Howard Gossage
Encyclopedia
Howard Luck Gossage known as "The Socrates
of San Francisco," was an advertising innovator and iconoclast
during the "Mad Men" era. A non-conformist who railed against the norms of so-called scientific advertising in his day, Gossage introduced several innovative techniques to the advertising practice that only would become appreciated decades after his death.
Gossage is credited with introducing the then obscure media theorist Marshall McLuhan
to media and corporate leaders thereby providing McLuhan his entry into mainstream renown. More widely Gossage was involved in some of the first environmental campaigning in the USA with the Sierra Club, and in the establishment of Friends of the Earth through his friendship with David Brower.
Co-founder at age 36 of the advertising agency Freeman, Mander and Gossage, Howard Gossage is listed by Advertising Age
at number 23 of its 100 advertising people of the 20th century. AdAge.com calls Gossage a "copywriter who influenced admakers worldwide."
Out of an unassuming firehouse nestled right near Chinatown, Gossage created the headquarters of his Advertising Agency. The building would become known locally as a salon where interesting people of the day would gather. From John Steinbeck to Buckminster Fuller, Tom Wolfe to Stan Freeberg - all would become close friends, captivated by Gossage's latest idea for a way to create change in the world.
An anthology of Howard Gossage's writing about advertising called "The Book Of Gossage" (ISBN 1887229280; The Copy Workshop, 2nd Edition, 2006) includes magazine articles and the book "Is There Any Hope For Advertising?" plus contemporary essays written in homage to Gossage by current day advertising leaders.
In 2009 work was started on a documentary about Gossage called 'Changing the World is the Only Fit Work for a Grown Man'. The feature length documentary is due for completion in Spring of 2012."www.Howardluckgossage.com"
Socrates
Socrates was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary ...
of San Francisco," was an advertising innovator and iconoclast
Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm is the deliberate destruction of religious icons and other symbols or monuments, usually with religious or political motives. It is a frequent component of major political or religious changes...
during the "Mad Men" era. A non-conformist who railed against the norms of so-called scientific advertising in his day, Gossage introduced several innovative techniques to the advertising practice that only would become appreciated decades after his death.
Gossage is credited with introducing the then obscure media theorist Marshall McLuhan
Marshall McLuhan
Herbert Marshall McLuhan, CC was a Canadian educator, philosopher, and scholar—a professor of English literature, a literary critic, a rhetorician, and a communication theorist...
to media and corporate leaders thereby providing McLuhan his entry into mainstream renown. More widely Gossage was involved in some of the first environmental campaigning in the USA with the Sierra Club, and in the establishment of Friends of the Earth through his friendship with David Brower.
Co-founder at age 36 of the advertising agency Freeman, Mander and Gossage, Howard Gossage is listed by Advertising Age
Advertising Age
Advertising Age is a magazine, delivering news, analysis and data on marketing and media. The magazine was started as a broadsheet newspaper in Chicago in 1930...
at number 23 of its 100 advertising people of the 20th century. AdAge.com calls Gossage a "copywriter who influenced admakers worldwide."
Out of an unassuming firehouse nestled right near Chinatown, Gossage created the headquarters of his Advertising Agency. The building would become known locally as a salon where interesting people of the day would gather. From John Steinbeck to Buckminster Fuller, Tom Wolfe to Stan Freeberg - all would become close friends, captivated by Gossage's latest idea for a way to create change in the world.
An anthology of Howard Gossage's writing about advertising called "The Book Of Gossage" (ISBN 1887229280; The Copy Workshop, 2nd Edition, 2006) includes magazine articles and the book "Is There Any Hope For Advertising?" plus contemporary essays written in homage to Gossage by current day advertising leaders.
In 2009 work was started on a documentary about Gossage called 'Changing the World is the Only Fit Work for a Grown Man'. The feature length documentary is due for completion in Spring of 2012."www.Howardluckgossage.com"