Your Reading List


The One Show Annual


Communication Arts Advertising Annual


"Hey Whipple, Squeeze This" by Luke Sullivan


These are your textbooks. At this stage of your career, don't busy yourself with anything else.

You cannot read the Communication Arts Advertising Annual once through. Same with the One Show. You have to devour them. I would dare say you need to memorize them. To be creators of great advertising, you have to be students of great advertising. And you need to be familiar with not only the ads, but their creators. They're the people who you're going to want to work for.

(I am always floored when I hear students say they want to work for Crispin, Porter + Bogusky, and admit they don't know who Andrew Keller is. I guarantee you, none of those students ever even got an interview.)

It will not be enough to flip through the 2006 and 2005 issues. You have to be as familiar with the work from the 1990's and 1980's as well. Even though they look dated, the thinking is still fresh. Learn from it.

As for Mr. Sullivan's book, buy your own copy. You'll refer to it frequently. Read it twice through before the year is over and you'll be in pretty good shape.