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1-Page Summary of What The Dog Saw

Introduction

When Malcolm was young, he realized that his father spent most of his day with things that nobody else understood. He started to wonder if there were other people who thought differently than others and what they could teach him about the human mind. After studying some of these unique minds, he came up with a few basic lessons about how we think.

Methodology: Why Study a Genius?

It’s important to understand how geniuses feel about their work. It isn’t enough to study their habits or listen to them speak, since they’re so accustomed to talking about themselves that it becomes routine. Instead, one must also get an insider’s perspective on what it feels like for a genius in his/her own field of expertise. One way is by seeing the world through the eyes of someone who does something really well and asking him/her questions about that activity.

The following passage is an investigation into the minds of several geniuses. This information will help you understand not only these specific geniuses, but also a few basic truths about human existence.

Genius is a highly regarded term. Many people associate it with the most significant discoveries and inventions, such as penicillin and Einstein’s theory of relativity. However, this book will focus on genius in all its forms rather than just those that are considered to be rare or extraordinary. In fact, you can find examples of genius everywhere—in history books, newspapers and other places where people have made important contributions to culture. For that reason, I’ll examine different types of genius so that you can learn from them too.

Hair Care as a Feminist Frontier

Two female advertising executives changed the landscape of hair color marketing. They are brilliant minds who worked hard to achieve success, and their stories demonstrate that there’s still a lot of work left to do for women in business.

In 1956, Shirley Polykoff was a junior copywriter. She was in charge of designing an advertising campaign for Ms. Clairol, which allowed women to color their hair at home without going to the salon and spending money on it.

However, hair color was still a controversial topic. In the 1950s, it was only used by chorus girls and prostitutes. It wasn’t something that respectable housewives would use. Even so, Polykoff couldn’t resist its allure.

Polykoff was in charge of Clairol’s advertising campaigns. She gave them a slogan that made the company famous: “Does she or doesn’t she? Only her hairdresser knows for sure.” This tagline was paired with domestic scenes and familial relationships, such as a wife preparing for dinner or a woman whose daughter has the same hair color. These ads showed how women could have freedom to possess glamor they desired.

In 1973, a female copywriter was trying to create an advertising campaign for L’Oreal. Her goal was to cut into Clairol’s dominant market share. She wanted to help women feel powerful and independent, which is why she created the now-famous tagline “Because I’m worth it.”

The two ad campaigns illustrate the differences between feminists who want to assimilate into society and those who want to care for themselves. The former views women from a male perspective, while the latter shows that women can take control of their lives.

These strategies are more than just advertising. They also reveal how products interact with our psychology and our emotions. Products have as much power to shape how consumers view themselves as they do other things in their lives, such as memories or ideas.

Polykoff’s slogan was so brilliant because it resonated with a deeper human dilemma. To be a woman, or to be Irish, Italian, Jewish, or black meant being forced to assimilate into the dominant culture while also realizing you were different from those people. It is difficult to fit in and still maintain your identity as someone who is not male, white or straight. The ad campaign played on this idea of freedom but also the elusive satisfaction of finally becoming what others wanted you to be.