About
Apr 7th, 2010 by heywhipple
Hey, everyone. I’m a writer by trade. Been writing since about 6th grade. In fact, that’s when I started my first diary and have been keeping one ever since. I’ve been a copywriter for about 31 years now. Have worked at Fallon McElligott, The Martin Agency, and am now at GSDM in good ol’ Austin. I wrote a book on advertising back in ’98. It’s now in its third edition and is used in lots of colleges and ad schools. Titled, Hey Whipple, Squeeze This: A Guide to Creating Great Advertising. Here’s a link to its amazon page: http://tinyurl.com/yhxuljj
This page has the following sub pages.
hi luke.
never had a chance to thank you in writing.
i live in dominican republic (next to haiti, sorry to explain if you knew).
i loved your book. i still do. is a must in my agency. you saved me a lot of trouble with your advise. ah, yes i have an ad agency, 10 years now. is called kraneo.
regards.
mike.
I’m a complete fucking loser. I read your entire blog tonight instead of going to bed at a reasonable hour.
Hey Gary: Well, that was very nice of you. Two things to say about that. Thanks for reading, and yes, you’re kind of a loser.
Hey Luke,
Thanks for writing the book, its kind of inspiring. I have a question for you. How would you go about getting experience in marketing? I want to be a copywriter, but portfolio school is out of the question for now. I can’t get anyone to give me a chance right now so I was wondering if there was any thing I could learn on my own to make me a more appealing risk. Thanks
Hey Sean: Glad you liked the book. I remember putting a lot of advice on how to break into the business in the last chapter. If ad school is out of question, you will have to create your own portfolio. Much harder to do outside of school, but it can be done. Also, the creative dept is not the only way into an agency. There is account service, media, etc. And that includes the mail room.
Sean:
It’s been a few months since you posted, but I thought I’d reply anyway. I didn’t go to a portfolio school. I actually started out as an account coordinator and then started talking to the copywriter at the agency. He eventually became my mentor and helped me put together a (very) rough portfolio. Then he talked to the powers-that-be about moving me into the creative department and the rest is history. So if ad school’s out of the question, Mr. Sullivan is (obviously) absolutely right: just get your foot in the door. Then speak up.
Gene
Hey Luke….love the blog, great stuff from you as usual. BTW, you had me at f^%& you….
Eric
Hi Luke,
i just wanna say that im in the middle of your book and i love it.
Im an ad student in dominican republic and here the ad bussines is not exactly somethingsupermegaawesome in comparisson to other countries but it does have talent and a lot of potential. In fact one of the main DC just let you a post on top of this one. Anyway i just wanted to say that ur advices are really good and im laughing my ass off with your book, i actually bought it twice ( by mistake), which is funny cause it reminds me that u posted a review in amazon of Nancy Vonk and Janet Kestin book “Pick Me” ( which i already bought) and u said that we should buy whipple twice after buying theirs. So thanks for the book, it’s really good ( i think ive learned more with ur book than half of the stuff they give me in college). Hope to be half as good as you one day.
Regards
Jean Mitchell
I am so so so glad you like it. I wrote it just for people like you.
(: . Oh by the way i have a question for you, is there any website that you could give me about portfolios or something where i can see really good portfolios of students and professionals so i can have frame of reference of what is exactly good.
oh and i already finish reading your book…i think im gonna read it again. And probably a third time. It’s just that inspiring.
write to me directly at luke.sullivan@ideacity.com and i will send you some links to great student portfolios.
Hi Luke,
I’m an intern and I need some money.Can you lend me some?
Hi Luke!
I read your book last semester and it one of the best books I had ever read. As an aspiring copywriter, this book was the perfect guide for me and I just want to thank you for your awesome book.
Also I noticed you are at GSDM in Austin, coincidentally I will be moving to Austin next month for grad school. Hope to meet you some day.
Luke,
You’ve already made me a better in-house marketing writer.
Trying to get into agency ads without portfolio school and your book is my main textbook. I’m about mid-way through. I read it on breaks, lunch and in the bathroom. I’ve never felt so dismayed (about what I’ve done) and so hopeful (about what you make me believe I can do).
Thank you.
Hey Luke,
Let me start off by thanking you.
Before your book, I was an aspiring writer who thought he found the holy grail in copywriting – puns. I often found myself proudly explaining my “complicated” headlines to others to ensure they could also appreciate my genius.
Fortunately, a mentor saved me by recommending your book. Not only did it point me in the right direction, it helped guide me to my first job at The Richards Group.
Now, 12 years and a recent layoff later, I’m trying to find my bearings. If it isn’t too much trouble, could I email you a question? Your advice helped so much before, I was hoping I could once again tap into your wealth of experience.
Thanks so much.
Yo Jason: Happy to help. why not write me at luke.sullivan@ideacity.com
Thank you so much. I sent you an email today.
Luke,
I love your book. First read it for my first creative class at BYU and have since placed it on top of the toilet and re-read many a times as I contemplate new ideas and brilliant writing for our clients and my portfolio.
Quick question if I may: As an upcoming graduate should I try for a huge agency right off the bat? Or start small and work my way up?
Dane
Both large and small agencies have their charms. Large places have more things to work on. Small agencies don’t have as many opportunities but the social environment is cozier and you may get more client contact. My advice. Don’t worry about size. Apply to an agency that does work you really like.
Hello Mr. Luke Sullivan,
I shall carry your book with me everywhere I go – along with my portfolio and a dream to someday work in the industry. You have inspired me in so many ways.
Thank you!
Andrea
Well, THAT was just the nicest thing to say. So glad you liked it.
luke,
are your peta ads online? i want to show them to my ad classes on why they shouldn’t have pro bono, specifically, cute, loving, save the animals/children/planet ads in their books. because there are so many great campaigns already out there.
Yo Kevin: Thanks for askin. No, I don’t have any of my work posted on my site and I think I’m gonna fix that one day. Sorry. But thanks for askin. And you are right about that. PSA stuff? Nah, don’t put it in your book. Too much like shooting fish in a barrell (which PETA is also against).
I use Far Side stuff for inspiration too. Actually, The Far Side Gallery 5 is my mouse pad. Love your book. Rare no-bullshit gem. Looking forward to updated 21st century edition.
Haven’t read your book, but after reading these testimonials I will make it a point to.
Hi Luke,
I’m on page 184 of “Hey Whipple, Squeeze This” and I had to put it down to thank you for Ms. Frog Lady. In fact, I’d like to thank you for all the client experiences you share in your book. I was starting to question my own sanity with regard to my work, but your insight is like a warm blanket – “Don’t worry buddy, it’s the client. It’s almost always the client.”
Thanks buddy.
Yo Grady: Glad you like it. And yes, all that stuff really happened. Also keep in mind I wrote the same number of pages about the Confederacy of Dunces found on the agency side. Remember, no matter how you do the math, half the population is below average.
I’m learning that lesson! And it really does make me question my sanity. I’m very passionate about the work I create. I fight for it on every level. I guess what I find the most frustrating is what the client doesn’t seem to realize – I’m fighting for their success! It’s in my best interests for them to succeed. I will gladly change my creative approach if it isn’t working. But sometimes Frog lady will fart in my mouth and then explain that “9 out of 10″ people love that taste. Bullocks.
Hi… It’s the same guy that just wrote to you about page 184. I’m now on page 197 (I know, I’m a slow reader). And that’s because I savor every page. I’ll be recommending this book to anyone who will listen to me. All two of my friends. And all 1,743 of my Facebook friends (that last number’s not real).
I promise I won’t do this for every page.
Thanks for such a wonderfully insightful and entertaining book.
So so glad you like the book. Hope you’re reading the 3rd edition, with the big big type on the cover. I don’t like the first two ed’s anymore. thx again for the kind words.
Hi Luke,
I got your 2nd edition from the library. I will be purchasing either that or the 3rd. What’s the difference between the two?
two really good new chapters. Plus I finally got the cover the way I wanted it, over the publishers initial objections.
Hi Luke,
I’ve just finished reading your book in preparation for applying to copywriting programs, I love it. Seriously. I felt like I had lost a friend when I finished it.
Moving on, I’m hoping that I can convince you to dish on which the REALLY good ad schools are. You mention some in Hey Whipple, but I want the real dirt. I have friends at the Brand Center who love it, and family in Minneapolis who rave about Brainco. Which are the schools that actually impress prospective employers? Or is it just impressive to have forked over all that money and time to attend any school, and I should apply to every one I can find?
Thanks for any help you can provide. Your book is fantastic.
Kitt
Hey Luke, I was wondering if you could help me decide if I need to go to portfolio school or not.
Thanks,
Peter
Hello Luke,
I could use some extra advice about how to get the best reads from your voice talents when recording radio. Could you do a post or share some tips about how you get the best work?
As a young writer I find this to be the most intimidating part of the process. It’s one of the few times where I get to tell people what to do.
Thanks for your help,
Matt
write to me at luke.sullivan@gsdm.com.
Hi Luke,
As the (very) new advertising guide on About.com I wanted one of my first live blog posts to be about someone who deserved it. I know it only just scratches the surface, but thanks for a great talk in Denver, and for inspiring me to get into advertising about 20 years ago. I was 16, failing at being a designer, and looking for a career that I would genuinely love. Your work was a beacon. Thanks for everything. Oh, and if you feel like answering the question at the end of the post, feel free. Or don’t. It’s ok, I have a pretty thick skin.
http://advertising.about.com/b/2011/02/14/how-to-suck-less-a-luke-sullivan-talk.htm
Paul.
Luke,
LOVE Hey Whipple – and just ordered Ms Paetro’s “How to” book. I grew up an Ad nut, excelled in copywriting in college, got my degree in advertising at the University of Mn…Ms Shaw is still a great mentor to me. Anyhoo – went in a different direction after college (spent years writing internal comm and promotional marketing material for the great bullseye) and now I’m looking to get back to my passion and talent – have some great samples, yet they are old. Working with an art director friend on a few fresh campaigns to update my portfolio. Is there hope – What advice do you give an old dog with a fresh mind?
As an old dog myself, I say NEVER stop learning. I have been devouring every new advertising book that has come out since the ’80s. Read them all. Inhale all the info online. Stay current. In fact, stick your fingers into the plug and BECOME the current.
Hey Whipple!
Sorry if posting here is inappropriate, but I really wanted to reach you and could not locate an email address herein.
I’m reaching out to open up a dialog with you about a new concept and accompanying book that is releasing on June 7th. Author and fellow blogger Simon Mainwaring has been a keen follower of Hey Whipple for a number of years now, and as we understand, you have been a supporter of Simon’s blog as well.
Simon’s new book, We First finally comes out on June 7th, and we thought you might find it interesting since Simon is a longtime ad guy (from Olgilvy to Nike creative etc).
I’m writing because, we’d love your help in getting the message out there about how business can build a better world.
As you know, the launch has to be a community effort, and it’s very important to us that you’re a part of it. Right now, we’re putting together a team of the best and brightest bloggers that will be involved in the We First movement right from the start. This is a special group of key influencers that we hope to connect with future projects and work with closely to really create the change we all believe is possible.
There are a number of ways you could help including blogging about the book release, tweeting and re-tweeting, linking to Simon’s blog, sending out a newsletter or email blast about We First, and even putting a banner ad on the Hey Whipple site.
In return, we’d love to do something special for your community like an exclusive webinar with you, for example, or sending you a few free copies to give away.
So I just wanted to check to see if you would like to help? To make it easy, our team is putting together a Resources Page that will have everything you need (pre-prepared tweets, content, Q&A, book cover etc.)
If you can’t, I totally understand.
Just let me know what you think, and I’ll follow up with you to get things rolling.
Again, your help is so appreciated.
This is going to be fun!
Thanks,
Morgan Wells, Director of Communications WE FIRST
Work: 310.878.4418 Cell: 323.302.3211
Email: morgan@wefirstbranding.com
Web: http://www.wefirstbranding.com
How can I help. Why not wRite me at heywhipple@me.com and we can talk more.
Dear Luke,
I was intrigued by the SAD (apt acronym) article in AdAge about your new book, so I looked you up, being a fellow Minnesotan myself. I am permanently banned-for-life from ever commenting on anything on the AdAge site — gored one too many ox.
I’ll have to read your newest book.
These days I am trying to sell “Liquor Ice Cream” shares just as I have been doing since 1994 when I first invented the product. I am an Adman gone bad. Like Icarus, I envied the gods and fashioned a product of my own design — and I have been tumbling to earth ever since.
Any ideas on how one does this?
Daryl
Thanks for the interest Daryl. And I really hope u like it.
Hi Luke –
Would you please consider putting your Hey Whipple book on the iBook store?
Just went to download it – and all they had was your latest (which also sounds interesting, but the first book may just be my Christmas gifts for members on my team).
Thank you.
Hey Edie: Yes, I am going to try to get the publisher to make Whipple 4 an ebook. Thnx for your interest.
Hi Luke
I am an aspiring Art director, currently studying on an M.A advertising course at Birmingham City University in the U.K. Without wishing to sound like a suck up I am a huge fan of your book, it has helped me countless times throughout my degree.
For my final year project I am looking at indentifying and developing a strategy, to apply a core concept across a fully integrated campaign. It would be fantastic if you could spare me five minutes to answer 8 short questions I have formulated around my study? I could send you the questions via email if that would be ok?Your opinion would be greatly valued!
Thankyou
Hey Alex: You are kind to write, and if the questions do not require massive ammts of time, yes. Am busy moving from Austin to Savannah College of Art & Design. Woo hoo. email address is heywhipple@me.com
Hi Luke,
Thought your students at SCAD might find the new site a great resource and its free:
AF, AdvertisingFreelance.com, is the first fully dedicated online community for anyone consulting in the world of communications. Digital, Production, Creative, Account, Strategy, Media, anything that has to do with freelance is here.
AF Functions:
• A social networking community you can join, create a profile, add friends and form groups.
• Informative content, resources and blog posts.
• A jobs board where you can not only search for jobs, but post jobs you need filled.
• Recruiter / Headhunter information. Just click on their logo and go directly to their site.
• A rating system on how companies treat freelancers, with over 100 agencies listed.
Hope you and the family have settled in now.
Best,
KA
Hi Luke!
I’m in a pretty pissy mood this morning and made a comment on Facebook about how the best writing comes when you stop giving a shit what other people think – and a friend sent me a link to your blog.
I read your book years ago and LOVED it. I bought the coozy with “My muse must be sleeping off a drunk behind a dumpster somewhere” on it. Every time I use it I smile. You should offer that on T-shirts too. I’d buy one.
Thank you for being awesome and I’m glad I found your blog. And there goes my pissiness. Morning made.
Hey Susan: You are sooo nice to write. Am glad you liked the book and now the blog. And as for that muse coozy? I never knew about that. Someone must’ve liked it enough to put that line on a coozy.
I’m a petroleum engineer-turned-copywriter. The first gift I got from my boss was your book. Immensely insightful!
Thank you for guiding so beautifully. I’m following your advice and you on twitter.
Hey Whipple has added huge inspiration to my aspirations so I’m gonna make some great pieces, earn a place for myself in this industry and hopefully get to meet you in person, someday. And that day is going to come real soon.
God bless Whipple!
Sooooo glad you liked the book. And thank you so much for taking the time to come tell me so. Appreesh.
Hey Luke,
I just realized you have a blog. (I’m so glad this thing has spell check because I just spelled realised like that, until it helped me change it.) I just wanted to thank you. I read your book about two years ago when I was a marketing major in college.
I was shocked when I found out I had to make a portfolio to become a creative in advertising. I didn’t know a copywriter was what I wanted to be, until I found out what a copywriter was. I followed your advice and entered portfolio school, even though I almost ended up a plumber, a salesman, a valet and for a while seemed like I was going to be anything but a copywriter. I kept my head in my notebook and didn’t listen to anyone who wasn’t telling be to keep going. Luckily I had a couple of those people. I’m a month into my first job, working at a pretty fun place in Duluth, MN (the next Boulder if you ask my creative team) and love it so far.
You probably get this all the time, but as a kid lost in a library trying to find who I was, your book introduced me to my future self. Just wanted to share my story, because I appreciated that you shared yours.
Though I’ve never met you, I owe you a great deal of gratitude. Thank you for your time. I love the book. I love the blog. Great to read in between assignments.
Keep helping people reach for the stars and whatever is about them. Hope all is well.
Best,
Cole
Cole, that is one of THE best emails I have EVER received. Dude, I am so happy you found your place in life….and that it’s not in some bank or a shoe store. Dude, very happy for you.
Hey Luke,
Just read your book. Very helpful in what I am doing. I am currently in my final year of University in the UK. Will hopefully be a creative in the industry very soon but for now I have to complete my dissertation. I have chosen the title ‘Is truth necessary in producing great advertising?’ I felt after reading your book and others around the subject. I feel it gives me a good argument for and against and everything in the middle. It is only 7000 words so I can’t go into extensive detail but I wanted to know if you had any advice for structure, any sources to look at to help shape my argument. I intend to use the concept of TV-Land in reference to escapism and the benefits that has in producing great memorable advertising but also the counter argument that comes with that of exaggerated truth and social problems that occur. I love the use of the proverb tell the truth and run, which will feature in a section about truth and offending people. I also want to look at the relationship between Ogilvy and Bernbach demonstrating the revolution of truth in advertising. Clearly I will need to touch on false advertising as a comparison but I don’t want to make that a focal point. What do you think?
Thank you
Hi Luke,
I am a graduate student at the University of Minnesota in Classics, and recently decided to change careers (teaching just didn’t seem to fit me). I contacted one of our Communications professors, and through our correspondence I came upon your book. Needless to say, I’ve really taken a liking to it, and not only has it inspired me to continue to pursue a copywriting career, but it’s also been pure entertainment. With it’s occasional references to myth (I esp. like the metaphor of Athena popping out of Zeus’ head), to Lake Street (where I also happen to be living as an aspiring hobbledehoy), and it’s numerous quotations from respected writers, both in and out of the ad world, the book has found nothing but praise and admiration from this reader. I have one semester left to complete my Masters in Latin, and hope to enroll in a portfolio school soon. Given my limited communications background, my current prospects in the ad world are little more than dubious, but you’re book has at least made me more hopeful that I’ve finally found a suitable career. If it’s not as good as that ever-elusive first job, it’s a close second!
Thanks and best wishes,
Dan
Dude, thank you for such a nice critique of my book. Speaking of books, that is ALL you need in order to get into the business. So don’t worry about your”background” as you say. Just get into one of the good ad schools, do what the teachers say and once you have a good portfolio, man, anything can happen.
[...] Luke Sullivan’s acclaimed book, “Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This” a brand is described as the [...]
Hi Luke,
Big fan. I just moved into a Jr Copy writing position at my agency. I had the creative bug but didn’t know it until i was out of school. I read your book and was able to harness my ideas to create a kick ass portfolio that got me a great job. So thank you for writing Hey Whipple, and thank you for saving me the tuition of going to grad school!
My current company is looking for someone to come in and talk about advertising and how to create great work and make sure the best work gets out the door. Do you do seminars like this? Is there a way I can contact you to discuss this further?
All the best,
Scott
Yo Scott W: Glad you got in the biz. Good for you! And yes, you may feel free to write me at heywhipple at me.com