GOOD BYE.

This is difficult: concluding a book whose purpose was to ask questions, not reach conclusions.

But let’s have a go because, as it happens, we’ve picked up lots to consider.

In these pages, Stefan Sagmeister shared his suggestions for how to make working life less like work and more like life – balanced, saner.

Steve Henry offered a prophecy for advertising that didn’t include adverts, but did involve a continual, more egalitarian dialogue between brands and customers.

Hans Aarsman took us on a trip to the misty netherworld where advertising becomes news, and news becomes a series of halfrewritten press releases.

Anthony Burrill spoke his mind through images, while Mark Fenske explained what it takes to be a stellar young creative.

And Alex Bogusky put forward “Common,” a practical, up-andrunning alternative to capitalism’s systemic problems.

While their opinions are diverse, and while KesselsKramer doesn’t always agree, there is a sense of unity. Of course, this comes partly from a straightforward dislike of advertising’s current state. But it also stems from a paradox: we have no respect for advertising, but we’re all fans.

Not fans in a screaming teenage girl kind of way, idealizing without reflecting. More fans of the weary, middle-aged variety – sticking with a relegated team because we’re somehow sure they could be great, despite poor play and bad management.

Re-reading our contributors’ words, they’re sceptical and occasionally frustrated.

But indifferent?

Nope.

Bored?

Also nope.

And while condemning advertising completely is spectacularly easy, it’s much harder to express why, and even more difficult to propose how it can be positively changed. Our interviewees do just that.

In fact, there’s advice that – with luck, sweat and optimism – just might work.

Often, very often, there’s excitement amongst the criticism, a frequent acknowledgement of advertising’s potential, of what it might become, and what it sometimes already is.

It’s maybe surprising to hear such passionate views on this stuff, especially if you’re outside advertising, if your experience of it is being slumped on the couch watching fake superheroes unclogging toilets with miracle cleaner.

But here’s the thing:

Combining creativity with commerce is a kick. Finding ways to help forward-thinking organizations convey their message is a unique puzzle, different from other creative pursuits, different from any other business. When it’s good, it’s awesome: reaching millions, with the capacity to move people, make them think, entertain them.

At the start, we mentioned that a more accurate name for this book would have been Communications For People Who Don’t Like Advertising.

We could make that more accurate still: Communications For People Who Mostly Dislike Advertising As It Is But Have A Cautious Appreciation For How It Could Be.

Mind you, that wouldn’t speak to so many either.

So that isn’t the title.