Scientific Advertising [Hardcover]

Claude C Hopkins (Author), David Ogilvy (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1960

Claude Hopkins, the father of modern advertising techniques, believed that "Advertising is salesmanship," and as such it should be measurable and justify the results that it produced. In Scientific Advertising, he explains precisely how to do that, and the principles he discovered and documented are as true today as when they were first written. This business classic covers mail-order marketing, headlines, psychology, strategy, budgeting, and more advanced subjects like negative advertising and how to test an advertising campaign. Whatever advertising medium you use, from print to the Internet, the fundamental principles of Scientific Advertising are universal and timeless. Newly designed and typeset for modern readers by Waking Lion Press.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Nobody, at any level, should be allowed to have anything to do with advertising until he has read this book seven times" David Ogilvy --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

About the Author

Claude C. Hopkins (1866-1932) was one of the great advertising pioneers, he believed advertising existed only to sell something and should be measurable and justify the results that it produced. He worked for various advertisers, including Bissell Carpet Sweeper Company, Swift & Company and Dr. Shoop's patent medicine company. At the age of 41, he was hired by Albert Lasker owner of Lord & Thomas advertising in 1907 at a salary of $185,000 a year, Hopkins insisted copywriters researched their client products and produce reason-why copy. He believed that a good product was often its own best salesperson and as such he was a great believer in sampling. To track the results of his advertising he used key coded coupons and then tested headlines, offers and propositions against one another. He used the analysis of these measurements to continually improve his ad results, driving responses and the cost effectiveness of his clients advertising spend. His classic book, "Scientific Advertising," was published in 1923, following his retirement from Lord & Thomas, where he finished his career as president and chairman. He died in 1932. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 95 pages
• Publisher: Bell Publishing Company (1960)
• ASIN: B0007EM552
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,326,252 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterwork to This Day, December 22, 2003

By 

James Sadler (Plano, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scientific Advertising (Paperback)

All the modern giants of advertising still swear by this book. Ogilvy even claimed it changed his life (in advertising anyway, but who knows, advertising is Ogilvy's life). The book is amazing in both its simple and direct approach. It's relatively short, yet packed with information of use to anyone interested in advertising.

Hopkins essentially invented many of the concepts that so many advertisers take for granted today, chief among them what seems like a simple idea: the coupon. And even today, many advertisers fail to get results when they stray from his teachings.

One of the most famous examples of failing to follow his teachings: the "Got Milk" campaign. Sure, it seems clever and it's definitely high profile, but from a marketing standpoint, it's a flop. Milk sales have not moved upward at all despite the fact that milk producers are now several years into the campaign. Want to know why it failed? Read Hopkins's book.

Whether you are an individual considering a career in advertising or an businessperson trying to figure out how best to market your business, start with Hopkins and then move onto the rest.

All advertising before "Scientific Advertising" flows into it; and all advertising after "Scientific Advertising" flows out of it.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scientific Advertising -- The Best Advertising Book Ever!, August 7, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Scientific Advertising (Paperback)

Claude Hopkins invented test marketing, sampling technology and the concept of pre-emptive advertising. The concepts he reveals in this book have been used by advertisers for decades and he is recognized by marketing experts such as Jay Abraham as a genius in his field. Scientific Advertising is an all-time classic book and
you'll want to read it at least three times. Each reading will provide you with profound insights into how to market any product or service.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The King Still Lives, March 5, 2008

By 

Randy Kemp "Randy Lewis Kemp" (Carol Stream, Il USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scientific Advertising (Paperback)

There is an old saying that goes, "there is nothing new but what has been forgotten." Advertising is about 100 years old, but the science and art behind what appears to buying psychology, really hasn't changed that much. If you study this work of Claude C. Hopkins, you will understand that he pioneered methods that are still used today. David Ogilvy was another one of these pioneers, and he said, "no one should be in advertising that has not read Scientific Advertising at least seven times." If you study any of the notable marketing gurus today (e.g. - Dan Kennedy), they are just positioning what Claude has said in a contemporary format. And even marketing for the Internet - if you look beyond the HTML bells and whistles - is still utilizing the basic psychology of sales letter generation, and copywriting, that Claude pioneered.
www.randykempcopywriting.com