When ads work: new proof that advertising triggers sales

The "accepted wisdom" in advertising is that ad campaigns are good for building long-term good will and exposure, but not for immediate sales impact. In When Ads Work, John Philip Jones argues the opposite--that well-planned and well-executed advertising campaigns can and should have an immediate impact on sales. With a devise he calls STAS (short-term advertising strength), a measure of the immediate effect of advertising on sales, Jones demonstrates that the strongest campaigns can triple sales, while the weakest campaigns can actually cause sales to fall by more than 50 percent.

I. Facts replace theory -- 1. The single-source breakthrough -- 2. The short-term effect of advertising : passing through the gate -- 3. The rapid spread of pure single-source research -- 4. How a short-term effect can turn into a medium-term effect -- 5. Keeping the brand in the window -- 6. An interlude : successful advertising campaigns -- II. Evidence for Part I. Seventy-eight brands dissected -- 7. Advertising that works : the alpha one brands -- 8. Advertising that stops working : the alpha two brands -- 9. Advertising that works in some cases : the beta brands -- 10. Advertising that does not work : the gamma brands -- 11. Penetration and purchase frequency -- 12. From insight to action -- III. Appendixes -- A. Stability and volatility -- B. The history of single-source research : the first steps -- C. The history of single-source research : chasing hares -- D. The calculation of advertising intensity -- E. The leading 142 brands in the product categories covered in this research.