A magician explains why lies are often the “truth” we want to hear.

I put this in the advertising category, because, let’s face it, most of us feel that advertising is nothing but lies. Of course, we generally refer to other people’s advertising when we say that… certainly not our own.

I created advertising for a number of years, as a copy writer, creative director, and senior creative strategist for ad agencies in Southern California. It was my job to create a momentary deception to grab a potential customer’s attention, then tell him what he needed to know to give my client’s products a second look.

When the truth was revealed — the absolute next step in the advertising process — the ads often generated a sale or, at minimum, a selling opportunity.

In his TED talk, magician Marco Tempest reveals the magic of truth and lies. I hope you’ve watched it. If so, I’ll ask how it affected your opinion of advertising the next time I see you.

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