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Ogilvy on Advertising
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A candid and indispensable primer on all aspects of advertising from the man Time has called "the most sought after wizard in the business". 223 photos.
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Paperback, 224 pages
Published
March 12th 1985
by Vintage
(first published 1983)
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What I have learnt from Ogilvy on Advertising
- black letter on white background!!! the reverse does not work
- do research on what the audience wants to see, do not just base on your preference
- if it does not sell, it isn’t creative
- order of print ad: picture, headlines, subheadlines, words (that’s what the audience's mind wants)
- there are many advertising agencies because one can not work for its clients’ competitors
- long-term contract with clients is crucial to the business
- keep track of t ...more
- black letter on white background!!! the reverse does not work
- do research on what the audience wants to see, do not just base on your preference
- if it does not sell, it isn’t creative
- order of print ad: picture, headlines, subheadlines, words (that’s what the audience's mind wants)
- there are many advertising agencies because one can not work for its clients’ competitors
- long-term contract with clients is crucial to the business
- keep track of t ...more
I've had this book in my shelves for a couple years and finally sat down to begin reading it recently. And I'm so, so, soooo mad at myself because I wish I had read this immediately when I first picked it up!
Although it was written decades ago and contains information that will be construed as outdated (especially since the look of advertising has definitely changed substantially), a lot of it is still sound and relevant. I don't work in advertising, but I was thinking of a ton of areas where th ...more
Although it was written decades ago and contains information that will be construed as outdated (especially since the look of advertising has definitely changed substantially), a lot of it is still sound and relevant. I don't work in advertising, but I was thinking of a ton of areas where th ...more
Quite an insightful and utterly engrossing read, although it would have been even more interesting if we could read his opinions about the current state of advertising. I enjoyed his writing a lot, and his main points still hold up well. Sadly, his prediction about giant billboards and deception in political advertisement becoming obsolete was very, very wrong...
Thank goodness I had previously read Simon Garfield's Just My Type, otherwise I would have never been able to appreciate why sans seri ...more
Thank goodness I had previously read Simon Garfield's Just My Type, otherwise I would have never been able to appreciate why sans seri ...more
This book was a required reading for my studies; very informative and interesting. A great book on advertising.
I almost didn't read this book because I thought it would be too dated - but for a book that's 35 years old, there's a lot of information that has held up well (and a lot that didn't lol).
Obviously there was no internet, no social media, no personal computers, no smartphones, no satellite radio or streaming services in the early 80s - so advertising has changed a good deal, but a lot of the principles are the same.
A few things I wrote down for myself out of this book:
Ogilvy used to nested Rus ...more
Obviously there was no internet, no social media, no personal computers, no smartphones, no satellite radio or streaming services in the early 80s - so advertising has changed a good deal, but a lot of the principles are the same.
A few things I wrote down for myself out of this book:
Ogilvy used to nested Rus ...more
Mar 28, 2013
Erika
rated it
really liked it
Recommended to Erika by:
Rory Hodgson
Shelves:
non-fiction
Ogilvy is brilliant. Even with the advent of the internet, the core of advertising remains the same because basic human motives remain the same, and what he has to say is still very relevant.
While the rest of the book is packed with time-honored strategies and tips, his talent is especially evident in the chapter dedicated to past advertising giants.
This might seem like a fluff chapter to those people just looking to absorb facts, but it is far more valuable – he is showing you how to communic ...more
While the rest of the book is packed with time-honored strategies and tips, his talent is especially evident in the chapter dedicated to past advertising giants.
This might seem like a fluff chapter to those people just looking to absorb facts, but it is far more valuable – he is showing you how to communic ...more
If you've ever been interested in working at an ad agency, if you've ever worked at an ad agency, or if you ever had a strong affinity for the Mastercard Priceless (McCann Erickson) or the Got Milk campaign (Goodby Silverstein), you must read this book. Not only does David Ogilvy give great advice from inside the business, but he presents his wonderfully written copy with the best parts of a vintage Life magazine (the pictures). Ogilvy clearly states the best steps for breaking into the business
...more
I am not in an advertising business, and read this book out of curiosity. It changed my view on what advertising is.
Key ideas:
The purpose of advertising is to sell. Advertising can be called “Sales in print”.
The most creative advertisement is not necessarily the most effective one.
The more you know the product the more there is a chance that you will come up with a big idea
Advertising can be considered
People don’t buy commodities, they buy images (Jack Daniels – is it really better ...more
Key ideas:
The purpose of advertising is to sell. Advertising can be called “Sales in print”.
The most creative advertisement is not necessarily the most effective one.
The more you know the product the more there is a chance that you will come up with a big idea
Advertising can be considered
People don’t buy commodities, they buy images (Jack Daniels – is it really better ...more
Nov 02, 2007
Ben
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Advertisers and Designers
Shelves:
top-shelf-reads-rereads-and-got
If you want to have ANYTHING to do with advertising, you must read this book. If you want to have ANYTHING to do with graphic design, you must have something to do with advertising...
Highly informative and wonderfully written. Its full of personal anecdotes and glossy photos.
Lots of ideas in here that still hold true today. Two of my favorites:
- "The brand image is 90 percent of what the distiller has to sell. ... Give people a taste of Old Crow, and tell them it's Old Crow. Then give them another taste of Old Crow, but tell them it's Jack Daniel's. Ask them which they prefer. They'll think the two drinks are quite different. They are tasting images."
- "Big ideas come from the unconscious. This is true in art, in science, and in advertising. But your unconsciousness ...more
- "The brand image is 90 percent of what the distiller has to sell. ... Give people a taste of Old Crow, and tell them it's Old Crow. Then give them another taste of Old Crow, but tell them it's Jack Daniel's. Ask them which they prefer. They'll think the two drinks are quite different. They are tasting images."
- "Big ideas come from the unconscious. This is true in art, in science, and in advertising. But your unconsciousness ...more
Well he's definitely a salesperson, I'll give you that.
One afternoon my friend asked me to source for her a book on advertising called On Advertising. I found the book for her and on a whim (attracted by the beautiful pictures in the first few pages, good one David) bought a copy for myself.
Now I'm no student or fan of marketing or advertising or copywriting. In fact, my stance before this book, on people who worked with marketing, was positively negative. I thought that they were a whole bunch ...more
One afternoon my friend asked me to source for her a book on advertising called On Advertising. I found the book for her and on a whim (attracted by the beautiful pictures in the first few pages, good one David) bought a copy for myself.
Now I'm no student or fan of marketing or advertising or copywriting. In fact, my stance before this book, on people who worked with marketing, was positively negative. I thought that they were a whole bunch ...more
I´m much more keen on propaganda than advertising nowadays. However, I enjoyed re-reading this book a lot. I had read this years ago for an introductory class on advertising. It´s required reading for any publicist since it develops fundamental concepts about the trade that David learned through experience and research.
The chapter on ´Competing with Procter & Gamble´ and the description of their methods was my favorite.
*********************************************
The 道 of ethics in advertising. ...more
The chapter on ´Competing with Procter & Gamble´ and the description of their methods was my favorite.
*********************************************
The 道 of ethics in advertising. ...more
It's pretty astonishing how relevant so much of this is in today's hyper-digital age. David Ogilvy was working with magazines, TV commercials and newspaper ads...not the sexiest stuff by today's standards. However, the simplicity in his approach and understanding of human behavior can absolutely be applied to today's digital advertising. GREAT for learning effective and convincing copy writing. It was also just cool to learn about this history of some of the old ad firms.
...more
An entertaining read, with Ogilvy's candid takes on the importance of market research, what constitutes as a good/bad ads, international nuances, and some of his mistakes in the journey.
Most interestingly, some of the best practices he noted in the book are still relevant today. ...more
Most interestingly, some of the best practices he noted in the book are still relevant today. ...more
You can read it hundred times.
Very fun. Ogilvy is such a caricature, so shallow and full of himself. I hope it gives an accurate view of the advertising industry at the time, because it is too funny not to be true. I read this book to learn a little about the advertising industry. Usually I find work stories fascinating; I love to learn how different careers work. Ogilvy does his best to share the lessons he has learned, but it comes across as a very shallow and dull field.
> a French magazine lists me as the only survivor a ...more
> a French magazine lists me as the only survivor a ...more
Ogilvy on Advertising was published in the '80s, and it shows its age. This is because legendary ad-man David Ogilvy has predictions and opinions, most of which did not and will not ever come to pass. Apparently, print advertising is going to make a comeback, and people love reading long tracts of text. Most of the ads he references (whether by him or other firms) are hilariously out-of-date, and as you can imagine, they depict a world populated solely by white, cisgender, wealthy people. He's a
...more
I would be fascinated to hear his thoughts on advertising today. This book enters the early 1980s, but is concentrated largely on 50s & 60s evidence. At the insistence of his publisher, Ogilvy included a page of short predictions for the future, one of which was the total disappearance of the hated billboard. How he would loathe the digital boards of today, which are even more intrusive than the simple “same picture for a month” billboards of my youth. Lots of interesting insight into how his mi
...more
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To learn to write, take a few lessons from advertising, which puts words to work like no other form of prose. Ogilvy's classic doesn't just share timeless advice on selling techniques: It does so in a style that blends such punch and elegance that it perfectly illustrates them.
...more
A must-read for anyone interested in advertising AND writing
The best book for everyone who belongs to Advertising Agencies or related field.
Read it as Bible of Advertising which covers almost all the departments from copy to designing to marketing and finance as well.
TAKE AWAYS
When I write an advertisement, I don’t want you to tell me that you find it ‘creative.’ I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product.
The wrong advertising can actually reduce the sales of a product.
You don’t stand a tinker’s chance of producing successful advertisi ...more
Read it as Bible of Advertising which covers almost all the departments from copy to designing to marketing and finance as well.
TAKE AWAYS
When I write an advertisement, I don’t want you to tell me that you find it ‘creative.’ I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product.
The wrong advertising can actually reduce the sales of a product.
You don’t stand a tinker’s chance of producing successful advertisi ...more
Best, best and till now the best book to learn advertisement. A must read for marketing and advertising professionals
A bit dated these days but some really insightful wisdom in here.
Very good book!
Very crisp and easy to read. Learned many important lessons from an inspiring man.
Very crisp and easy to read. Learned many important lessons from an inspiring man.
My Bible for advertising! This book should be read more than once!
This is an outstanding book.
I picked it up in a run of second hand classics by people who began their lives as copywriters, because some of our best mentors are those in books. It didn’t disappoint; in fact, it was so devoid of bullshit and wankery that I’m now keen to read Ogilvy’s first book, Confessions.
David Ogilvy built one of the world’s largest advertising companies. And as much as we like to think that content, content strategy, Internet, online materials, etc, are unique, they’re not. T ...more
I picked it up in a run of second hand classics by people who began their lives as copywriters, because some of our best mentors are those in books. It didn’t disappoint; in fact, it was so devoid of bullshit and wankery that I’m now keen to read Ogilvy’s first book, Confessions.
David Ogilvy built one of the world’s largest advertising companies. And as much as we like to think that content, content strategy, Internet, online materials, etc, are unique, they’re not. T ...more
Sep 14, 2007
Partha
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
insights on advertising from the legend
Shelves:
advertising
David Ogilvy is a class apart in advertising..
“At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock.” who can ever forget this ad that made David Ogilvy famous..
the story goes that rolls royce gave the campaign brief as 'create an ad that people would read and never forget..' and with a very tight budget..
Ogilvy's stress on research was at the forefront of the campaign..
Very few professionals in the advertising laid so much stress on research and data to be ...more
“At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock.” who can ever forget this ad that made David Ogilvy famous..
the story goes that rolls royce gave the campaign brief as 'create an ad that people would read and never forget..' and with a very tight budget..
Ogilvy's stress on research was at the forefront of the campaign..
Very few professionals in the advertising laid so much stress on research and data to be ...more
David Ogilvy is one of the great marketing geniuses of the 20th century, and he also built a company that remains successful to this day. His secret? Using lots of numbers to test folk wisdom. Here, he shares those numbers with you and explains why people who say otherwise are wrong. Then he shows you a picture of the castle he owns in Scotland, in case you needed extra proof.
This was my second-best marketing book of 2014, after Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got: 21 Ways You Can O ...more
This was my second-best marketing book of 2014, after Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got: 21 Ways You Can O ...more
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| Effectivness of Ogilvy on Advertising | 3 | 35 | Jul 06, 2012 12:09PM |
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David Mackenzie Ogilvy was born in West Horsley, England, on June 23, 1911. He was educated at Fettes College in Edinburgh and at Christ Church, Oxford (although he didn't graduate).
david ogilvy After Oxford, Ogilvy went to Paris, where he worked in the kitchen of the Hotel Majestic. He learned discipline, management - and when to move on: "If I stayed at the Majestic I would have faced years of s ...more
david ogilvy After Oxford, Ogilvy went to Paris, where he worked in the kitchen of the Hotel Majestic. He learned discipline, management - and when to move on: "If I stayed at the Majestic I would have faced years of s ...more
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“If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs. But if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, we shall become a company of giants.”
—
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“I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form, but as a medium of information. When I write an advertisement, I don’t want you to tell me that you find it ‘creative.’ I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product.”
—
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