David Ogilvy
David Ogilvy
David Mackenzie Ogilvy CBEwas an advertising executive who was widely hailed as "The Father of Advertising". In 1962, Time called him "the most sought-after wizard in today's advertising industry". He founded Ogilvy & Mather...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionBusinessman
Date of Birth23 June 1911
advertising apprenticeship should
Nobody should be allowed to create general advertising until he has served his apprenticeship in direct-response
running doors views
Candor compels me to admit that I have no conclusive research to support my view that jingles are less persuasive than the spoken word. You'd run like hell if a salesman came to your door and began singing at you. Why do it in advertising?
jobs fun agency
I have noticed that agencies which are full of fun and ferment seem to create the best advertising. If you are not happy in advertising, for goodness sake find a job in which you would be happy. For as far as I know, we pass this way only once
selfish advertising interest
Advertising is the place where the selfish interests of the manufacturer coincide with the interests of society.
dull today campaigns
A lot of today's campaigns are based on optimum positioning but are totally ineffective - because they are dull, or badly constructed, or ineptly written. If nobody reads your advertisement or looks at your commercial, it doesn't do you much good to have the right positioning.
advertising should decided
Positioning should be decided before the advertising is created
hell marketers knows
The only marketers who know what the hell they're doing are those who have worked in sales
creative sells
It's not creative unless it sells.
leaving tools schedules
The success of a meeting often depends on having the right documents - proofs, artwork, schedules, research charts, etc. - present at the start of the meeting. All too often we arrive like plumbers, leaving our tools behind.
jobs trying ambitious
Be more ambitious. Don't bunt. When you get a job to do a story or an ad, try and hit the ball out of the park every time
jargon use ass
Never use jargon words like 'reconceptualize', 'demassification', 'attitudinally', 'judgmentally'. They are hallmarks of a pretentious ass.
hours staff figures
I figure that my staff will be less reluctant to work overtime if I work longer hours than they do.
two doctors people
Great hospitals do two things. They look after patients, and they teach young doctors. We look after clients, and we teach young advertising people.
kings book reading
I had a friend who was the King's surgeon in England. One day I asked him what makes a great surgeon. He replied, "What distinguishes a great surgeon is his knowledge. He knows more than other surgeons. During an operation he finds something which he wasn't expecting, recognizes it and knows what to do about it." It's the same thing with advertising people. The good ones know more. How do you get to know more? By reading books about advertising. By picking the brains of people who know more than you do. From the Magic Lanterns. And from experience.