Customer Reviews

A Big Life in Advertising

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Mary Wells Lawrence protests that she cannot understand why Gloria Steinem said she "Uncle Tommed it to the top." All you have to do is read this book to understand exactly what she meant. Mary portrays herself as unbelievably shallow, egotistical, and testosterone driven and has the nerve to pass judgement on any women who see any alternative to a big empty shallow life like her own. She is so fascinated with her own little corner of the world and her psuedo celebrity friends she spends all her time recounting anecdotes about them and never gives us any synthesis of her experiences or any attempt to relate it to the rest of the world.

The only people that I imagine would find this book useful are those who want gossip on the history of the advertising business (or those that are thinking of getting in to see what they're about to encounter). Readers who are interested in life as a CEO from a woman's perspective or how successful women deal with balancing career and family (or career and any personal life whatsoever) will be sorely disappointed, as will readers interested in any deep insights about anything at all. Finally, this book is shockingly poorly written for someone who started her career writing.

This is a worthwhile book for anyone interested in business in general, and advertising specifically. Mary Wells Lawrence relates the "facts" of her professional life story well, and even delves a little bit into her personal life. The keys/reminders of how the best business relationships are forged are peppered among tales of how she WON the business, almost LOST clients and then miraculously redeemed the situation, and this adds drama and sometimes makes for compelling reading. She never goes beneath the surface, however, and ultimately this wasn't as satisfying a read as I'd hoped for. She might have revealed some of her worst FLUBS, as well - disasters tend to be even more revealing than successes, and we certainly learn more from failure! She also rarely tells her own emotional "take" on the events of her life - After reading this, I have no doubt that she's had A BIG LIFE - but she's holding back so much, the reader is never "clued in" as to what REALLY matters in this BIG LIFE of hers!?

Narcissism never had it so good. The personal pronoun is overdone even though this is an autobiography. This book lacks context in almost every instance. Years from now, many readers will remember that Mary Wells and Harding Lawrence had a grand time living on the French Riviera and the Caribbean. They won't have more than a clue how the couple worked together on Braniff (which went bankrupt), or how Mary came to claim and reclaim the Continental Airlines account (bankrupt a couple of times) or felt about a client with little chances for long-term success, American Motors (bought-out before it could go bankrupt). (See the pattern here?) The writing is sometimes a twisted jumble -- one can almost envision the author speaking into a tape recorder as she "wrote" this book. If you're inclined to get this volume, a used paperback will suffice.

Unless you are an advertising industry buff or somehow admire Mary Wells Lawrence this book is just average. There are a few interesting spots but for the most part she is just talking herself up.

I was not expecting a lot from this book. It was recommended to me, and I picked it up in a half-hearted way. I thought it was something that I would breeze through and forget about. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised. I found it a book that I both enjoyed reading and would recommend. At least, I would recommend it with some reservations.

The good sides of the book appear in her instructive stories about the advertising business. Lawrence brings the message across very clearly that advertising is relationship driven. A successful agency must focus on relationships both with the client and with the intended audience. Lawrence gives an example of success achieved by taking that focus to its limits.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect (and one that should appeal to students of business history) is advertising reception at a time that was much less marketing saturated than we are today. She had an opportunity to be a giant with emerging technology and in an emerging field. It makes for terrific reading.

My reservation about the book has to do with the writing quality. Her tone is extremely chatty. At the beginning, I tripped over the awkwardness of the prose. The organisational principle of the book was vague. Timeframes shift without warning or explanation. Finally, while the mix of personal and business anecdotes was entertaining, there were times that it moved far too swiftly from one to another. Still, she gets points for writing this book on her own and not with a ghost writer. I have the feeling that the reader was better off with its flaws than with a more inauthentic voice.

I am not in the advertising field, and I really enjoyed the book. People interested in one of the following areas should find something here: media, advertising, entrepeneurship, women in industry, business history, or pop culture. It also has a great can-do view of the world, inspiring to anyone who needs a push towards success.

I was especially interested in reading this memoir after having recently read Byron's study of Martha Stewart, curious to learn what Lawrence and Stewart seem to share in common (both professionally and personally) and to learn, also, to what extent they differ. Predictably, "that depends" at which point in time correlations are drawn Both have exceptional intelligence and energy, a flare for drama, uncommon business acumen, and a passion to succeed...especially in a business world (then and now) dominated by men. It is important to keep in mind, however, that this book is a memoir from Lawrence's perspective whereas Byron's book (which apparently has infuriated Stewart) offers his perspective (not hers) on arguably the world's most successful businesswoman. Presumably at some point, Stewart will tell her own story just as others such as Bob Knight, Vernon Jordan, Jack Welch, and Sumner Redstone have in their own recently published memoirs.

Lawrence did indeed have a :"big life in advertising," founding and then heading her own firm (Wells Rich Greene) for more than 30 years. Of special interest to me is what she has to say about the corporate leadership and management principles which guided and informed her during her three decades as a CEO. I agree with Ruth Shalit's characterization of that style as being "the CEO as It Girl, a jingle-writing, brand-building, Holly Golightly" but as Shalit then observes, "Ms. Wells Lawrence's blend of female emotionalism and careerist cunning is unlikely to delight management theorists or university synmposiasts." In this instance, Lawrence really does seem to be "one of a kind," as is Herb Kelleher, but surely there is much more to their success (in two of the most ferociously competitive marketplaces) than having a powerful personality. Lawrence will charm most of her readers, just as she must have charmed most of those with whom she was associated during the Wells Rich Greene period. Her agency is deservedly renowned for memorable campaigns to promote products such as Alka-Selzer, Pringles, and Bic lighters. Lawrence had a flair which characterized her agency and its work for such clients. She also had uncommon courage which she demanded of others: "I wanted a heroic agency. I dared everybody to be bold, to be thrilling, and I dared our clients to be bold and thrilling." (Her courage later proved to be a decisive factor during her battle with cancer.) Over time, the terms of engagement and criteria for measuring success in the advertising world changed. Calling herself "an old fashioned girl," Lawrence decided to sell her agency.

In certain respects, her account of the agency's final years under her leadership reminds me of the major changes which occurred as film studios were absorbed by multi-media international conglomerates. There was no longer any appropriate role for the "characters" who once ruled those studios, notably Goldwyn, Mayer, Zanuck, Cohn, and Selznick. As did they, Lawrence lived a "big life" in her own industry for as along as possible and then moved on. Unlike most of the displaced moguls, however, she indicates no bitterness and few regrets. She now seeks what she once referred to as a "pink beach." In this memoir, she allows her readers to accompany her on the journey thus far. To those of us who encounter frustration during our own quest for happiness, she would probably recommend "Plop plop, fizz fizz...."

I read this a number of years ago, so forgive me for "reviewing" in generalities, as I don't have my copy in front of me.

I remember as I was getting to the end of this book an overwhelming feeling of uselessness and trivia. I LOVE the advertising field. Mary Wells Lawrence, unfortunately, presented only the surface and superficial elements of all that "occupation" entails. And "occupation" is the right word - because she pretty much described a job. No way was her presentation "a big life"... unless your definition of a big life is celebrity accounts and shiny things.

Admitedly, in small parenthesis below the monumental title are the words "in advertising"... but even so, this big life could be as big as an ocean - but it's a very SHALLOW one.

The autobiographical author drops the events in her life like bullets on a resume. All the things that really matter - and could have even affected her perspective on her "profession" - were conspicuously absent.

Where's the color? Where are the life altering moments that define us as characters in ANY life... much less a BIG one?

Winning a contract? THAT'S the big life?

I'm so sorry, Ms. M.W.Lawrence... I'm sure you're a very interesting person... but I suppose I could only know that IN person. This so called big life written down is quite the sad little story.

I'm pretty sure the little old man selling tomatoes down the road has a more interesting story.

Pick another subject. Write another book.
There are some subtle hints at bigness in this book, and I can tell you got it in ya'...

This is indeed a poorly written book, but it does share the insight of a great icon of the 70s and 80s ad game. For those who were/are in advertising, the perspective Lawrence gives is fun to remember when people and personalities really made a difference. An easy read, a few insights but really like reminiscing with a colleague about the "good old days." Lots of us would have loved to have just one of those tales to tell. The other reviews I've read on Amazon are pretty accurate. Reader beware.

This is a worthwhile book for anyone interested in business in general, and advertising specifically. Mary Wells Lawrence relates the "facts" of her professional life story well, and even delves a little bit into her personal life. The keys/reminders of how the best business relationships are forged are peppered among tales of how she WON the business, almost LOST clients and then miraculously redeemed the situation, and this adds drama and sometimes makes for compelling reading. She never goes beneath the surface, however, and ultimately this wasn't as satisfying a read as I'd hoped for. She might have revealed some of her worst FLUBS, as well - disasters tend to be even more revealing than successes, and we certainly learn more from failure! She also rarely tells her own emotional "take" on the events of her life - After reading this, I have no doubt that she's had A BIG LIFE - but she's holding back so much, the reader is never "clued in" as to what REALLY matters in this BIG LIFE of hers!?

The fawning of a Mr Bernbach in the first few pages were cringeworthy - calling him God and equating him to John the Baptist, Che and Mao. Sure, you want to work with the guy, but lady, it's just advertising; who are you kidding?
If I was getting into advertising, reading this book will put me off, seeing how shallow the industry is.
Best of all, Ms Lawrence is an Advertising Hall of Famer!
Enough said, unfortunately.