First, get their attention

Thom Forbes

Humor is used today to advertise just about everything. It not only makes us laugh, it makes us talk.

First, Get Their Attention

Humor can be charming, disarming, or alarming

Thom ForbesAgency contributing editor and freelance writer, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY

The executives at Leo Burnett who were scrutinizing job applicant Cheryl Berman's book obviously liked what they saw - with one notable exception. Her ad for the fictitious Eyes Cream, which was humorous in a Fellini-esque way, drew nothing but frowns.

'People looked at it and said, "You could never do something like that for cosmetics,"' recalls Berman, who is now vice chairman and chief creative officer of Leo Burnett USA. 'And I said, "Why not?...

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