In what is poised to be the seminal text on advertising, one of the US's most respected advertising and media critics offers a fascinating look at the 20 ads in the 20th century that have most shaped our buying decisions, our culture and global language. James Twitchell, preeminent scholar and author of the classic Adcult USA, deconstructs the ads that have most profoundly influenced our culture and marketplace, ads that have become signposts in our modern canon of consumerism. From Listerine's campaign of terror about halitosis to Nike's command to "Just Do It", he examines the geniuses behind the ads and how and why they have indelibly entered our popular lexicon.