The world of 'Mad Men' was really brought to you by a Chicago-based agency and its mercurial founder. In the nascent days of advertising, in the first half of the 20th century, no one was more successful—or more influential—than Albert Lasker. Lasker is the subject of "The Man Who Sold America" by Jeffrey Cruikshank and Arthur Schultz. As the authors note, Lasker's influence extended well beyond the confines of the advertising world. "He is the super-salesman of the generation," said Will Hays, who managed the 1920 presidential campaign that, with the super-salesman's help, put Warren Harding in the White House.
Read more at the Wall Street Journal.
