Methods of the Madmen: How the advertising men and women of Britain's most awarded agency did their most awarded ads

Happiness is a cigar called Hamlet. Hovis, as good for you today as it's always been. Heineken refreshes the parts other beers cannot reach. These are three of the most famous advertising campaigns ever produced, and all the work of Collett, Dickenson, Pearce & Partners. There was something in the air at CDP that made it special. Some compared it with being in the Beatles. Others said it was like playing for a football club at the top of the Premier League. Certainly, CDP possessed an ethos driven by an unshakeable belief in creativity: the new, the brilliant, the witty and the vital. It was relentless in its search for ideas that not only contributed to the success of its clients, but also to the happiness of the nation. CDP commercials became as much a part of the fabric of British popular culture as Fawlty Towers, The Two Ronnies and Eric and Ernie. In 2012, at an evening to mark the 50th anniversary of Design & Art Direction, CDP won yet another award - for being the 'most awarded agency' of the last 50 years. This book tells the story of the ads that won these awards: how they were conceived and the men and women who dreamed them up. Whether you are a student of advertising, work in the business, or are simply a member of the public who remembers these ads with fondness, this book will entertain you.

Table of Contents:
Introduction; A potted history of Collett Dickenson Pearce; One: Twenty-five years of Happiness; Two: The hunt for Hovis Hill; Three: 'Frank Lowe unleashes his disemboweling knife'; Four: The cartoon and the Dinky Toy army; Five: A real Turkish delight; Six: Bringing back lovely legs; Seven: The shoe commercial shot on a shoestring; Eight: 'Let's do some famous work.'; Nine: From Dudley Moore to Alan Whicker; Ten: Taking the Mickey out of David; Eleven: A success with many fathers; Twelve: Making a splash for Cinzano; Thirteen: How Mr. Spock was born; Fourteen: A tale of two Hamlets; Fifteen: A glorious, politically incorrect romp; Sixteen: A rather expensive factory visit; Seventeen: A silk purse from a sow's ear; Eighteen: The art of stealing a brief; Nineteen: Selling the brand as a band; Twenty: Killing time in Carefree; Afterword;

About the Author :
Mike Everett was born in Holloway, north London, but grew up in Tottenham. He went straight from his secondary school into advertising. After stints in the post room, production, traffic, media and account handling, he tried his hand as a copywriter in the creative department, where to everyone's amazement, not least his own, he flourished. For the next four years he continued to write copy before landing a job at Collett, Dickenson, Pearce & Partners, at that time (1973) widely acknowledged as Britain's most creative and innovative ad agency. After 14 years at CDP, he was recruited to join Allen, Brady & Marsh as joint executive creative director. Eventually, ABM merged with Lowe Howard-Spink and Mike took up a senior position in their creative department. After three years, Mike moved back into creative management at Grey London. Here, he gained experience in international advertising. It was this experience that led him to join Lowe International as a worldwide creative director, with responsibility for the agency's Nestle business. He is now one of the creative partners at Anatomised, a digital, display advertising and TV advertising consultancy. He is married and lives in London.

Review :
"Mike Everett, himself an award-garlanded creative practitioner during the golden age of the world's greatest ever advertising agency, has written this affectionate, funny, generous and historically important account of the making of many of CDP's most loved campaigns. If you have any interest in our business please read this and share it. It describes a time when people liked what we did and explains why."; Tim Lindsay, Chairman D&AD