Seducing Strangers: The Little Black Book of Advertising Secrets by Joshua Weltman (Workman Publishing; on sale April 2015; $16.95) is the essential book for advertisers, marketers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, writers, artists, and others looking to make something happen. Drawing from twenty-five years of experience in the advertising world, both as a Creative Director, and as an advertising consultant and co-producer of the hit series MAD MEN, Josh Weltman brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the subject. SEDUCING STRANGERS is the culmination of his experiences: an accessible playbook of rules, principles, insights, and anecdotes, all tailored to the fast-changing world of advertising and marketing in the information economy.
Acting as mentor, Weltman shares pragmatic advice and tools in a straight-forward, conversational style, including the following:
•The Secret Purpose of Advertising is to make people happy, which occurs when expectations are met or exceeded by reality.
•Four fundamental questions behind the art of advertising.
•Why seduction is different (and better) than selling.
•The introduction and importance of enthymemes; a two part statement which both confuses, than explains (or vice-versa). i.e. “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.”
•Why Brands aren’t Magic, they’re Math.
•The Four Types of Ads; there’s the ad that makes people curious—want to know more? That creates a sense of urgency—limited time offer! That increases market share—why we’re unique, or just better. And the ad that protects margins—thank you for your loyalty.
•Identifying Motives: nothing has a greater impact on a persuasive message than the motives of the person or business sending it.
•Agenda’s, Traps and Techniques including, “Be willing to walk away a winner.”
•The Secret Story of Online Seduction where “The medium is the message.”
In short, succinct chapters filled with real-life examples of ad campaigns plus anecdotes from the author’s years as an insider, SEDUCING STRANGERS establishes new communications principles designed to help the reader form more effective and persuasive ideas. Then, he explains how to place them in a world of changing technology and changing consumer expectations.
Advertising is no longer a profession left to the “suits” on Madison Avenue. Today, it’s everyone’s job, from the CEO of a multinational company to a fashion blogger trying to establish a presence on Instagram. Advertising, Joshua Weltman argues, is a toolbox, not a tool, and used right it makes people happy. SEDUCING STRANGERS shows you how.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Josh Weltman is a twenty five year veteran of the advertising business, a working creative director, co-producer, writer and artist. He has created commercials and ad campaigns for Taco Bell, Doritos, Carl’s Jr., BMW, Microsoft, Whole Foods Markets, Green Burrito and Cuties. He has authored everything from online guerrilla marketing efforts for small clients like Cirque Berzerk, to national campaigns for global automotive companies like KIA Motors.
Weltman has been a part of Mad Men since the show’s first season. He works closely with Matthew Weiner and the show's writers and producers to help ensure that Mad Men accurately depicts the process of creating ads and servicing clients, and that the show's advertising and business stories play true to life, true to character and true to period. He also creates most of the original ads seen on the show.
Josh graduated from Otis/Parsons Art Institute of Design with a BFA in Illustration and Communication Design and has been cited by Cannes Lions, The American Advertising Federation, and The Advertising Club of Los Angeles for excellence in his work. He and his wife of twenty-seven years, Dr. Angela Weltman, live in Los Angeles with their two girls. Seducing Strangers is his first book.