During this 212th episode of “Marketing Today,” I interview Bob Hoffman, returning guest and author of the new book, Advertising for Skeptics.

On the show today, we talk about the main ideas that inspired Hoffman to write Advertising for Skeptics and the delusions he believes the marketing and advertising industries are under. We laugh a lot, and maybe we’ll inspire you to get a cocktail after you’re done listening.

Hoffman tells us how Advertising for Skeptics came out of his musings on the industry. Hoffman says, “My idea is that we should be skeptical of the things that we accept as common wisdom in the advertising and marketing business, and we should question them.” Then he goes on to talk about the troubling lack of accumulated knowledge in advertising. He says, “If advertising is less effective now than it was fifty years ago, where’s the arrow of progress?” He then reluctantly offers advice to people in advertising and marketing cautioning, “The best advice I can give is to be careful.” We then explore various hot topics in marketing today. This discussion with Hoffman will invite you to consider what you think you know about advertising.

Highlights from this week’s “Marketing Today”:

  • Bob describes Advertising for Skeptics. 02:47
  • Bob’s mission in writing his latest book. 04:19
  • The lack of accumulated knowledge in advertising. 05:54
  • What we measure today in advertising. 12:13
  • Bob’s advice to people in marketing and advertising. 13:21
  • Bob’s thoughts on GDPR and why enforcement seems impossible. 16:46
  • Comparing Byron Sharp and Mark Ritson. 20:20
  • COVID-19 advertising. 22:52
  • Launching a book during a global pandemic. 24:07
  • How Bob fills his time during social distancing. 25:28
  • The most impactful purchase he has made in the last 6-12 months of $100 or less. 28:42
  • Bob’s go-to cocktail during a pandemic. 30:29

Resources Mentioned:

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Alan B. Hart is the creator and host of “Marketing Today with Alan Hart,” a weekly podcast where he interviews leading global marketing professionals and business leaders. Alan advises leading executives and marketing teams on opportunities around brand, customer experience, innovation, and growth. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies, but he is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine startups.