How Not to Hate Advertising: A Creative’s Guide to A Long and (Dare I Say) Happy Career in A Remarkably...

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Nick Sonderup

How Not to Hate Advertising

A Creative’s Guide to A Long and (Dare I Say) Happy Career in A Remarkably Silly Industry

Nick Sonderup

$88.95 $75.66

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Routledge
19 November 2025

Media studies; Management: leadership & motivation; Advertising; Media, information & communication industries

Written by an award-winning Chief Creative Officer (CCO) and featuring insights from agency and freelance advertising pros, this book is the creative professionals’ guidebook, self-help book, and halftime speech/pep talk book all wrapped up in one. It's written for working creatives to help them sustain and succeed in an industry that has plenty to hate about it.

This is not a “how to break into the business” book, and it doesn’t aim to explain the creative process and how to come up with ideas. Instead, it accepts and expects that the reader has already done the hard part of breaking in and (hopefully) getting some work produced that they’re proud of – it’s the “what’s next” to avoid burnout, filled with practical tips, sage advice, and real stories from an array of people who have definitely hated advertising at some point – but stuck with it anyway.

A sort of treasure map that creatives can use to guide them through different stages of their career, this book is pure gold for advertising professionals and students who want to thrive in their chosen industry while taking care of their whole selves, now and into the future.

By: Nick Sonderup
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm,
Weight: 453g
ISBN: 9781032615646
ISBN 10: 1032615648
Pages: 128
Publication Date: 19 November 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Adult education , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Foreword by Jeff Kling. A note on hate. Preface, Chapter 1. How not to hate advertising. Chapter 2. How not to hate the creative process. Chapter 3. How not to hate your own brand. Chapter 4. How not to hate being the adult in the room. Chapter 5. How not to hate your current job. Chapter 6. How not to hate your portfolio. Chapter 7. How not to hate going freelance. Chapter 8. How not to hate the way we work now. Chapter 9. How not to hate the shiny new object. Chapter 10. How not to hate awards. Chapter 11. How not to hate yoga and tofu. Chapter 12. How not to hate other random stuff you never thought you’d hate about advertising. Chapter 12.5. How to be okay with hating advertising a little. Acknowledgments

Nick Sonderup is an award-winning creative leader with 23+ years of experience. His work has been recognized by nearly every industry awards show, including Cannes Lions, ANDYs, One Show, Clio, Effies, D&AD, and the ADC. His work for General Electric earned an Emmy nomination, and his film 100 Bands in 100 Days was a Grand Jury award nominee at the 2010 SXSW Film Festival. Nick is currently Co-CCO at StrawberryFrog, responsible for leadership across multiple accounts, the creative department, and the StrawberryFrog brand. Over the years, Nick has lent his expertise to a broad range of brands, including MTV, ESPN, American Express, MINI, AT&T, Nike, Anheuser-Busch InBev, State Farm, Midea, Northwell Health, and more. He also created powerful, soulful work at many of the industry’s most celebrated creative agencies, like Wieden+Kennedy (W+K), BBDO, Ogilvy, and Translation, after starting his career at MTV. Outside of agency life, Nick has worked as an Adjunct Professor teaching copywriting.

Reviews for How Not to Hate Advertising: A Creative’s Guide to A Long and (Dare I Say) Happy Career in A Remarkably Silly Industry

""Nobody likes a hater, and Nick Sonderup can show you how to avoid being one. (Or how to stop, if you're already there.) Written with wit and verve and loaded with real-world examples, practical advice and hard-won wisdom, How Not to Hate Advertising will delight anyone who wants to fall back in love with their own creativity."" - Jeremy Egner, New York Times TV editor and author of Believe: The Untold Story Behind Ted Lasso ""Nick’s book is a no-nonsense playbook for creatives in advertising, zeroing in on career pain points that can derail you. Drawing from years in the trenches, he dishes out practical wisdom to turn obstacles into opportunities. It’s super powerful—don’t miss this one."" - Scott Goodson, Founder of StrawberryFrog ""When you truly love something, you’ll do anything, even write a book, in order to save it. How Not to Hate Advertising is a must read for the next generation of creative leaders looking for invaluable insights cosplaying as humorous, humble advice."" - Julie Rutigliano, Executive Creative Director