Things are getting desperate for the staff of Hardacre's. The work isn't coming in and accounts chief Amanda Brook finds herself reduced to pleading for the business of old friend/nemesis, India.

Back at the office, hopeless creative team Joe and Teddy devise a campaign for an anti-aging cream for men. Worse, they must grapple with the most difficult and least glamorous form of advertising of all - radio work.

They find themselves unexpectedly assisted by creative director Rupert Hardacre who descends from on high at Amanda's instruction to give the little people the benefit of his creative wisdom. The only trouble is, he seems to have forgotten most of it. Fortunately, he wrote it all down in a book entitled Hardacre on Advertising and he sets out to find a copy for Joe and Teddy.