To keep people thinking, "You can't underestimate advertising."

I'm in trouble. Seriously in trouble. I found it so fascinating I couldn't put it down, but the words cutting to the core of communication were so sharp that before I knew it, my copy was plastered with sticky notes. Quoting them alone would probably use up all the space for this article.

The book I'm introducing this time, Don't Underestimate Advertising (published by Senken Kaigi), is by copywriter/creative director Takashi Yamamoto. He's the one behind copy you're surely familiar with (and personally, I love it too), like "Heart and body, everything human," "Change is thrilling," and "The future is made of hope and anxiety." He now also teaches at a university.

Reading Advertising Through the Lens of "Era/Society/Humanity"

This book delves into the essence of communication by analyzing 25 advertisements—from "It's okay to be mischievous, just grow up strong" to "Everyone is a hero"—through the lens of "era/society/humanity."

The author argues that advertising emerges from a shared understanding between sender and receiver within the context of "era/society/humanity."

When the sender shares that "era/society/humanity" with the receiver and possesses a richer, deeper recognition and understanding of it, they can make proposals that resonate strongly with the receiver—proposals optimal for their situation (maximizing advertising effectiveness). (P38, 39)

For example, the author's copy for the 2000 Toyota Corolla campaign—"Change is exciting" —was a message sent to a recipient situation defined as: "Adults, primarily in their 50s, seeking their path forward in a Japanese society undergoing change centered on IT, on the cusp of the 21st century" (P36). Using this perspective, the book analyzes various advertisements, from older to newer ones.

When "Sales" Reads "Creative"

It's pretty much a given that when young "sales" staff at ad agencies pick up books related to "creative," their motivation usually falls into one of these categories: wanting to be able to drop a clever line during creative presentations as a salesperson, wanting to confidently say "That was great!" on a TV commercial shoot, wanting to laugh at the same points during brainstorming sessions with creative members, or simply wanting to be reminded they work in the advertising industry (laugh).

However, the reason I, a salesperson who can hardly call myself a junior anymore, picked up this book was precisely because I started wondering about the relationship between the ads being produced right before my eyes and the very communication that salespeople accumulate in their daily work.

Words are tools the sender uses to steer the receiver in the direction they desire. To achieve this, you need to "say what the receiver wants to hear." While "saying what the receiver wants to hear" sounds rather virtuous on the surface, in reality, it boils down to "the sender fulfilling the receiver's desires to satisfy their own." (P181, 182)

While this statement refers to advertising production, it struck a chord with me—isn't "sales" precisely the essence of communication itself that we should be conscious of in our daily interactions with clients and team members?

Allowing myself to share one more incisive phrase that deeply resonated with my current self, who is once again contemplating the very nature of "advertising."

Some may frown upon advertising for stoking desire. Yet a world where desire is openly expressed is, in a sense, healthy. Who could possibly live in a society devoid of desire, or where desire is suppressed? (P259)

Working in advertising production as a "salesperson," it's easy to focus solely on the client's desire to reach as many people as possible with their product. But this made me realize something obvious yet profoundly essential: when a product sells, it ultimately fulfills the desires of consumers. It was a startling revelation.

Why "You Can't Underestimate Advertising"?

When asked, "What makes good copy?", the author's immediate response is "copy that sells." This straightforward approach is refreshing to read, even for someone in sales.

While my perspective might differ slightly from the author's, in today's advertising industry—where everyone's shouting about individual optimization, one-to-one marketing, and "personalized ads" instead of "advertising"—I still want clients to keep feeling, "Yeah, you really shouldn't underestimate advertising." As a salesperson (and with a sense of self-reflection), the passage that really struck me was the following message in the "Afterword."

"Don't underestimate advertising" might sound bold, but honestly, it's okay to underestimate it—it's just advertising. What you really shouldn't underestimate is communication.
Don't use empty words, don't send superficial messages, above all, don't destroy words. Think of others first. Words are the product of wisdom, knowledge, insight, experience, social perspective, human understanding, affection, passion, emotion, and hope. Don't underestimate advertising without considering these things. (P393)

When communicating with team members, clients, and ultimately family, I resolved to reexamine the words I speak and continue facing the work of "sales" head-on from tomorrow onward.

【Dentsu Inc. Modern Communication Lab】