. The motivation to find out how things work, why things occur … is something that’s always been strong for me.

It was the end of 2019 when writing a book became something I wanted to pursue. At work I get asked a lot of questions. It’s something I enjoy and I find a lot of joy in answering them. It’s probably an ego thing, but I’d like to think it’s an altruistic part of my personality that wants to help others. (But it’s really probably an ego thing).

Almost every person prefaces their question with “It’s probab;y a dumb question, but …” and then they proceed to ask a question that is an entirely reasonable one. To be honest, more often than not I don’t even know the answer either.

It made me wonder how many people don’t ask questions at all for fear of them being interpreted as “dumb”. My hypothesis is, quite a lot of people don’t. 

Advertising and media would be a better place, in my view, if we asked questions more openly and felt more comfortable with candour. It’s become a place where we are expected to know more, about more things, than ever before … but there is a weird judgement that is either implied or expressed when we demonstrate that there may be something we don’t know that we need help with.

There are so many things I have not known throughout my career that I’ve had to ask peers, colleagues and mentors for help with.

So many things about media, advertising, business, effectiveness, strategy and career development that they could fill a book.

And this right here, is that book.

I am seeking $10,000 in funding in the form of $35 pledges. This is not funding to pay for the writing of the book - it's basically a pre-order to cover the cost of printing and delivery before incurring it.

Each pledge of $35 will receive a printed copy of the book, delivered to their address (within Australia only). If international there may be excess charges to cover cost of transit (only if required)

The book will be a black and white paperback, with a colour cover, likely on 60 or 80 gsm paper. Size is likely to be executive (7x10 inch) as there are a lot of tables, diagrams and graphs within.

Where does the $35 go?

Pozzible take a reasonable 5% fee as facilitators of this platform ($1.75 per pledge)

Postage will be $5 per pledge ($5 per pledge)

Printing per book is $19.50 AUD (based on exchange rate on 23/8/20) ($19.50 per pledge)

Transport of books is total $558 AUD ($1.86 per pledge)

Administration and logistics works out at $600 ($2 per pledge)

I would like to invest $1500 in graphic design ($5 per pledge) for cover art and tables etc

This works out cost wise at $35.11 - which has been rounded down to $35.

It isn't a money making endeavour whatsoever - the book has taken 250 hours plus to write and as you can see above, the economics of it are not particularly favourable to a profit.

300 is the minimum amount required to do a print run. If the pledges exceed the $10,000 amount, then I will print as many book as pledges are received (i.e. - if there is $13,000 pledged at $35 a pledge I will print and ship 372 books)

If we do not reach the pledge goal

That would be a bummer, but it's a risk that needs to be outlined.

If the goal isn't reached, the project won't go ahead. All monies will be refunded.

Given the economics of the project, and in particular the fixed costs around printing and design, it is not feasible to print any less than 300 copies without losing considerable money on each one or pushing the cost up beyond what I feel is fair.

As mentioned above, the book is completed. The risks of the project are minimal as the copy is written and right now the book is in final edits and drafting.

Risks for pledgers

The risks for pledgers are only if the book is not completed, as the payment is a secure and protected pre-order via Pozible which will be refunded back to the pledger if the book was not to reach its funding goal.

The book is completed and as of 23 August is in editing and final drafting stages. The book has not, as yet, been typeset.

I believe this project is low risk due to the above variables.