GLOBAL – JUNE 6, 2011 – Here’s a first look at Neil French’s upcoming book, "Sorry for the Lobsters". The cover features a full page of words, which is what French has always been good at. "The Last Copywriter" has been crossed out, and so has "Smiling Damned Villain", practically a caption beside the author’s unusually cheerful photo.
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“The book is about me," says French. "It’s an autobiography, but since ads have been my life, there are a lot of those in it too….including campaigns that never ran and even roughs that never became ads!" ‘Sorry for the Lobsters’ because it isn’t ‘French on Advertising’, which is too presumptuous by miles, for anyone to write. It’s not a serious book, because advertising isn’t a serious business."
WPP’s worldwide creative director in a past life, French may no longer do ads. It may be too soon to call "Sorry for the Lobsters" French’s last long-copy work. But as long copy is a rare beast these days, this crustacean may be tastier than anything crusty retired ad executives out there are reading.
The book will be released in July, ensuring that Sir John Hegarty’s "Hegarty on Advertising" will have a companion on bookshelves this summer.
