Name: Ogilvy on Advertising
Author: David Ogilvy

What’s in it for me? Foolproof your ads, the Ogilvy way.

Picture yourself walking down a bustling street, lost in the day's thoughts. As you meander past a storefront, an advertisement seizes your attention – it's sophisticated, intriguing, and seems made just for you. The world fades; you're drawn into the store, leaving behind your daily concerns.

You’ve just experienced the magic of great advertising.

And while it might seem simple, this magic doesn’t happen by chance – it takes serious work! At the heart of this craft was David Ogilvy, the advertising genius who weaved science and art to create campaigns that resonated, persisted, and became legendary. His vision and principles have left an indelible mark on the world, shaping the advertising field forever.

As you delve into this Blink to Ovilgy on Advertising, you’ll unearth the bedrock of his legacy in five pivotal advertising lessons that are as relevant today as they were in the 1980s.

Ready for the storyboard? Let’s roll.

The anatomy of impactful advertising

Ever wondered why certain advertisements stick in your mind while others are forgotten moments after you see them?

In the bustling advertising world, where agencies fiercely compete for attention, the difference between a successful advertisement and an ineffective one can be vast. As John Caples, a notable stalwart in direct response copywriting, aptly points out, two seemingly identical advertisements – same space, duplicate publication, similar design – can yield radically different results. The critical differentiator? The appeal they use to hook viewers.

Imagine pouring millions into an advertising campaign only to discover it discourages sales. Well, this isn’t a mere hypothetical; it’s a reality many have faced. A certain beer brand's lavish campaign led to a dip in consumption among those who recalled the ad. And there’s also George Hay Brown’s Ford experiment with Reader’s Digest: interestingly, those who weren’t exposed to the Ford ads ended up purchasing more of the cars.

So, you can see why advertising has to be great if it exists at all – and it starts with some serious product homework. When Ogilvy first serviced Rolls Royce, he spent three weeks extensively reading about the brand. This effort led to an iconic headline about its quietness at 60 miles an hour. Meanwhile, a three-week visit to Mercedes’ headquarters in Stuttgart allowed him to advertise facts that dramatically boosted the company’s US sales.

Here’s another million-dollar insight: behind every memorable ad is an inventive, unique idea. A great idea chimes with the subconscious, combining well-informed insights with creativity. Think of the horse-drawn van for Pepperidge Farm bread, or the Marlboro cowboy campaign – these ads’ longevity and universal appeal underscore the power of big, bold ideas.

Of course, positioning and brand image are also paramount. How you position your product can make or break its market success. Dove, for one, could have been a detergent bar for men, but it's now seen as a classic moisturizing solution for women. In short, your brand image – essentially the product's personality – must be consistently projected to build and sustain trust.

Once you’re versed in what it takes to create impactful advertising, you’re all set to deliver through the art of compelling commercials.

Commercials that sell well last forever

Crafting a commercial that resonates with viewers and effectively promotes a product is a golden skill every business aims to master. Several salient points emerge from Ogilvy's extensive insights, underlining the essence of creating advertisements that captivate and sell.

First up? The importance of brand identification. It's startling how often audiences remember a captivating ad but entirely miss the product it's endorsing. Establishing your brand's name early in the narrative through ingenious tricks like spelling it out or playfully embedding it within the story ensures brand recall. In our attention-deficit age, first impressions matter more than ever. Capturing the audience's attention from the outset with a visual surprise lays the foundation for engagement and leaves a lasting mark.

Talk shop with great B2B advertising

Ever thought about how companies market not-so-glamorous products to other companies? Enter the world of “business-to-business,” or B2B, advertising. It’s less about the latest fashion trend and more about the nuts and bolts.

But first, let’s debunk a myth. Some folks say many industrial products are generic. Like, how different can one bolt be from another, right? But Professor Levitt of Harvard University once said, “There is no such thing as a commodity. All goods and services are differentiable.” This means there's always a way to make your product stand out.

Research: the key to lasting success

Knowledge is power – and research provides it in the realm of advertising. Ogilvy believed in the might of research. Before coming up with creative caps and catchy slogans, he was often knee-deep in research, even going so far as to deliver a pioneering paper on copy-testing in British advertising.

Early in his career, Ogilvy often wore two hats. On Fridays, he was the diligent Research Director, crafting reports. Come Monday, he’d don the Creative Director's cap, sifting through the same reports he wrote and making pivotal decisions. But a genius knows when to step aside – soon, Ogilvy recruited Stanley Canter, an exceptional researcher. After all, his mantra was to “always hire people better than you.”

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