Then We Set His Hair on Fire

These aren’t just advertising slogans; they’re game-changing insights. And according to ad industry legend Phil Dusenberry, whose team at BBDO created these and many other brilliant campaigns, one big insight is worth a thousand good ideas. An idea can lead to one clever commercial. But a true insight can define a brand for years to come and turn an entire industry upside down. Dusenberry, who turned BBDO/NY into a creative powerhouse, shares his best advice and funniest stories in Then We Set His Hair on Fire. You are there with Phil as he . . Frets before a $60 million pitch to GE’s Jack Welch, knowing that BBDO’s clunky proposed tagline (“We make the things that make life good”) just isn’t going to cut it. Initiates the all-star team that devised Ronald Reagan’s groundbreaking 1984 reelection campaign. Helps FedEx sustain its success after the overnight delivery business became crowded with competition. works with Gillette’s management to distill the insight that its shaving systems are “the best a man can get.” leads the team that gave New York City a renewed spirit after 9/11, with an unprecedented television campaign. And last but far from least . . . sets on fire the hair of the most in-demand celebrity spokesman of his time, in the Pepsi commercial heard round the world. In this entertaining yet practical memoir, Dusenberry reveals what really works in the fiercely competitive game of trying to stick in the consumer’s mind. And he shows how anyone can approach marketing problems from a unique angle and hit home runs, not just singles. Many things have changed since Phil Dusenberry started writing ad copy, but his insights are as true now as they ever were. This is a fun-to-read book that will change the way you think about advertising.