The Man Who Sold America, Jeffrey L. Cruikshank
The Man Who Sold America, Jeffrey L. Cruikshank
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The Man Who Sold America
The Amazing but True Story of Albert D. Lasker and the Creation of the Advertising Century

Author: Jeffrey L. Cruikshank, Arthur W. Schultz

Narrator: Walter Dixon

Unabridged: 16 hr 58 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Ascent Audio

Published: 03/14/2011


Synopsis

MEET THE MAN BEHIND SOME OF OUR BEST KNOWN BRANDS
We live in an age of mass persuasion. Leaders and institutions of every kind—public and private, large
and small—must compete in a rowdy marketplace of images and messages seeming to come at us from all directions—in print, on radio and television, and on the Web.

It wasn’t always so. In the early and middle twentieth century, a handful of creative geniuses in advertising and public relations—J. Walter Thompson, Edward Bernays, David Ogilvy, Ray Rubicam, and others—launched their once-sleepy industries into the very center of American life. And most of them point to one individual as the man who started it all: Albert D. Lasker.

But Lasker—who resolutely hid from the spotlight—has remained an enigma. Now, Jeffrey Cruikshank and Arthur Schultz, drawing on a treasure trove of previously unknown papers, have written a fascinating biography of one of the twentieth century’s most intriguing figures.

Lasker helped invent “reason why” advertising, market research based on direct-mail advertising, premium coupons, and a host of other industry innovations. He invented and promoted powerful brands that are still with us today: Sunkist and Sun-Maid, Kotex and Kleenex, Puffed Wheat and Puffed Rice, and many others.

But his impact went far beyond traditional advertising. Lasker was an energetic crusader against anti-Semitism. A public relations master, he engineered Warren G. Harding’s successful presidential campaign, and designed the strategy that ended Upton Sinclair’s bid for governor of California. As part-owner of the Chicago Cubs, he came up with the idea of a “baseball commissioner.” He was the creative philanthropist who renamed the American Cancer Society and Planned Parenthood as he transformed them into prominent and effective organizations. And the Lasker Awards, for contributions to medical science, are sometimes referred to as “America’s Nobels.”

His personal life was no less dramatic. The Man Who Sold America recounts the powerful influence of his background, his deep friendships—and the debilitating depression he struggled with even as he forged his remarkable achievements.

This is the story of a man who shaped an industry—and changed the way we look at our world.
“The Man Who Sold America shows us the advertising industry well before the age of Mad Men…"

“The Man Who Sold America pulls back the curtain and shows us a remarkable life spent shaping much of the world we know today.”

“Lasker's influence extended well beyond the confines of the advertising world”

“…the promotional brilliance of Lasker and his shop helped turn Kleenex, Pepsodent toothpaste, Quaker Oats, Goodyear tires and Palmolive soap into household brands.”

Reviews

Goodreads review by Suvendhu on May 09, 2013

True to its claims this book takes you through one of the major minds of the advertising world.I now know the person who changed the face of Palmolive, Sunkist, Pepsodent, Whirlpool or even Kotex. A self-effacing and yet the astute man he was, pulled off poignant ads to help Harding win the Presiden......more

Goodreads review by Eugenio on January 21, 2024

This is an interesting biography of Albert Lasker, the "father of modern advertising", who built one of the largest and most influential advertising agencies in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century. A man that stood out for his tremendous energy and imagination, his never-stopping......more

Goodreads review by Rebecca on November 27, 2022

Came across this book because I was researching his sister Loula Lasker (the Lasker Rink in Central Park is named in her honor.) The Laskers were a remarkable family. While his sisters were socialists who advocated for housing justice and racial equality, Albert helped companies sell their stuff. My......more

Goodreads review by Carolyn on August 06, 2023

Amazing story of how advertising influenced and changed the daily lives of Americans. How orange juice became an American breakfast staple is just one example. Health reasons? Maybe. More about: “What can these states do with all of these oranges to make money?” Eye-opening!......more