Who?Don't go looking him up on LinkedIn - he's dead.He died in San Francisco 55 years ago.So who's doing the talking on this podcast? Steve Harrison and me, we've just put a book out about him.It started as a blogpost and grew into a book.(Here's the proof if you don't believe me.)

But why do a book on old duffer who barely anyone has heard of?Whose main output seems barely relevant in 2025 - long copy press ads?Well, the few that do know his name are worth listening to:Goodby Silverstein's Jeff Goodby - “He was friending people before anyone friended anything. It's like he was communicating to the world through the New Yorker as your Facebook page.” (They launched their agency with an ad about Howard. Anyone got a copy?)Wieden + Kennedy's Dan Weiden - “When I read what Gossage was doing, I felt Kennedy and I had found a kindred spirit.”Crispin Porter Bogusky's Alex Bogusky - “We'd start many campaign's asking ourselves hat would Gossage do?” (That became write the press release, then write the ads to fit.)Collet Dickenson Pearce's John Salmon said “Howard's copy was invariably disarming and funny. It never missed a chance to have a little dig at the foibles and fads current in the advertising business. The advertising world is a sadder place without Howard.”Ogilvy's Rory Sutherland - “He’s the Velvet Underground to Ogilvy’s Beatles and Bernbach’s Stones. Never a household name, but to the cognoscenti, a lot more inspirational and influential.”And Ogilvy's Ogilvy - “The most articulate rebel in the advertising business.” He's also responsible for some of my favourite advertising quotes, like “People don't read advertising. They read what interests them and sometimes that's an ad.”Possibly my favourite.It admits to the number one problem with advertising; people ignore advertising, they even pay to avoid it.There are many books written on how to solve that issue, Howard's solution is just two words - 'Be interesting".It sounds so indulgent, particularly when you are being told to 'just sell the damned thing'.But if you don't interest, you don't engage. If you don't engage no one knows what the hell the 'damned thing' is.Or who makes it.His work lives up to that quote, as Steve puts it "A free trip around the museum, but you exit via the gift shop".Here's some examples of this interest first (sell later) approach:Heard about those Great Train Robbers in England? - They used our car, the 4-wheel drive Land Rover.

Seen that famous Rolls Royce ad? - Our Land Rover is nothing like it.

We've invented Pink Air! - And we're opening up FINA gas stations in your area.

New reasons to raise a glass of Champagne this year - By the way, we at Paul Masson make Champagne.

Win your very own kangaroo! - We're the national Airline to the home of the Kangaroo - Australia.

We've completely wasted our money buying this blank page - The Irish Whiskey Distillers aren't just interested in money and selling.

Send us your best paper plane designs - Come to think of it, if you like scientific stuff, you might like our magazine - Scientific American?

Realising that people 'don't read ads', his ideas were, like Crispin Porter, PR stunts with ads attached.Is it right that women can vote? (For a very strong beer, suited to strong men.)

A play about the idiosyncrasies of Oregon. (Where Blitz-Weinhard beer is brewed.)

Offering a helping hand and hope to the coffee addicted. (For tea maker Salada.)

A novice pilot writes a brands name in the skies above New York. (As planned, Nucoa is misspelt each day, building tension and P.R. every day.)

Here Steve and I talk about Gossage, his work and our book.