In one of my favorite all-time marketing books, Macy’s, Gimbles and Me, Bernice Fitzgibbons (”It’s Smart to be Thrifty” for Macy’s, and “Nobody, But Nobody Undersells Gimble’s”) is interviewing a new writer for one of her copy departments, probably back in the 40’s or 50’s, at least during the heyday of Department Store advertising before everyone carried the same thing.  Back in those days, advertising romanced the merchandise because others did not have it.  There was virtually no price promotion and certainly not on the same item.

Ms. Fitzgibbons, a Minnesota farm girl who became one of Madison Avenue’s greatest writers asked the young interviewee to take his time but to create for her an interesting way of describing a horse.

The young man waited not too long and said, “From above, a horse looks like a fine violin.”

She hired him on the spot because of his ability to look at things from unusual angles.  He became a real star for her, and had a fantastic career in advertising.