Sometimes for real but often in Steffan Postaer’s latest novel, The Happy Soul Industry. Speaking of miracles, this is the second book I’ve finished in as many weeks, let alone one day. I’m also not a novel dude in general, especially when it comes to the ad industry.Happy Soul looks at what would happen if God needed to start advertising. She sends her right hand angel down from Heaven to conduct an agency search for the brand, The Happy Soul Industry. Eventually, mind games pit characters against each other as well as themselves while they question their purpose in life.
Speaking of, agency life doesn’t take a backseat to the characters as it does in so many other fictional stories, and there’s more than enough background on each one, both in and out of the office.
Nor does HS does forget the ad part because it hits all the shit that goes on. Veiled and not so veiled references to current agencies and work you know? Pitching clients? Focus groups from hell? Forgetting how trashed you got at the office party? Check.
(Never to the point of absurdity though like Oliver Stone does, where any incident that ever happened in a particular industry is thrown together in one film. As if those things happen 24/7.)
HIS shows the approach agencies take with creative, from the first thoughts and awful word play punishment many settle for to developing work you could actually see running. It also hits cultural stereotypes in a sequence involving drive-ups and a mascot you already know.
Best of all, this may be the first book I’ve read this decade that didn’t use the word blog or social media. With all the shots HIS takes at things like
As it is, I could definitely see this turned into a movie, almost in the spirit of the late Robert Altman. But then again, this is advertising—God forbid subtle be employed. Who better than She would know that.
No comments:
Post a Comment