The Man Who Sold America

There's a new book about the old days of advertising. Before the Internet. Before television.

Before even Mad Men.

The Man Who Sold America

This new book, written by Jeffrey L. Cruikshank and Arthur W. Schultz, is called The Man Who Sold America. It's a biography of Albert Lasker, who made Lord & Thomas into the most successful American ad agency before selling out in 1942 to three men named Foote, Cone and Belding.

If you believe the past offers lessons for the future, and if you're interested in the fundamentals of the advertising business, this would be a book worth reading. (We posted about this era back in May.)

Yes, it's a recommendation

Full disclosure: One of the authors is a former chairman of FCB, and yours truly is employed at Draftfcb.

But don't take our word for it; check out this review in the Wall Street Journal written by former O&M chairman Ken Roman.