The Clipboard and the Copywriter - Why the uncalculable can be of Incalculable Value

Jeremy Bullmore

Coming to feel that only numbers count is seductive. Numbers seem safe and scientific.

The Clipboard and the Copywriter And Why the Incalculable can be of Incalculable Value

Jeremy Bullmore

Many years ago, when cost accounting and efficiency experts were enjoying disproportionate popularity, a man with a clipboard interviewed an advertising agency copywriter. Tell me, said the clipboard, pencil poised, how long does it take to write a thirty-second commercial?

The copywriter, a seasoned survivor of difficult client meetings, didnt hesitate. Two hours and twenty-three minutes, he replied.

The expert nodded, made a note and moved on. He later counted up the number of commercials written by the agency in the...

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