The Hidden Persuaders was first published in 1957 and is one of the first popular books to describe the psychological techniques advertisers and marketers use to sell their wares. While these techniques have only become more sophisticated in the half century since the book was written, the themes are still highly relevant.

Written in a lively and readable style, the book is both informative and highly entertaining. With quotes from ad-men like:

“You have to have a carton that attracts and hypnotizes this woman, like waving a flashlight in front of her eyes.”

“All cultures have expressed basic needs for oral comfort by some form of smoking or sucking. The deeply ingrained need for intake through the mouth arose originally as a reaction to hunger and tension in the infant, who was pacified at the breast or with a bottle. This need became modified but remains as a primary impulse and need all through adult life … Smoking in general serves to relieve tension, impatience, anger, frustration – just as sucking does to the infant.”

“People with extreme B.O. are extremely angry or hostile people. Their B.O. is a defense mechanism. They fear attack.”

“Many men have tried to change the conduct of people by reasonings, or by passing certain laws. Their endeavors have often been particularly barren of results. People must be controlled by manipulating their [instincts and emotions] rather than by changing their reasonings.”

Regardless of the psychological validity of these analysis’ (and I think there is more than a little), they are hilarious! They also illustrate the techniques used on a daily basis by persuaders of all stripes to attempt to trigger subconscious emotions to get us to do something. Perhaps something we wouldn’t otherwise do had we recognized that we were being manipulated.

On a side note – the book has an abundance of typos. It could really stand the services of a good proof reader.

surprisingly relevant, even sixty years later. there's a lot to learn from packard's book, be it the ways in which packaging is developed, or the various emotions to which advertisers appeal. there's quite a bit of sexist opinion in here, which can readily be discarded, but the buying patterns of the american consumer seem to have changed little since the late '50s.

What was once an explosive expose of advertising techniques is now definitely a period piece. With the passage of time, the once-controversial assertions of the power of advertisers to control our buying practices by toying with our psyches has become accepted commonplace knowledge. The most interesting aspect of the book was the way the author refrained from very serious discussions of the ethical and moral fitness of the techniques he described.

Historically important, and a great introduction to the reprint, but the idea that advertisers are using psychology to manipulate people is not exactly shocking. I would love to read a more interpretive reading of advertising.