GET SMASHED

THE STORY OF THE MEN WHO MADE THE ADVERTS THAT CHANGED OUR LIVES

Sam Delaney

Book in English

Language - English

Publisher - Sceptre

Publication Date - 2007

Format - Paperback

Pages - 214

Condition - Acceptable (Ex library book with stickers)

They were young. They were making it up as they went along. They introduced the world to Smash Martians, Honeymonsters and a beer that refreshes the parts that others cannot reach. And pretty soon, they were millionaires. As one survivor put it: 'No one in the real world knew who the f*** we were. But we'd sit in the first-class departure lounge with rock stars and Hollywood actresses and we convinced ourselves we were celebrities. It probably wasn't a very healthy state of mind.' Some, including Ridley Scott, Alan Parker, David Puttnam and, of course, Charles Saatchi, became famous. Others OD'ed on sex, drugs and 30 second commercials. This was advertising as it had never been before. And has never been since.

GET SMASHED is a story of ambition, obsession and excess and how the ads that began by reflecting British culture came to define it.

REVIEWS

Enlightening...Delaney has done his homework, rounding up the evidence and the gossip too (Fay Weldon, The Times)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sam Delaney is a writer for the Daily Telegraph, the Guardian, The Big Issue and numerous others. He has made documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4 and presents radio shows on BBC London and Talksport. He is the author of two previous books: Get Smashed! The story of the men who made the ads that changed our lives, and Night of the Living Dad: Confessions of a Shabby Father. He is the former editor of Heat magazine and current editor-in-chief of Comedy Central UK.