“HONEST!…it’s as fun and idiosyncratic as the agency itself…” - Tim Nudd, Creativity Editor Ad Age
“It’s brilliant. What a wonderful story…!” - Sir John Hegarty
“MY BOOK OF THE MONTH. Everyone knows the “Mad Men” era of advertising in the 1960s. But unless you were a part of it, the boutique creative agency boom of the 1980s and 90s is largely forgotten. Nick Cohen’s “Honest!” brings those times back to life with delightful—well—honesty.”. Frank. J. Oswald. - Faculty, Columbia School of Professional Studies
In 1990, in the USA, the advertising industry sat one place from last on a Gallup Poll rating the integrity of different professions. Sent into an emotional spin by this horrific realization, Nick Cohen, a young British creative director, newly arrived in New York City set off on a personal mission to purge the industry of the toxic lies and distortion that was so prevalent on Madison Avenue and champion a fresh new approach; Radical Honesty. This is the funny and audacious story of the notorious and award winning creative shop Mad Dogs & Englishmen and their attempt to make advertising more truthful. Founded in the pre social media era, where word of mouth was the true social currency, word soon spread that the Mad Dogs crew were helping pioneer a new approach to advertising, that was low budget, outrageously honest, affectionately irreverent and devoted to winning their clients new fan bases based on trust.
“The supernatural power of truth shines through in almost every humorous anecdote and exquisite example of advertising. Whether you are a grizzled ad vet, a total novice, or just ad-curious, this book will help you find your own voice - and maybe even a little salvation in the world of advertising.” - Alex Bogusky, Founding Partner, Crispin Porter + Bogusky
“To me, and many of my contemporaries in the ’90s, Mad Dogs & Englishmen were a bit like the Velvet Underground. They didn’t sell as many records as the Bay City Rollers, but their influence on the next generation was huge. They pushed the peanut forward. At the time, most advertising was glossy and sophisticated, so to make a good ad you needed a great director or photographer to create your seductive imagery. That meant you needed decent production budgets. Mad Dogs & Englishmen didn’t accept that. They could create arresting, funny campaigns with the change you’d find down the back of a sofa.” - Dave Dye, Stuff from the Loft Blog
Beyond telling the Mad Dogs story, HONEST! attempts to offer cheeky methods that tap into the fruits of truthfulness to inspire any creatives thinking—from how to work collaboratively to dealing with pressure to satisfyingly bold decision making.
