I began reading Steffan Postaer's blog when he went to Cannes in 2009. I didn't know that much about him, then learned after some quick research that he was the mastermind behind Altoids' "Curiously Strong" effort and a co-creative behind the "Not your father's Oldsmobile" campaign. Without knowing it, I was already a fan.
When I learned he had written a couple books, one being, "The Happy Soul Industry," I picked it up and knocked it out in a couple of sittings, unable to put it down. It's an engrossing, great read. My only qualm is that it ended quickly...leaving me with the question, "What happens next?"
Briefly, the gist of the novel is that God decides to choose an advertising agency to promote goodness. In an effort to do so, God's emissary, an angel, changes the lives of those with whom he interacts,and ultimately himself. The characters are easily understood as they question themselves, and the world around them.
There's a point being made by the novel, and that point is: There's a dark and sordid underbelly to the advertising industry that isn't openly spoken about; it exists, but is largely ignored. The Happy Soul Industry draws this underbelly into the light without delving too deeply, highlighting that even those who start with the best intentions get sucked in, one small sacrifice at a time. Some are able to justify themselves while others pay a moral price.
The Happy Soul Industry is like an amusement park ride; fast, exciting, and definitely worth it.
