How to be an advertising genius. The big book of advertising clichés

Firstly, you can think of this book as the advertising equivalent of a ‘bird watching’ guide and check off the ones you recognise. Play it like a game one night when you’re watching TV for endless hours of fun with the whole family.

If you’re a client, you can use it to measure your agencies work and diligence.

If you’re in advertising, and recognise your fingerprints on any of these, you can feel chagrined, but know that we’ve all been there (in times past I’ve been as guilty as anyone, maybe worse).

And if you want to be in advertising, you can use this as an instruction book - it’s either a ‘how to’ or a ‘what not to do’ (depending on how cynical you are).

All I’ve done is list clichés – what you make of it depends on your viewpoint.

Compiled with contributions from a group of creative directors, art directors and copywriters who have probably got about 300 awards, from every where from Cannes to California, between them.