Uploaded May 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Alex Bogusky and his former assistant turned Creative Director Mike Howard discuss Howard Gossage, the famous, yet under-appreciated ad-man and his methods that are still around today.
They discuss his legacy, some of Gossage's most important teachings, how they informed and inspired CP+B's early work, and how he is more relevant now than ever.
Howard Gossage was born in Chicago, educated at the University of Kansas City, fought in World War II as a Navy combat pilot and, at 36, his first advertising job was in San Francisco. "I got into advertising," he once said, "because there wasn't anything else I knew how to do.
Howard Luck Gossage, known as "The Socrates of San Francisco," was an iconoclast and advertising innovator.
"One of his often quoted remarks, "If you're stuck with a lemon, make lemonade out of it. Indeed I was so successful at this method of turning disaster into triumph that, when there wasn't a lemon handy, I'd find myself rummaging around in the fruit bowl just so I'd have something to work with. Life—and clients—being what they are, I generally didn't have far to look."Howard Gossage was really a philosopher who happened to work in advertising, but he was one of its finest practitioners as well as one of its strongest critics.
Alex Bogusky created "The Woodshed" upon his return to CP+B. The Woodshed exists to demystify the creative process. We believe that everybody can harness the power of their own creativity to supercharge their lives. And by showing the creative process in action, we hope to take away the fear of coming up with powerful ideas that move business.
NOTE: This video is posted strictly for educational purposes and is posted under Fair Use to solely assist current and future advertising students and creatives.
Alex Bogusky and his former assistant turned Creative Director Mike Howard discuss Howard Gossage, the famous, yet under-appreciated ad-man and his methods that are still around today.
They discuss his legacy, some of Gossage's most important teachings, how they informed and inspired CP+B's early work, and how he is more relevant now than ever.
Howard Gossage was born in Chicago, educated at the University of Kansas City, fought in World War II as a Navy combat pilot and, at 36, his first advertising job was in San Francisco. "I got into advertising," he once said, "because there wasn't anything else I knew how to do.
Howard Luck Gossage, known as "The Socrates of San Francisco," was an iconoclast and advertising innovator.
"One of his often quoted remarks, "If you're stuck with a lemon, make lemonade out of it. Indeed I was so successful at this method of turning disaster into triumph that, when there wasn't a lemon handy, I'd find myself rummaging around in the fruit bowl just so I'd have something to work with. Life—and clients—being what they are, I generally didn't have far to look."Howard Gossage was really a philosopher who happened to work in advertising, but he was one of its finest practitioners as well as one of its strongest critics.
Alex Bogusky created "The Woodshed" upon his return to CP+B. The Woodshed exists to demystify the creative process. We believe that everybody can harness the power of their own creativity to supercharge their lives. And by showing the creative process in action, we hope to take away the fear of coming up with powerful ideas that move business.
NOTE: This video is posted strictly for educational purposes and is posted under Fair Use to solely assist current and future advertising students and creatives.
