Preface to Dover Edition-1959

. Sunday, September 10, 2006
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NEARLY ten years have passed since the first edition of this book (long out of print) came off the presses and literally startled me, and many others, with its instant acceptance, controversy, and success.

This was more than I expected, and more than I deserved. As a matter of fact, the book would never have been attempted, or completed, without the encouragement and assistance of Fred Kendall, long-time editor of the old Advertising & Selling which was a sort of bible to us struggling copywriters in the thirties and forties. Fred kept me at it when my spirits sagged - and sag they did, especially when some un-blithe spirit would tell me with great candor (and truth) that nobody but nobody could possibly pick the 100 greatest advertisements.

Of course not. As I wrote in the original Author's Preface " . . . the purpose of this book is to provide those who make, buy, sell, teach, or study advertising with a comprehensive reference work which can serve as a new, and I hope, exciting, stimulus to the continuing search for advertising effectiveness."

Lofty aims, and I apologize for my inability to make them loftier. But they seemed to work, ably supported by Raymond Rubicam's wonderful Foreword.

And that is why this second edition, with 13 new additions to the original "100 Greatest" came to be.

JULIAN L. WATKINS, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. JANUARY 19, 1959