-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

David Ogilvy

Background

As A CHILD I lived in Lewis Carrolls house in Guildford. My fa!her$ whom I adored$ was a Gaelic"s'eaking highlander$ a classical scholar$ and a )igo!ed agnos!ic. One day he discovered !ha! I had s!ar!ed going !o church secre!ly. 0My dear old son$ how can you swallow !ha! mum)o"1um)o2 I! is all very well for servan!s$ )u! no! for educa!ed 'eo'le. 3ou don! have !o )e a Chris!ian !o )ehave like a gen!leman45 My mo!her was a )eau!iful and eccen!ric Irishwoman. &he dis" inheri!ed me$ on !he ground !ha! I was likely !o ac7uire more money !han was good for me$ wi!hou! any hel' from her. I could no! dis" agree. A! !he age of nine I was sen! !o )oard a! an aris!ocra!ic Do!he" )oys Hall in 6as!)ourne. +he headmas!er wro!e of me$ 0He has a dis!inc!ly original mind$ inclined !o argue wi!h his !eachers and !o !ry and convince !hem !ha! he is righ! and !he )ooks are wrong8 )u! !his 'erha's is fur!her 'roof of his originali!y.5 #hen I sugges!ed !ha! 9a'oleon migh! have )een a Du!chman )ecause his )ro!her was :ing of Holland$ !he headmas!ers wife sen! me !o )ed wi!hou! su'" 'er. #hen she was ro))ing me for !he 'ar! of !he A))ess in +he Comedy of 6rrors$ I rehearsed my o'ening s'eech wi!h an em'hasis !ha! she disliked8 whereu'on she sei<ed me )y !he cheek and !hrew me !o !he floor. A! !he age of !hir!een I wen! !o /e!!es$ a &co!!ish school whose &'ar!an disci'lines had )een es!a)lished )y my grea!"uncle Lord ?us" !ice General Inglis$ !he grea!es! &co!!ish advoca!e of all !ime. My friends a! !his s'lendid school included Ian Macleod$ 9iall Mac'her" son$ :no* Cunningham$ and several o!her fu!ure Mem)ers of ar" liamen!. Chief among !he mas!ers I remem)er Henry Havergal$ who ins'ired me !o 'lay !he dou)le )ass$ and #al!er &ellar$ who wro!e ,@AA and All +ha! while !eaching me his!ory. I made a )o!ch of O*ford. :ei!h /eiling$ !he his!orian$ had given me a scholarshi' a! Chris! Church$ and I was !he reci'ien! of

Confessions of an Advertising Man

much kindness from a!rick Gordon"#alker$ %oy Harrod$ A. &. %ussell$ and o!her dons. (u! I was !oo 'reoccu'ied !o do any work$ and was duly e*'elled. +ha! was in ,-.,$ !he )o!!om of !he de'ression. /or !he ne*! seven!een years$ while my friends were es!a)lishing !hemselves as doc!ors$ lawyers$ civil servan!s$ and 'oli!icians$ I adven!ured a)ou! !he world$ uncer!ain of 'ur'ose. I was a chef in aris$ a door"!o"door salesman$ a social worker in !he 6din)urgh slums$ an associa!e of Dr. Gallu' in research for !he mo!ion 'ic!ure indus!ry$ an assis!an! !o &ir #illiam &!e'henson in (ri!ish &ecuri!y Co"ordina!ion$ and a farmer in ennsylvania. My )oyhood hero had )een Lloyd George$ and I had e*'ec!ed !o )ecome rime Minis!er when I grew u'. Ins!ead$ I finally )ecame an adver!ising agen! on Madison Avenue8 !he revenues of my nine" !een clien!s are now grea!er !han !he revenue of Her Ma1es!ys Gov" ernmen!. Ma* (eer)ohm once !old &. 9. (ehrman$ 0If I was endowed wi!h weal!h I should s!ar! a grea! adver!ising cam'aign in all !he 'rinci'al news'a'ers. +he adver!isemen!s would consis! of one shor! sen!ence$ 'rin!ed in huge )lock le!!ers;a sen!ence !ha! I once heard s'oken )y a hus)and !o a wife= >My dear$ no!hing in !his world is wor!h )uying.5 My 'osi!ion is !he o''osi!e. I wan! !o )uy almos! every!hing I see adver!ised. My fa!her used !o say of a 'roduc! !ha! i! was 0very well s'oken of in !he adver!isemen!s.5 I s'end my life s'eaking well of 'roduc!s in adver!isemen!s8 I ho'e !ha! you ge! as much 'leasure ou! of )uying !hem as I ge! ou! of adver!ising !hem. (y wri!ing !his )ook in !he old"fashioned firs! 'erson singular$ I have commi!!ed an offense agains! a conven!ion of con!em'orary American manners. (u! I !hink i! ar!ificial !o wri!e we when I am confessing my sins and descri)ing my adven!ures.

Background ........................................................................................................................................................................ 2 I How to Manage an Advertising Agency........................................................................................................................ 3 II How to Get Clients ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 IIIMassachuse!!s How to Kee Clients .................................................................................................................................................. !" I'swich$ DABID OGILB3 I# How to Be a Good Client........................................................................................................................................... !$ # How to Build Great Ca% aigns ................................................................................................................................. 23 #I How to &rite 'otent Co y ........................................................................................................................................ 27 #II How to Illustrate Advertise%ents and 'osters....................................................................................................... 3( #III How to Make Good )elevision Co%%ercials ....................................................................................................... 33 I* How to Make Good Ca% aigns for +ood 'roducts, )ourist -estinations and 'ro rietary Medicines.............. 3" * How to .ise to t/e )o of t/e )ree 0Advice to t/e 1oung2 ...................................................................................... 37 *I 3/ould Advertising Be A4olis/ed5 ........................................................................................................................... 3$

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

I
How to Manage an Advertising Agency

MA9AGI9G an adver!ising agency is like managing any o!her crea!ive organi<a!ion;a research la)ora!ory$ a maga<ine$ an archi" !ec!s office$ a grea! ki!chen. +hir!y years ago I was a chef a! !he Ho!el Ma1es!ic in aris. Henri &oule of !he avilion !ells me !ha! i! was 'ro)a)ly !he )es! ki!chen !here has ever )een. +here were !hir!y"seven chefs in our )rigade. #e worked like dervishes$ si*!y"!hree hours a week;!here was no !rade union. /rom morning !o nigh! we swea!ed and shou!ed and cursed and cooked. 6very man 1ack was ins'ired )y one am)i!ion= !o cook )e!!er !han any chef had ever cooked )efore. Our es'ri! de cor's would have done credi! !o !he Marines. I have always )elieved !ha! if I could unders!and how Monsieur i!ard$ !he head chef$ ins'ired such whi!e"ho! morale$ I could a''ly !he same kind of leadershi' !o !he managemen! of my adver!ising agency. +o )egin wi!h$ he was !he )es! cook in !he whole )rigade$ and we knew i!. He had !o s'end mos! of his !ime a! his desk$ 'lanning menus$ scru!ini<ing )ills$ and ordering su''lies$ )u! once a week he would emerge from his glass"walled office in !he middle of !he ki!che n and ac!ually cook some!hing. A crowd of us always ga!hered around !o wa!ch$ s'ell)ound )y his vir!uosi!y. I! was ins'iring !o work for a su'reme mas!er. E/ollowing Chef i!ards e*am'le$ I s!ill wri!e occasional adver" !isemen!s myself$ !o remind my )rigade of co'ywri!ers !ha! my hand has no! los! i!s cunning.F M. i!ard ruled wi!h a rod of iron$ and we were !errified of him. +here he sa! in his glass cage$ !he gros bonnet $ !he arch sym)ol of au!hori!y. #henever I made a mis!ake in my work$ I would look u' !o see if his gimle! eye had no!iced i!. Cooks$ like co'ywri!ers$ work under ferocious 'ressures$ and are a'! !o )e 7uarrelsome. I dou)! whe!her a more easygoing )oss could have 'reven!ed our rivalries from )reaking in!o violence. M. (ourgignon$ our chef saucier$ !old me !ha! )y !he !ime a cook is for!y$ he is ei!her dead or cra<y. I unders!ood wha! he mean! !he nigh! our chef potagier !hrew for!y"seven ra w eggs across !he ki!chen a! my head$ scoring nine direc! hi!s8 his 'a!ience had )een e*haus!ed )y my raids on his s!ock 'o! in search of )ones for !he 'oodles of an im'or!an! clien!. Our chef 'a!issier was e7ually eccen!ric. 6very nigh! he lef! !he ki!chen wi!h a chicken concealed in !he crown of his Hom")urg ha!. #hen he wen! on vaca!ion he made me s!uff !wo do<en 'eaches in!o !he legs of his long underwear. (u! when !he

:ing and Dueen of 6ngland were given a s!a!e dinner a! Ber" sailles$ !his roguish genius was chosen from all !he pdtissiers in /rance !o 're'are !he ornamen!al )aske!s of sugar and !he petits fours glaces . M. i!ard 'raised very seldom$ )u! when he did$ we were e*" al!ed !o !he skies. #hen !he residen! of /rance came !o a )an7ue! a! !he Ma1es!ic$ !he a!mos'here in our ki!chen was elec!ric. On one of !hese memora)le occasions$ I was covering frogs legs wi!h a whi!e chaud-froid sauce$ decora!ing each li!!le !high wi!h an orna!e leaf of chervil. &uddenly I )ecame aware !ha! M. i!ard was s!anding )eside me$ wa!ching. I was so frigh!ened !ha! my knees knocked !oge!her and my hands !rem)led. He !ook !he 'encil from his s!arched !o7ue and waved i! in !he air$ his signal for !he whole )rigade !o ga!her. +hen he 'oin!ed a! my frogs legs and said$ very slowly and very 7uie!ly$ 0+ha!s how !o do i!.5 I was his slave for life. E+oday I 'raise my s!aff as rarely as i!ard 'raised his chefs$ in !he ho'e !ha! !hey !oo will a''recia!e i! more !han a s!eady gush of a''recia!ion.F M. i!ard gave us all a grea! sense of occasion. One evening when I had 're'ared a &ouffle %o!hschild Ewi!h !hree li7ueursF he !ook me u's!airs !o !he door of !he dining room and allowed me !o wa!ch residen! aul Doumer ea! i!. +hree weeks la!er$ on May G$ ,-.C$ Doumer was dead. H EI find !ha! 'eo'le who work in my agency ge! a similar charge ou! of s!a!e occasions. #hen a crisis kee's !hem working all nigh!$ !heir morale is high for weeks af!erward.F M. i!ard did no! !olera!e incom'e!ence. He knew !ha! i! is de" morali<ing for 'rofessionals !o work alongside incom'e!en! ama" !eurs. I saw him fire !hree 'as!ry"cooks in a mon!h for !he same crime= !hey could no! make !he ca's on !heir )rioches rise evenly. Mr. Glads!one would have a''lauded such ru!hlessness8 he held !ha! !he 0firs! essen!ial for a rime Minis!er is !o )e a good )u!cher.5 M. i!ard !augh! me e*or)i!an! s!andards of service. /or e*am" 'le$ he once heard me !ell a wai!er !ha! we were fresh ou! of !he plat du jour ;and almos! fired me for i!. In a grea! ki!chen$ he said$ one mus! always honor wha! one has 'romised on !he menu. I 'oin!ed ou! !ha! !he dish in 7ues!ion would !ake so long !o cook !ha! no clien! would wai! for a new )a!ch !o )e 're'ared. #as i! our famous coulibiac de saumon $ a com'lica!ed kedgeree made wi!h !he s'ine mar" row of s!urgeon$ semolina kache $ salmon collo's$ mushrooms$ on" ions$ and rice$ rolled u' in a )rioche 'as!e and )aked for fif!y min"
HH

9o! from my souffle$ )u! from !he )ulle! of a mad %ussian.

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Confessions of an Advertising Man

u!es2 Or was i! our s!ill more e*o!ic :aroly 6clairs$ s!uffed wi!h a 'uree of woodcocks en!rails cooked in cham'agne$ covered wi!h a )rown chaud-froid sauce and masked wi!h game 1elly2 A! !his dis" !ance of !ime$ I do no! remem)er$ )u! I remem)er e*ac!ly wha! i" !ard said !o me= 09e*! !ime you see !ha! we are running ou! of a plat du jour $ come and !ell me. I will !hen ge! on !he !ele'hone !o o!her ho!els and res!auran!s un!il I find one which has !he same dish on i!s menu. +hen I will send you in a !a*i !o )ring )ack a su''ly. 9ever again !ell a wai!er !ha! we are fresh ou! of any!hing.5 E+oday I see red when any)ody a! Ogilvy$ (enson I Ma!her !ells a clien! !ha! we canno! 'roduce an adver!isemen! or a !elevision commercial on !he day we have 'romised i!. In !he )es! es!a)lish" men!s$ 'romises are always ke'!$ wha!ever i! may cos! in agony and over!ime.F &oon af!er I 1oined M. i!ards )rigade I was faced wi!h a 'ro)" lem in morali!y for which ne i!her my fa!her nor my schoolmas!ers had 're'ared me. +he chef garde"manger sen! me !o !he chef saucier wi!h some raw swee!)reads which smelled so 'u!rid !ha! I knew !hey would endanger !he life of any clien! who a!e !hem8 !he sauce would mask !heir condi!ion$ and !he clien! would ea! !hem. I 'ro!es!ed !o !he chef garde"manger$ )u! he !old me !o carry ou! his order8 he knew !ha! he would )e in ho! wa!er if M. i!ard discovered !ha! he had run ou! of fresh swee!)reads. #ha! was I !o do2 I had )een )rough! u' !o )elieve !ha! i! is dishonora)le !o inform. (u! I did 1us! !ha!. I !ook !he 'u!rid swee!)reads !o M. i!ard$ and invi!ed him !o smell !hem. #i!hou! a word !o me$ he wen! over !o !he chef garde" manger and fired him. +he 'oor )as!ard had !o leave$ !hen and !here. In Down and Ou! in aris and London George Orwell !old !he world !ha! /rench ki!chens are dir!y. He had never worked a! !he Ma1es!ic. M. i!ard was a mar!ine! in making us kee' !he ki!chen clean. +wice a day I had !o scra'e !he wooden surface of !he larder !a)le wi!h a shar' 'lane. +wice a day !he floor was scru))ed$ and clean sawdus! 'u! down. Once a week a )ug"ca!cher scoured !he ki!chen in search of roaches. #e were issued clean uniforms every morning. E+oday I am a mar!ine! in making my s!aff kee' !heir offices shi'sha'e. A messy office crea!es an a!mos'here of slo''iness$ and leads !o !he disa''earance of secre! 'a'ers.F #e cooks were )adly 'aid$ )u! M. i!ard made so much from !he commissions which his su''liers 'aid him !ha! he could afford !o live in a cha!eau. /ar from concealing his weal!h from !he res! of us$ he drove !o work in a !a*i$ carried a cane wi!h a gold head$ and dressed$ when off"du!y$ like an in!erna!ional )anker. +his flaun!ing of 'rivilege s!imula!ed our am)i!ion !o follow in his foo!s!e's. +he immor!al Augus!e 6scoffier had !he same idea. #hen he was Chef des Cuisines a! !he Carl!on in London )efore !he /irs! #orld #ar$ he used !o drive !o !he Der)y on !he )o* of a coach"and" four$ dressed in a gray frock coa! and !o' ha!. Among my fellow cooks a! !he Ma1es!ic$ 6scoffiers Guide Culinaire was s!ill !he de" fini!ive au!hori!y$ !he cour! of las! a''eal in all our argumen!s a)ou! reci'es. ?us! )efore he died he emerged from re!iremen! and came !o luncheon in our ki!chen8 i! was like (rahms lunching wi!h !he musi" cians of !he hilharmonic. During !he service of luncheon and dinner$ M. i!ard s!a!ioned himself a! !he coun!er where we cooks handed our dishes !o !he wai!ers. He ins'ec!ed every single dish )efore i! lef! !he ki!chen. &ome!imes he sen! i! )ack !o !he cook for more work. Always he reminded us no! !o 'u! !oo much on !he 'la!e;0'as !ra'45 He wan!ed !he Ma1es!ic !o make a 'rofi!.

E+oday I ins'ec! every cam'aign )efore i! goes !o !he clien!$ and send )ack many of !hem for more work. And I share M. i!ards 'as" sion for 'rofi!.F erha's !he ingredien! in M. i!ards leadershi' which made !he mos! 'rofound im'ression on me was his indus!ry. I found my si*!y" !hree hours )ending over a red"ho! s!ove so e*haus!ing !ha! I had !o s'end my day off lying on my )ack in a meadow$ looking a! !he sky. (u! i!ard worked seven!y"seven hours a week$ and !ook only one free day a for!nigh!. E+ha! is a)ou! my schedule !oday. I figure !ha! my s!aff will )e less reluc!an! !o work over!ime if I work longer hours !han !hey do. An e*ecu!ive who recen!ly lef! my agency wro!e in his farewell le!" !er$ 03ou se! !he 'ace on doing homework. I! is a disconcer!ing e*" 'erience !o s'end a &a!urday evening in !he garden ne*! door !o your house$ carousing for four hours while you si!$ unmoving$ a! your desk )y !he window doing your homework. +he word ge!s around.5F I learned some!hing else a! !he Ma1es!ic= If you can make your" self indis'ensa)le !o a clien!$ you will never )e fired. Our mos! im" 'or!an! clien!$ an American lady who occu'ied a sui!e of seven rooms$ su)1ec!ed herself !o a die! which was )ased on a )aked a''le a! every meal. One day she !hrea!ened !o move !o !he %i!< unless her a''le was always )urs!. I develo'ed a !echni7ue of )aking !wo a'" 'les$ 'assing !heir flesh !hrough a sieve !o remove all !races of core$ and !hen re'lacing !he flesh of )o!h a''les in one skin. +he resul! was !he mos! volu'!uous )aked a''le our clien! had ever seen$ and more calories !han she ever sus'ec!ed. #ord came down !o !he ki!chen !ha! !he chef who was )aking !hose a''les mus! )e given !enure. My closes! friend was an elderly argen!ier who )ore a s!riking resem)lance !o !he la!e Charles C. (urlingham. His mos! cherished memory was a vision of 6dward BII E6dward !he Cares"sorF floa!ing ma1es!ically across !he sidewalk !o his )rougham af!er !wo magnums of en!en!e cordiale a! Ma*ims. My friend was a Communis!. 9o" )ody cared a)ou! !ha!8 !hey were far more im'ressed )y my own na" !ionali!y. A &co!sman in a /rench ki!chen is as rare as a &co!sman on Madison Avenue. My fellow chefs$ who had heard !ales of my an" ces!ral Highlands$ chris!ened me &auvage. I )ecame s!ill more sauvage when I arrived on Madison Ave" nue. Managing an adver!ising agency isn! all )eer and ski!!les. Af!er four!een years of i!$ I have come !o !he conclusion !ha! !he !o' man has one 'rinci'al res'onsi)ili!y= !o 'rovide an a!mos'here in which crea!ive mavericks can do useful work. Dr. #illiam Menninger has descri)ed !he difficul!ies wi!h uncanny insigh!= In !he adver!ising indus!ry !o )e successful you mus!$ of neces" si!y$ accumula!e a grou' of crea!ive 'eo'le. +his 'ro)a)ly means a fairly high 'ercen!age of high s!rung$ )rillian!$ eccen!ric noncon" formis!s. Like mos! doc!ors$ you are on call day and nigh!$ seven days a week. +his cons!an! 'ressure on every adver!ising e*ecu!ive mus! !ake a considera)le 'hysical and 'sychological !oll;!he 'ressure !ha! !he e*ecu!ive 'laces on !he accoun! e*ecu!ive$ on !he su'ervisor$ and !hey in !urn on !he crea!ive 'eo'le. +hen$ mos! of all$ !he clien!s 'ressures on !hem and on you. A s'ecial 'ro)lem wi!h !he em'loyees of an adver!ising agency is !ha! each one wa!ches !he o!her one very carefully !o see if one ge!s a car'e! )efore !he o!her$ !o see if one has an assis!an! )efore !he o!her$ or !o see if one makes an e*!ra nickel )efore !he o!her. I! isn! !ha! !hey wan! !he car'e! or !he assis!an! or !he nickel so much as i! is !he recogni!ion of !heir 0s!anding wi!h fa!her.5 +he e*ecu!ive is inevi!a)ly a fa!her figure. +o )e a good fa!her$ whe!her i! is !o his children or !o his associa!es$ re7uires !ha! he )e

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

unders!anding$ !ha! he )e considera!e$ and !ha! he )e human enough !o )e affec!iona!e. In !he early days of our agency I worked cheek )y 1owl wi!h every em'loyee8 communica!ion and affec!ion were easy. (u! as our )rigade grows )igger I find i! more difficul!. How can I )e a fa!her figure !o 'eo'le who don! even know me )y sigh!2 My agency now em'loys J-G men and women. I have discovered !ha! !hey have an average of one hundred friends each;a !o!al of J-$G@@ friends. If I !ell all my s!aff wha! we are doing in !he agency$ wha! we )elieve in$ wha! our am)i!ions are$ !hey will !ell !heir J-$G@@ friends. And !his will give us J-$G@@ roo!ers for Ogilvy$ (enson I Ma!her. &o once a year I assem)le !he whole )rigade in !he audi!orium of !he Museum of Modern Ar!$ and give !hem a candid re'or! on our o'era!ions$ 'rofi!s and all. +hen I !ell !hem wha! kind of )ehavior I admire$ in !hese !erms= E,F I admire 'eo'le who work hard$ who )i!e !he )ulle!. I dislike 'assengers who don! 'ull !heir weigh! in !he )oa!. I! is more fun !o )e overworked !han !o )e underworked. +here is an economic fac!or )uil! in!o hard work. +he harder you work$ !he fewer em'loyees we need$ and !he more 'rofi! we make. +he more 'rofi! we make$ !he more money )ecomes availa)le for all of us. ECF I admire 'eo'le wi!h firs!"class )rains$ )ecause you canno! run a grea! adver!ising agency wi!hou! )rainy 'eo'le. (u! )rains are no! enough unless !hey are com)ined wi!h in!ellec!ual hones!y. E.F I have an inviola)le rule agains! em'loying ne'o!s and s'ouses$ )ecause !hey )reed 'oli!ics. #henever !wo of our 'eo'le ge! married$ one of !hem mus! de'ar!;'refera)ly !he female$ !o look af!er her )a)y. EJF I admire 'eo'le who work wi!h gus!o. If you don! en1oy wha! you are doing$ I )eg you !o find ano!her 1o). %emem)er !he &co!!ish 'rover)$ 0(e ha''y while youre living$ for youre a long !ime dead.5 EKF I des'ise !oadies who suck u' !o !heir )osses8 !hey are gen" erally !he same 'eo'le who )ully !heir su)ordina!es. EAF I admire self"confiden! 'rofessionals$ !he craf!smen who do !heir 1o)s wi!h su'erla!ive e*cellence. +hey always seem !o res'ec! !he e*'er!ise of !heir colleagues. +hey don! 'oach. EGF I admire 'eo'le who hire su)ordina!es who are good enough !o succeed !hem. I 'i!y 'eo'le who are so insecure !ha! !hey feel com'elled !o hire inferiors as !heir su)ordina!es. ELF I admire 'eo'le who )uild u' !heir su)ordina!es$ )ecause !his is !he only way we can 'romo!e from wi!hin !he ranks. I de!es! having !o go ou!side !o fill im'or!an! 1o)s$ and I look forward !o !he day when !ha! will never )e 9ecessary. E-F I admire 'eo'le wi!h gen!le manners who !rea! o!her 'eo'le as human )eings. I a)hor 7uarrelsome 'eo'le. I a)hor 'eo'le who wage 'a'er"warfare. +he )es! way !o kee' !he 'eace is !o )e candid. %emem)er (lake= I was angry wi!h my friend8 I !old my wra!h$ my wra!h did end. I was angry wi!h my foe8 I !old i! no!$ my wra!h did grow. E,@F I admire well"organi<ed 'eo'le who deliver !heir work on !ime. +he Duke of #elling!on never wen! home un!il he had finished all !he work on his desk. Having !old my s!aff wha! I e*'ec! of !hem$ I !hen !ell !hem wha! I e*'ec! of myself= E,F I !ry !o )e fair and !o )e firm$ !o make un'o'ular decisions wi!hou! cowardice$ !o crea!e an a!mos'here of s!a)ili!y$ and !o lis!en more !han I !alk.

ECF I !ry !o sus!ain !he momen!um of !he agency;i!s fermen!$ i!s vi!ali!y$ i!s forward !hrus!. E.F I !ry !o )uild !he agency )y landing new accoun!s. EA! !his 'oin! !he u'!urned faces in my audience look like )a)y )irds wai!" ing" for !he fa!her )ird !o feed !hem.F EJF I !ry !o win !he confidence of our clien!s a! !heir highes! level. EKF I !ry !o make sufficien! 'rofi!s !o kee' you all from 'enury in old age. EAF I 'lan our 'olicies far in!o !he fu!ure. EGF I !ry !o recrui! 'eo'le of !he highes! 7uali!y a! all levels$ !o )uild !he ho!!es! s!aff in !he agency )usiness. ELF I !ry !o ge! !he )es! ou! of every man and woman in !he agency. %unning an agency !akes vi!ali!y$ and sufficien! resilience !o 'ick oneself u' af!er defea!s. Affec!ion for ones henchmen$ and !ol" erance for !heir foi)les. A genius for com'osing si)ling riva lries. An unerring eye for !he main chance. And morali!y;'eo'le who work in adver!ising agencies can suffer serious )lows !o !heir es'ri! de cor's if !hey ca!ch !heir leader in ac!s of un'rinci'led o''or!unism. A)ove all$ !he head of an agency mus! know how !o delega!e. +his is easier said !han done. +he clien!s don! like !he managemen! of !heir accoun!s !o )e delega!ed !o 1uniors$ any more !han 'a!ien!s in hos'i!als like !he doc!ors !o !urn !hem over !o medical s!uden!s. In my o'inion$ delega!ion has )een carried !oo far in some of !he )ig agencies. +heir !o' men have wi!hdrawn in!o adminis!ra!ion$ leaving all con!ac! wi!h clien!s !o 1uniors. +his 'rocess )uilds large agencies$ )u! i! leads !o mediocri!y in 'e rformance. I have no am)i" !ion !o 'reside over a vas! )ureaucracy. +ha! is why we have only nine!een clien!s. +he 'ursui! of e*cellence is less 'rofi!a)le !han !he 'ursui! of )igness$ )u! i! can )e more sa!isfying. +he ac! of delega!ion of!en resul!s in in!er'osing a foreman )e" !ween !he agency )oss and his s!aff. #hen !his ha''ens$ !he em'loy" ees feel like children whose mo!her !urns !hem over !o !he !ender mercies of a nanny. (u! !hey )ecome reconciled !o !he se'ara!ion when !hey discover !ha! !he nannies are more 'a!ien!$ more accessi" )le$ and more e*'er! !han I am. My success or failure as !he head of an agency de'ends more !han any!hing else on my a)ili!y !o find 'eo'le who can crea!e grea! cam'aigns$ men wi!h fire in !heir )ellies. Crea!ivi!y has )ecome !he su)1ec! of formal s!udy )y 'sychologis!s. If !hey can iden!ify !he charac!eris!ics of crea!ive individuals$ !hey can 'u! in!o my hands a 'sychome!ric !es! for selec!ing young 'eo'le who can )e !augh! !o )ecome grea! cam'aign")uilders. Dr. /rank (arren a! !he Mniversi!y of Californias Ins!i!u!e of ersonali!y Assessmen! has done 'romis" ing research in !his direc!ion. His conclusions fi! my own o)serva" !ions= Crea!ive 'eo'le are es'ecially o)servan!$ and !hey value accu" ra!e o)serva!ion E!elling !hemselves !he !ru!hF more !han o!her 'eo'le do. +hey of!en e*'ress 'ar!"!ru!hs$ )u! !his !hey do vividly8 !he 'ar! !hey e*'ress is !he generally unrecogni<ed8 )y dis'lacemen! of ac" cen! and a''aren! dis'ro'or!ion in s!a!emen! !hey seek !o 'oin! !o !he usually uno)served. +hey see !hings as o!hers do$ )u! also as o!hers do no!. +hey are )orn wi!h grea!er )rain ca'aci!y8 !hey have more a)il" i!y !o hold many ideas a! once$ and !o com'are more ideas wi!h one ano!her;hence !o make a richer syn!hesis. +hey are )y cons!i!u!ion more vigorous$ and have availa)le !o !hem an e*ce'!ional fund of 'sychic and 'hysical energy.

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

+heir universe is !hus more com'le*$ and in addi!ion !hey usu" ally lead more com'le* lives. +hey have more con!ac! !han mos! 'eo'le do wi!h !he life of !he unconscious;wi!h fan!asy$ reverie$ !he world of imagina!ion. H #hile I wai! for Dr. (arron and his colleagues !o syn!hesi<e !heir clinical o)serva!ions in!o formal 'sychome!ric !es!s$ I have !o rely on more old"fashioned and em'irical !echni7ues for s'o!!ing crea!ive dynamos. #henever I see a remarka)le adver!isemen! or !elevision commercial$ I find ou! who wro!e i!. +hen I call !he wri!er on !he !ele'hone and congra!ula!e him on his work. A 'oll has shown !ha! crea!ive 'eo'le would ra!her work a! Ogilvy$ (enson I Ma!her !han a! any o!her agency$ so my !ele'hone call of!en 'ro" duces an a''lica!ion for a 1o). I !hen ask !he candida!e !o send me !he si* )es! adver!isemen!s and commercials he has ever wri!!en. +his reveals$ among o!her !hings$ whe!her he can recogni<e a good adver!isemen! when he sees one$ or is only !he ins!rumen! of an a)le su'ervisor. &ome" &ome!imes I call on my vic!im a! home8 !en minu!es af!er cross" ing !he !hreshold I can !ell whe!her he has a richly furnished mind$ wha! kind of !as!e he has$ and whe!her he is ha''y enough !o sus!ain 'ressure. #e receive hundreds of 1o) a''lica!ions every year. I am 'ar" !icularly in!eres!ed in !hose which come from !he Middle #es!. I would ra!her hire an am)i!ious young man from Des Moines !han a high"'riced fugi!ive from a fashiona)le agency on Madison Avenue. #hen I o)serve !hese grandees$ coldly correc! and cri!ically dull$ I am reminded of %oy Cam')ells 0On &ome &ou!h African 9ovel" is!s5= 3ou 'raise !he firm res!rain! wi!h which !hey wri!e Im wi!h you !here$ of course. +hey use !he snaffle and !he cur) all righ!8 (u! wheres !he )loody horse2 I 'ay s'ecial a!!en!ion !o a''lica!ions from #es!ern 6uro'e. &ome of our )es! wri!ers are 6uro'eans. +hey are well educa!ed$ !hey work hard$ !hey are less conve n!ional$ and !hey are more o)1ec" !ive in !heir a''roach !o !he American consumer. Adver!ising is a )usiness of words$ )u! adver!ising agencies are infes!ed wi!h men and women who canno! wri!e. +hey canno! wri!e adver!isemen!s$ and !hey canno! wri!e 'lans. +hey are as hel'less as deaf mu!es on !he s!age of !he Me!ro'oli!an O'era. I! is sad !ha! !he ma1ori!y of men who are res'onsi)le for adver" !ising !oday$ )o!h !he agen!s and !he clien!s$ are so conven!ional. +he )usiness communi!y wan!s remarka)le adver!ising$ )u! !urns a cold shoulder !o !he kind of 'eo'le who can 'roduce i!. +ha! is why mos! adver!isemen!s are so infernally dull. Al)er! Lasker made NK@$@@@$@@@ ou! of adver!ising$ 'ar!ly )ecause he could s!omach !he a!rocious manners of his grea! co'ywri!ers; ?ohn 6. :ennedy$ Claude C. Ho'kins$ and /rank Hummer!. &ome of !he mammo!h agencies are now )eing managed )y second"genera !ion care!akers who floa!ed !o !he !o' of !heir organi" <a!ions )ecause !hey were smoo!h con!ac! men. (u! cour!iers canno! crea!e 'o!en! cam'aigns. +he sad !ru!h is !ha! des'i!e !he so'his!i" ca!ed a''ara!us of !he modern agency$ adver!ising isn! ge!!ing !he resul!s i! used !o ge! in !he crude days of Lasker and Ho'kins. Our )usiness needs massive !ransfusions of !alen!. And !alen!$ I )elieve$ is mos! likely !o )e found among nonconformis!s$ dissen!ers$ and re" )els. 0+he sychology of Imagina!ion5 )y /rank (arron$ &cien!ific American E&e'!em)er ,-KLF.
H

9o! long ago !he Mniversi!y of Chicago invi!ed me !o 'ar!ici" 'a!e in a seminar on !he Crea!ive Organi<a!ion. Mos! of !he o!her 'ar!ici'an!s were learned 'rofessors of 'sychology who make i! !heir )usiness !o s!udy wha! !hey call C%6A+IBI+3. /eeling like a 'reg" nan! woman a! a conven!ion of o)s!e!ricians$ I !old !hem wha! I have learned a)ou! !he crea!ive 'rocess from my e*'erience as !he chief of seven!y"!hree wri!ers and ar!is!s. +he crea!ive 'rocess re7uires more !han reason. Mos! original !hinking isn! even ver)al. I! re7uires 0a gro'ing e*'erimen!a!ion wi!h ideas$ governed )y in!ui!ive hunches and ins'ired )y !he uncon" scious.5 +he ma1ori!y of )usiness men are inca'a)le of original !hinking$ )ecause !hey are una)le !o esca'e from !he !yranny of rea" son. +heir imagina!ions are )locked. I am almos! inca'a)le of logical !hough!$ )u! I have develo'ed !echni7ues for kee'ing o'en !he !ele'hone line !o my unconscious$ in case !ha! disorderly re'osi!ory has any!hing !o !ell me. I hear a grea! deal of music. I am on friendly !erms wi!h ?ohn (arleycorn. I !ake long ho! )a!hs. I garden. I go in!o re!rea! among !he Amish. I wa!ch )irds. I go for long walks in !he coun!ry. And I !ake fre7uen! vaca" !ions$ so !ha! my )rain can lie fallow;no golf$ no cock!ail 'ar!ies$ no !ennis$ no )ridge$ no concen!ra!ion8 only a )icycle. #hile !hus em'loyed in doing no!hing$ I receive a cons!an! s!ream of !elegrams from my unconscious$ and !hese )ecome !he raw ma!erial for my adver!isemen!s. (u! more is re7uired= hard work$ an o'en mind$ and ungoverna)le curiosi!y. Many of !he grea!es! crea!ions of man have )een ins'ired )y !he desire !o make money. #hen George /rederick Handel was on his )eam ends$ he shu! himself u' for !wen!y"one days and emerged wi!h !he com'le!e score of Messiah;and hi! !he 1ack'o!. /ew of !he !hemes of Messiah were original8 Handel dredged !hem u' from his unconscious$ where !hey had )een s!ored since he heard !hem in o!her com'osers work$ or since he had com'osed !hem for his own forgo!!en o'era s. A! !he end of a concer! a! Carnegie Hall$ #al!er Damrosch asked %achmaninoff wha! su)lime !hough!s had 'assed !hrough his head as he s!ared ou! in!o !he audience during !he 'laying of his con" cer!o. 0I was coun!ing !he house$5 said %achmaninoff. If O*ford undergradua!es were 'aid for !heir work$ I would have 'erformed miracles of scholarshi' and )ecome %egius rofes" sor of Modern His!ory8 i! wasn! un!il I !as!ed lucre on Madison Avenue !ha! I )egan !o work in earnes!. In !he modern world of )usiness$ i! is useless !o )e a crea!ive$ original !hinker unless you can also sell wha! you crea!e. Manage" men! canno! )e e*'ec!ed !o recogni<e a good idea unless i! is 're" sen!ed !o !hem )y a good salesman. In my four!een years on Madi" son Avenue I have had only one grea! idea which I was una)le !o sell. EI wan!ed In!erna!ional a'er !o dedica!e !heir CA$@@@$@@@ acres of woodlands !o !he 'u)lic for cam'ing$ fishing$ hun!ing$ hiking$ and )ird"wa!ching. I sugges!ed !ha! !his su)lime ges!ure would rank wi!h Carnegies li)raries and %ockefellers founda!ion as an ac! of his" !oric munificence. I! is a good idea$ )u! Hailed !o sell i!.F /inally$ I have o)served !ha! no crea!ive organi<a!ion$ whe!her i! is a research la)ora!ory$ a maga<ine$ a aris ki!chen$ or an adver" !ising agency$ will 'roduce a grea! )ody of work unless i! is led )y a formida)le individual. +he Cavendish La)ora!ory a! Cam)ridge was grea! )ecause of Lord %u!herford. +he 9ew 3orker was grea! )e" cause of %oss. +he Ma1es!ic was gre a! )ecause of i!ard. I! isn! every)ody who en1oys working in !he a!elier of a mas!er. +he im'lica!ion of de'endence gnaws a! !heir vi!als$ un!il !hey con" clude=

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

+o reign is wor!h am)i!ion !hough in Hell= (e!!er !o reign in Hell$ !han serve in Heaven. &o !hey leave my a!elier$ only !o discover !ha! !heir 'aradise is los!. A few weeks af!er one of !hese 'oor fellows de'ar!ed$ he wro!e= 0#hen I lef! your agency I was 're'ared !o feel some sadness. #ha! I fel! was dis!ress. I have never )een so )eref! in all my life. +his I su''ose is !he 'rice one has !o 'ay for !he 'rivilege of having )e" longed !o an eli!e. +here are so few of !hem around.5 #hen a good man 7ui!s$ his cronies wonder why$ and generally sus'ec! !ha! he has )een mis!rea!ed )y managemen!. %ecen!ly I have found a way !o 'reven! !his misunders!anding. #hen my young co'y chief resigned !o )ecome Bice Chairman of ano!her agency$ he and I e*changed le!!ers in !he s!yle of a ca)ine! minis!er resigning !o a rime Minis!er$ and !hey were 'rin!ed in our s!aff maga<ine. +he dear defec!or wro!e !o me= 3ou mus! acce'! !he )lame for wha! I am as an adver!ising, man. 3ou inven!ed me and have !augh! me how much I do no! know. 3ou once said !ha! you should have charged me !ui!ion all !hese years$ and i!s !rue. I re'lied in kind=

I! has )een a grand e*'erience !o wa!ch you grow in eleven shor! years from cu) wri!er !o Co'y Chief. 3ou have )ecome one of our )es! cam'aign")uilders. 3ou work hard$ and you work fas!. 3our vi!ali!y and resilience make i! 'ossi)le for you !o remain calm and cheerful ;con!agiously cheerful;!hrough all !he !ri)ula!ions which )uffe! co'y chiefs. /ew of !he grea! crea!ors have )land 'ersonali!ies. +hey are can!ankerous ego!is!s$ !he kind of men who are unwelcome in !he modern cor'ora!ion. Consider #ins!on Churchill. He drank like a fish. He was ca'ricious and willful. #hen o''osed$ he sulked. He was rude !o fools. He was wildly e*!ravagan!. He we'! on !he sligh!" es! 'rovoca!ion. His conversa!ion was %a)elaisian. He was inconsid" era!e !o his s!aff. 3e! Lord Alan)rooke$ his Chief of &!aff$ could wri!e= I shall always look )ack on !he years I worked wi!h him as some of !he mos! difficul! and !rying ones in my life. /or all !ha! I !hank God !ha! I was given !he o''or!uni!y of working alongside of such a man$ and of having my eyes o'ened !o !he fac! !ha! occasion" ally such su'ermen e*is! on !his ear!h.

II
How to Get Clients

/I/+669 years ago I was an o)scure !o)acco farmer in enn" sylvania. +oday I 'reside over one of !he )es! adver!ising agencies in !he Mni!ed &!a!es$ wi!h )illings of NKK$@@@$@@@ a year$ a 'ayroll of NK$@@@$@@@$ and offices in 9ew 3ork$ Chicago$ Los Angeles$ &an /rancisco$ and +oron!o. How did !his come !o 'ass2 As my Amish friends have said$ 0I! wonders me.5 On !he day in ,-JL when I hung ou! my shingle$ I issued !he following Order of !he Day= +his is a new agency$ s!ruggling for i!s life. /or some !ime we shall )e overworked and under'aid. In hiring$ !he em'hasis will )e on you!h. #e are looking for young !urks. I ha ve no use for !oadies or hacks. I seek gen!lemen wi!h )rains. Agencies are as )ig as !hey deserve !o )e. #e are s!arring !his one on a shoes!ring$ )u! we are going !o make i! a grea! agency )e" fore ,-A@. +he ne*! day I made a lis! of !he five clien!s I wan!ed mos!= General /oods$ (ris!ol"Myers$ Cam')ell &ou' Com'any$ Lever (ro!hers$ and &hell. H

+o 'ick such )lue"chi' !arge!s was an ac! of mad 'resum'!ion$ )u! all five of !hem are now clien!s of Ogilvy$ (enson I Ma!her.
H

In !he old days i! had no! )een unknown for adver!isers of !his magni!ude !o engage dark"horse agencies. #hen !he head of a mammo!h agency solici!ed !he Camel Cigare!!e accoun!$ he 'rom" ised !o assign !hir!y co'ywri!ers !o i!$ )u! !he canny head of %. ?. %eynolds re'lied$ 0How a)ou! one good one25 +hen he gave his ac" coun! !o a young co'ywri!er called (ill 6s!y$ in whose agency i! has remained for !wen!y"eigh! years. In ,-.G #al!er Chrysler gave !he lymou!h accoun! !o &!erling Ge!chel$ !hen in his !hir!y"second year. In ,-J@ 6d Li!!le gave mos! of !he Colga!e accoun! !o a dark"horse named +ed (a!es. And Gen" eral /oods discovered 3oung I %u)icam when !ha! agency was only one year old. #ri!ing af!er his re!iremen!$ ?ohn Orr 3oung$ one of !he founders of 3oung I %u)icam$ offered !his advice !o manu" fac!urers in search of an agency= If you are lucky enough !o find some young men wi!h !ha! s'e" cial energy and daring which leads !hem in!o )usiness for !hem" selves$ you will )enefi! from having !ha! incalcula)ly valua)le 7ual" i!y serving you. I! is easy !o )e )eguiled )y acres of desks$ de'ar!men!s$ and o!her )ig agency a''ur!enances. #ha! coun!s is !he real mo!ive 'ower of !he agency$ !he crea!ive 'o!ency. &everal grea! adver!ising successes have )een achieved )y ad" ver!isers who )enefi!ed )y !he incen!ive$ am)i!ion and energy of an adver!ising organi<a!ion in 'rocess of )uilding a re'u!a!ion.

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

+hese large adver!isers sough! !o )uy !heir adver!ising agency service on a rising marke!$ during !he agen!s work"clo!hes days or 're"adi'ose 'eriod. HH (y !he !ime I came on !he scene$ !he )ig adver!isers had grown more cau!ious. God had 1oined !he side of !he )ig )a!!alions. &!anley %esor$ who had )een head of ?. #al!er +hom'son since ,-,A$ warned me$ 0+he concen!ra!ion of indus!ry in!o huge cor'ora!ions is )eing reflec!ed in !he world of adver!ising. +he )ig accoun!s now re" 7uire such a wide range of services !ha! only !he huge agencies can handle !hem. #hy don! you give u' your 'i'e dream and 1oin ?. #al!er +hom'son25 +o new agencies a)ou! !o em)ark on !he 'ursui! of !heir firs! clien!s$ I )e7uea!h a se!"'iece which worked magic in my early days. I used !o ask 'ros'ec!ive clien!s !o 'onder !he life cycle of a !y'ical agency$ !he inevi!a)le 'a!!ern of rise and decline$ from dynami!e !o dry ro!= Once every few years a grea! new agency is )orn. I! is am)i" !ious$ hard working$ full of dynami!e. I! ge!s accoun!s from sof! old agencies. I! does grea! work. +he years 'ass. +he founders ge! rich$ and !ired. +heir crea!ive fires go ou!. +hey )ecome e*!inc! volcanoes. +he agency may con!inue !o 'ros'er. I!s original momen!um is no! ye! s'en!. I! has 'owerful con!ac!s. (u! i! has grown !oo )ig. I! 'roduces dull$ rou!ine cam'aigns$ )ased on !he echo of old vic!ories. Dry ro! se!s in. +he em'hasis shif!s !o colla!eral services$ !o conceal !he agencys crea!ive )ankru'!cy. A! !his s!age$ i! )egins losing ac" coun!s !o vi!al new agencies$ ru!hless u's!ar!s who work hard and 'u! all !heir dynami!e in!o !heir adver!isemen!s. #e can all name famous agencies which are mori)und. 3ou hear demorali<ing whis'ers in !heir corridors$ long )efore !he !ru!h dawns on !heir clien!s. A! !his 'oin! I could always see my 'ros'ec!ive clien! s!ruggling !o conceal !he fac! !ha! I had hi! a nerve. Could i! )e !ha! I was de" scri)ing his mori)und agency2 +oday$ four!een years la!er$ I am shocked )y !his villainous s!ra!agem. My scholarly uncle &ir Hum'hry %olles!on used !o say of 'hysicians$ 0/irs! !hey ge! on$ !hen !hey ge! honor$ !hen !hey ge! hones!.5 I am now a''roaching !he s!age of hones!y$ and )u!!er wouldn! mel! in my mou!h. (u! every!hing looked differen! when my )ank accoun! was em'!y. As Gil)er!s ira !e :ing e*'lained= #hen I sally for!h !o seek my 'rey I hel' myself in a royal way= I sink a few more shi's$ i!s !rue $ +han a well")red monarch ough! !o do8 (u! many a king on a firs!"class !hrone$ If he wan!s !o call his crown his own$ Mus! manage somehow !o ge! !hrough More dir!y work !han ever O do. /ollowing Henry /ords advice !o his dealers !ha! !hey should 0solici! )y 'ersonal visi!a!ion$5 I s!ar!ed )y solici!ing adver!isers who did no! em'loy an agency a! all$ figuring !ha! I lacked !he cre" den!ials !o 'ush any incum)en! agency ou! of )ed. My firs! !arge! was #edgwood China$ which s'en! a)ou! NJ@$@@@ a year. Mr. #edgwood and his adver!ising manageress received me wi!h !he grea!es! civili!y. 0#e dislike agencies$5 she said. 0+hey are no!hing )u! a nui" sance. &o we 're'are our own adver!isemen!s. Do you have any faul! !o find wi!h !hem25 0On !he con!rary$5 I re'lied$ 0I admire !hem. (u! if you will 1us! allow me !o )uy !he s'ace for you$ !he maga<ines will give me !he commission. I! will cos! you no!hing$ and I will 'romise never !o darken your door again.5
HH ?ohn

Hensleigh #edgwood is a kindly man$ and !he ne*! morning he wro!e me a formal le!!er of a''oin!men!$ !o which I re'lied )y !ele" H #e were in )usi" gram$ 0A /ull eel of :en! +re)le (o) Ma1or.5 ness. (u! my ca'i!al was only f A$@@@ and !his was scarcely enough !o kee' me afloa! un!il !he firs! commissions arrived. /or!una!ely for me$ my elder )ro!her /rancis was !hen Managing Direc!or of Ma!her I Crow!her L!d.$ a venera)le and dis!inguished adver!ising agency in London. He came !o !he rescue )y 'ersuading his 'ar!ners !o augmen! my ca'i!al and lend me !heir name. My old friend (o))y (evan of &. H. (enson L!d.$ ano!her 6nglish agency$ followed sui!$ and &ir /rancis Meynell go! &ir &!afford Cri''s !o au!hori<e !he !ransa!lan!ic inves!men!. (o))y and /rancis insis!ed !ha! I find an American !o )e head of !he agency. +hey did no! )elieve !ha! one of !heir fellow coun!ry" men could 'ersuade American manufac!urers !o give him any )usi" ness. +o e*'ec! an 6nglishman$ or even a &co!sman$ !o )e successful in American adver!ising would )e a)surd8 adver!ising was no! 'ar! of !he (ri!ish genius. Indeed$ !he (ri!ish had always a)horred !he whole idea of adver!ising. As unch 'u! i! in ,LJL= 0Le! us )e a na" !ion of sho'kee'ers as much as we 'lease$ )u! !here is no necessi!y !ha! we should )ecome a na!ion of adver!isers.5 Ou! of K$K@@ knigh!s$ )arone!s$ and 'eers alive !oday$ only one is an adver!ising agen!. E re1udice agains! adver!ising and i!s 'rac!i!ioners is less marked in !he Mni!ed &!a!es. 9eil Mc6lroy$ a former adver!ising manager of roc!er I Gam)le$ was a''oin!ed &ecre!ary of Defense in 6isenhowers adminis!ra!ion. Ches!er (owles gradua!ed from Madison Avenue !o )ecome Governor of Connec!icu!$ Am)assador !o India$ and Mnder &ecre!ary of &!a!e. (u! even in !he Mni!ed &!a!es i! is rare for adver!ising men !o )e a''oin!ed !o im'or!an! 1o)s in governmen!. +his is a 'i!y$ )ecause some of !hem carry more guns !han mos! of !he lawyers$ 'rofessors$ )ankers$ and 1ournalis!s who are favored. &enior adver!ising men are )e!!er e7ui''ed !o define 'ro)lems and o''or!uni!ies8 !o se! u' shor!"range and long"range goals8 !o measure resul!s8 !o lead large e*ecu!ive forces8 !o make lu" cid 'resen!a!ions !o commi!!ees8 and !o o'era!e wi!hin !he disci'lines of a )udge!. O)serva!ion of my elders and )e!!ers in o!her adver!is" ing agencies leads me !o )elieve !ha! many of !hem are more o)1ec" !ive$ )e!!er organi<ed$ more vigorous$ and harder"working !han !heir o''osi!e num)ers in legal 'rac!ice$ !eaching$ )anking$ and 1ournal" ism.F I had very li!!le !o offer !he kind of American e*ecu!ive who would 7ualify !o head u' an agency. However$ af!er cas!ing a)ou! for several mon!hs$ I invi!ed Anderson Hewi!! !o leave !he Chicago office of ?. #al!er +hom'son and )ecome my )oss. He was a dynamo of energy$ he was una)ashed in !he 'resence of na)o)s$ and he had connec!ions whose influence made my mou!h wa!er. #i!hin one year Andy Hewi!! )rough! in !wo s'lendid accoun!s. #i!h !he hel' of ?ohn La /arge$ who was )illed as our co'y chief$ he landed &unoco. And !hree mon!hs la!er his fa!her"in"law Ar!hur age induced !he Chase (ank !o hire us. #hen we ran ou! of ca'i!al$ Andy Hewi!! 'ersuaded ?. . Morgan I Com'any !o lend us N,@@$@@@ wi!h no securi!y e*ce'! !he confidence of his uncle Lef" fingwell$ who was !hen Chairman of Morgan.

Orr 3oung$ Adven!ures in Adver!ising$ Har'er$ ,-JL. CA

!ook Doro!hy &ayers Lord e!er #imsey and his fellow change"ringers all nigh! !o ring !his in!rica!e 'eal of )ells in !he 'ar" ish church of /enchurch &!. aul. L

H I!

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

Alas$ my 'ar!nershi' wi!h Andy was no! a ha''y one. #e !ried !o conceal our differences from !he s!aff$ )u! children always know when !heir 'aren!s are a! loggerheads. Af!er four years of discord$ e*acer)a!ed )y !he 'ressures of our me!eoric success$ !he agency )e" gan !o s'li! in!o !wo fac!ions. Af!er much agony for all concerned$ Andy resigned and I )ecame head of !he agency. I !ake comfor! from !he fac! !ha! he wen! on !o grea! !hings a! o!her agencies$ unencum" )ered )y an insuffera)le 'ar!ner. #hen we s!ar!ed our agency$ we 'laced ourselves in com'e!i" !ion wi!h .$@@@ o!her agencies. Our firs! 1o) was !o esca'e from o)" scuri!y$ so !ha! 'ros'ec!ive clien!s would add us !o !heir sho''ing lis!s. #e succeeded in doing !his fas!er !han I had dared ho'e$ and i! may )e hel'ful !o o!her adven!urers if I descri)e how we wen! a)ou! i!. /irs!$ I invi!ed !en re'or!ers from !he adver!ising !rade 'ress !o luncheon. I !old !hem of my insane am)i!ion !o )uild a ma1or agency from scra!ch. /rom !ha! 'oin! on !hey gave me 'riceless !i's on new )usiness$ and 'rin!ed every release I sen! !hem$ however !rivial8 )less !hem. %osser %eeves 'ro!es!ed !ha! no)ody wen! !o !he )a!h" room a! our agency wi!hou! !he news a''earing in !he !rade 'ress. &econd$ I followed 6dward L. (ernays advice !o make no more !han !wo s'eeches a year. 6very s'eech I made was calcula!ed !o 'rovoke !he grea!es! 'ossi)le s!ir on Madison Avenue. +he firs! was a lec!ure !o !he Ar! Direc!ors Clu) in which I un"!oaded every!hing I knew a)ou! !he gra'hics of adver!ising. (efore going home$ I gave each ar! direc!or in my audience a mimeogra'hed lis! of !hir!y"nine rules for making good layou!s. +hose ancien! rules are s!ill )eing 'assed around on Madison Avenue. In my ne*! s'eech I denounced !he fa!ui!y of !he adver!ising courses )eing offered in colleges$ and offered N ,@$@@@ !o hel' s!ar! a college of adver!ising which would issue licenses !o 'rac!ice. +his idio!ic 'ro'osal hi! !he fron! 'ages. &oon !he !rade 'ress !ook !o call" ing me for commen! on mos! of !he issues !ha! came u'. I always s'oke my mind$ and I was always 7uo!ed. +hird$ I made friends wi!h men whose 1o)s )rough! !hem in!o con!ac! wi!h ma1or adver!isers;!he researchers$ !he 'u)lic rela!ions consul!an!s$ !he managemen! engineers$ and !he s'ace salesmen. +hey saw in me a 'ossi)le source of fu!ure )usiness for !hemselves$ )u! wha! !hey go! was a 'i!ch on !he meri!s of our agency. /our!h$ I sen! fre7uen! 'rogress re'or!s !o A@@ 'eo'le in every walk of life. +his )arrage of direc! mail was read )y !he mos! augus! adver!isers. /or e*am'le$ when I solici!ed 'ar! of !he &eagram ac" coun!$ &am (ronfman 'layed )ack !o me !he las! !wo 'aragra'hs of a si*!een"'age s'eech I had sen! him shor!ly )efore8 and he hired us. Gen!le reader$ if you are shocked )y !hese confessions of self" adver!isemen!$ I can only 'lead !ha! if I had )ehaved in a more 'ro" fessional way$ i! would have !aken me !wen!y years !o arrive. I had nei!her !he !ime nor !he money !o wai!. I was 'oor$ unknown$ and in a hurry. Meanwhile$ I was working from dawn un!il midnigh!$ si* days a week$ crea!ing cam'aigns for !he clien!s who hired our infan! agency. &ome of !hose cam'aigns made adver!ising his!ory. A! firs! we !ook every accoun! we could ge!;a !oy !or!oise$ a 'a!en! hair)rush$ an 6nglish mo!orcycle. (u! I always ke'! my eye on my lis! of five )lue"chi' !arge!s$ and 'u! our meager 'rofi!s !o work )uilding !he kind of organi<a!ion which$ I !hough!$ would ul!i" ma!ely a!!rac! !heir a!!en!ion. I always showed 'ros'ec!ive clien!s !he drama!ic im'rovemen! !ha! followed when Ogilvy$ (enson I Ma!her !ook accoun!s away from old agencies;0in every case we have )la<ed new !rails$ and in every case sales have gone u'.5 (u! I was never a)le !o kee' a

s!raigh! face when I said !his8 if a com'anys sales had no! grown more !han si*fold in !he 'revious !wen!y"one years$ i!s grow!h had )een less !han average. &ome very ordinary agencies had !he good for!une !o hold 'or!" folios of very ordinary accoun!s in ,-JK. All !hey had !o do was fas" !en !heir sea! )el!s and )e lof!ed !o enormous heigh!s on !he curve of a skyrocke!ing economy. I! !akes e*!raordinary a)ili!y for an agency !o ge! accoun!s when every)odys sales are )ooming$ )u! when !he economy is 1ol!ed )y a recession$ !he old fossils come uns!uck$ and vigorous new agencies lea' forward. An agencys firs! clien!s are !he hardes! !o ge!$ )ecause i! has no creden!ials$ no record of success$ no re'u!a!ion. A! !his s!age i! of!en 'ays !o s'ecula!e )y conduc!ing a 'ilo! survey on some as'ec! of your 'ros'ec!ive clien!s )usiness. +here are few manufac!urers whose curiosi!y is no! 'i7ued when you offer !o show !hem !he re" sul!s of such a survey. +he firs! !ime I !ried !his was wi!h Helena %u)ins!ein$ who had changed agencies seven!een !imes in !he 'revious !wen!y"five years. Her accoun! was !hen )eing handled )y an agency which )elonged !o her younger son$ Horace +i!us. Our s'ecula!ive research revealed !ha! his adver!ising was ineffec!ual. Madame %u)ins!ein showed no in!eres! in !he resul!s of our re" search$ )u! when I uncorked some adver!isemen!s )ased on i!$ she 'erked u'$ showing 'ar!icular in!eres! in 'ho!ogra'hs of my wife !aken )efore and af!er !rea!men! in !he %u)ins!ein &alon. 0I !hink your wife looked )e!!er )efore5 said Madame. +o my ama<emen!$ Horace +i!us advised his mo!her !o remove her accoun! from !he agency he owned$ and give i! !o me. +his she did. Horace and I )ecame friends$ and remained so un!il his dea!h eigh! years la!er. In ,-KL we were invi!ed )y &!andard Oil E9ew ?erseyF !o show !hem wha! kind of adver!ising we would run if !hey were !o hire us. +en days la!er I 'resen!ed !hem wi!h a ham'er of four!een differen! cam'aigns$ and won !he accoun!. 9e*! !o luck$ fer!ili!y and midnigh! oil are !he )es! wea'ons !o use in hun!ing new )usiness. #e s'en! N.@$@@@ on a s'ecula!ive 'resen!a!ion !o (romo &el!" <er. I! was )ased on a cogen!ly argued !hesis !ha! !he ma1ori!y of headaches are of 'sychosoma!ic origin. (u! LeMoyne (illings$ who was !hen (romo &el!<ers adver!ising manager$ 'referred a 'resen!a" !ion made )y Lennen I 9ewell. +oday we have nei!her !he !ime nor !he s!omach !o 're'are s'ecula!ive cam'aigns. Ins!ead$ we show our 'ros'ec!s wha! we have done for o!her manufac!urers$ we e*'lain our 'olicies$ and we in!roduce our de'ar!men! heads. #e !ry !o reveal ourselves I as we really are$ war!s and all. If !he 'ros'ec!ive clien! likes !he look of us$ he hires us. If he doesn! like !he look of us$ we are )e!!er off wi!hou! him. #hen :LM %oyal Du!ch Airlines decided !o change agencies$ !hey invi!ed Ogilvy$ (enson I Ma!her and four o!hers !o 're'are s'ecula!ive cam'aigns. #e were firs! on !heir !our of ins'ec!ion. I o'ened !he mee!ing )y saying$ 0#e have 're'ared no!hing. Ins!ead we would like you !o !ell us a)ou! your 'ro)lems. +hen you can visi! !he o!her four agencies on your lis!. +hey have all 're'ared s'ecula" !ive cam'aigns. If you like any of !hem$ your choice will )e easy. If you don!$ come )ack and hire us. #e will !hen em)ark on !he re" search which always 'recedes !he 're'ara!ion of adver!isemen!s a! our agency.5 +he Du!chmen acce'!ed !his )leak 'ro'osi!ion$ and five days la!er$ af!er seeing !he s'ecula!ive cam'aigns 're'ared )y !he o!her agencies$ !hey came )ack and hired us. +o my grea! 1oy.

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

3ou canno! generali<e. In some cases i! 'ays !o show s'ecula" !ive adver!isemen!s$ as wi!h ?ersey and Helena %u)ins!ein. In some cases$ i! 'ays !o )e !he one agency which refuses !o do so$ as wi!h :LM. +he agencies which are mos! successful in new )usiness are !hose whose s'okesmen show !he mos! sensi!ive insigh! in!o !he 'sychological make"u' of !he 'ros'ec!ive clien!. %igidi!y and sales" manshi' do no! com)ine. +here is one s!ra!agem which seems !o work in almos! every case= ge! !he 'ros'ec! !o do mos! of !he !alking. +he more you lis!en$ !he wiser he !hinks you are. One day I wen! !o see Ale*ander :onoff$ an elderly %ussian who had made a for!une manufac!uring <i''ers. Af!er showing me his fac!ory in 9ewark Eevery de'ar!men! was fes!ooned wi!h si*"foo! <i''ers for re" IO mains )agsF he !ook me )ack !o 9ew 3ork in his chauffeur"driven Cadillac. I no!iced !ha! he was holding a co'y of +he 9ew %e'u)lic$ a maga<ine read )y ra!her few clien!s. 0Are you a Democra! or a %e'u)lican25 I asked. 0I am a &ocialis!. I 'layed an ac!ive 'ar! in !he %ussian %evolu" !ion.5 I asked if he ha d known :erensky. 09o! !ha! revolu!ion$5 :onoff snor!ed. 0+he revolu!ion of ,-@J. #hen I was a )oy I used !o walk five miles !o work in a cigare!!e fac!ory$ )arefoo! in !he snow. My real name is :aganovi!ch. +he /(I !hinks !ha! I am !he )ro!her of !he :aganovi!ch who is now in !he oli!)uro. +hey are mis!aken.5 He roared wi!h laugh!er. 0#hen I firs! came !o America I worked as a machinis! in i!!s)urgh for fif!y cen!s an hour. My wife was an em)roiderer. &he made four!een dol" lars a week$ )u! never go! 'aid.5 +his 'roud old &ocialis! millionaire wen! on !o !ell me !ha! he had known Lenin and +ro!sky in!ima!ely during !he days of !heir e*" ile. I lis!ened$ so we go! !he accoun!. &ilence can )e golden. 9o! long ago !he adver!ising manager of Am'e* came !o see me$ scou!ing for a new agency. /or once in my life$ I had lunched !oo well$ and had los! !he 'ower of s'eech. All I could do was !o mo!ion !he 'ros'ec!ive clien! !o a sea!$ and look a! him in a 7ues!ioning way. He !alked for an hour$ wi!hou! in!erru'!ion from me. I could see !ha! he was im'ressed )y my !hough!fulness8 i! isn! every adver!ising agen! who is so !aci!urn on !hese occasions. +hen$ !o my horror$ he asked me a 7ues!ion. Had I ever heard an Am'e* record 'layer2 I shook my head$ !oo 'o!!ed for s'eech. 0#ell$ I wan! you !o hear our e7ui'men! in your home. I! comes in differen! s!yles. How is your home decora!ed25 I shrugged my shoulders$ no! !rus!ing myself !o s'eak. 0Modern25 I shook my head8 s!rong silen! man. 06arly American25 Again I shook my head8 s!ill wa!ers run dee'. 06igh!een!h cen!ury25 I nodded 'ensively$ )u! held my !ongue. A week la!er !he Am" 'e* arrived. I! was magnificen!$ )u! my 'ar!ners decided !ha! !he ac" coun! was !oo small !o )e 'rofi!a)le$ and I was o)liged !o wi!hdraw. Handling accoun!s once you have go! !hem is deadly serious )usiness. 3ou are s'ending o!her 'eo'les money$ and !he fa!e of !heir com'any of!en res!s in your hands. (u! I regard !he hun! for new clien!s as a s'or!. If you 'lay i! grimly$ you will die of ulcers. If you 'lay i! wi!h ligh!hear!ed gus!o$ you will survive your failures wi!hou! losing slee'. lay !o win$ )u! en1oy !he fun. In my you!h I sold ki!chen s!oves a! !he Ideal Homes 6*hi)i!ion in London. 6ach sale re7uired a 'ersonali<ed 'i!ch which !ook me for!y minu!es !o adminis!er. +he 'ro)lem was !o 'ick ou! from !he milling crowds !hose rare individuals who were rich enough !o )uy

my s!ove$ which cos! NJ@@. I learned !o smell !hem8 !hey smoked +urkish cigare!!es$ a mark of aris!ocracy$ like an Old 6!onian !ie. In la!er years I develo'ed similar !echni7ues for smelling ou! )ig adver!isers in a crowd. Once I came away from a 9ew 3ork luncheon of !he &co!!ish Council wi!h !he 'resen!imen! !ha! four of !he men I had 1us! me! for !he firs! !ime would one day )ecome my clien!s. And so i! !urned ou!.

888
+he )igges! accoun! I have ever go! was &hell. +he &hell 'eo'le liked wha! we had done for %olls"%oyce well enough !o include us on a lis! of agencies which !hey were considering. +o each agency !hey sen! a long and searching 7ues!ionnaire. 9ow i! so ha''ens !ha! I de'lore !he 'rac!ice of selec!ing agen" cies )y 7ues!ionnaire$ and I have consigned do<ens of !hem !o gar" )age cans. #hen a com'any called &!ahl"Meyer sen! me a 7ues!ion" naire$ I re'lied$ 0#ho is &!ahl"Meyer25 (u! I s!ayed u' all nigh! draf!ing answers !o !he &hell 7ues!ionnaire. My answers were more candid !han is cus!omary$ )u! I !hough! !hey would make a favora)le im'ression on Ma* (urns$ a fellow direc!or of !he 9ew 3ork hil" harmonic who was !hen residen! of &hell$ if only !hey were 'assed u' !o him. +he ne*! morning I learned !ha! he had gone !o 6ngland$ so I flew !o London and lef! a message a! his ho!el$ saying !ha! I wan!ed !o see him. /or !en days !here was no re'ly. I had almos! given u' ho'e$ when my !ele'hone o'era!or re'or!ed !ha! Mr. (urns wan!ed me !o lunch wi!h him on !he following day. I had already en" gaged myself !o lunch wi!h !he &ecre!ary of &!a!e for &co!land$ so I sen! (urns !he following signal= Mr. Ogilvy is lunching wi!h !he &ecre!ary of &!a!e for &co!land a! !he House of Commons. +hey would )e deligh!ed if you would 1oin !hem. On !he way !o !he House;i! was 'ouring rain and we shared an um)rella;I was a)le !o give (urns !he gis! of my answers !o his 7ues!ionnaire. (ack in 9ew 3ork !he ne*! day$ he in!roduced me !o !he man who was a)ou! !o succeed him as residen! of &hell;!he remarka)le Dr. Monroe &'agh!. +hree weeks la!er Mon!y &'agh! !ele'honed !o say !ha! we had !he accoun!. I was so dumfounded )y !his momen!ous news !ha! my a'lom) deser!ed me$ and I could only )lur! ou!$ 0God hel' us.5 Our a''oin!men! )y &hell forced us !o leave !he service of &!andard Oil E9ew ?erseyF. I liked !he ?ersey 'eo'le$ and I was 'roud of !he 'ar! we had 'layed in 'ersuading !hem !o save !he su" 'er) lay of !he #eek 'rogram on !elevision. David &usskind said in Life !ha! 0if !here were a Congressional Medal of Honor for )usi" ness$ !his s'onsor should ge! i!.5 (u! i! was no! generally known !ha! in order !o secure !he s'onsorshi' of !ha! 'rogram for ?ersey$ I had )een o)liged !o surrender all my ,K 'er cen! commission !o Loril" lard$ !he manufac!urers of Old Gold and :en! cigare!!es. Lorillard had 're"em'!ed one s'o! on !he doomed 'rogram$ and only my offer !o give !hem my commission ENA$@@@ a weekF 'ersuaded !hem !o make room for ?ersey. I was disa''oin!ed wi!h ?ersey for refusing !o make good my sacrifice. 9o agency can afford !o work wi!hou! 'ay8 so I !ransferred my allegiance !o &hell. &ome!imes I have made disas!rous )loo'ers in !he 'ursui! of new )usiness. #hen I me! &ir Ale*ander +ilMa*well$ head of !he (ri!ish +ravel I Holidays Associa!ion$ we needed a new accoun! in a hurry. He snu))ed me a! !he s!ar!. 0Our adver!ising$5 he said$ 0is good$ very good indeed. I haven! !he remo!es! in!en!ion of changing agencies.5

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-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

I re'lied$ 0#hen Henry BIII was dying$ i! was )elieved !ha! any man who dared !o !ell him !he awful !ru!h would )e deca'i!a!ed. (u! reasons of s!a!e re7uired !ha! a volun!eer should )e found$ and Henry Denny s!e''ed forward. :ing Henry was so gra!eful !o Denny for his courage !ha! he gave him a 'air of gloves and a knigh!hood. &ir Henry Denny was my ances!or. His e*am'le ins'ires me !o !ell you !ha! your adver!ising is very )ad.5 Ma*well e*'loded$ and never s'oke !o me again. (u! shor!ly af" !erward he gave us !he (ri!ish +ravel accoun!$ on condi!ion !ha! I 'lay no 'ar! in i!$ and for many years my 'ar!ners had !o conceal !he fac! !ha! I was in charge. Our cam'aign was so successful !ha! !he num)er of American visi!ors going !o (ri!ain 7uadru'led in !en years. +oday (ri!ain earns more from i!s visi!ors !han any o!her 6uro'ean coun!ry e*ce'! I!aly. 0/or a small and dam' island !his is a 're!!y s!aggering success$5 says +he 6conomis!. In due course &ir Ale*ander Ma*well re!ired$ and I was a)le !o come ou! of hiding. +he man who now si!s in his chair is Lord Ma" )ane$ a former ca)ine! minis!er. #hen I go !o 6ngland he sends his car !o drive me down !o %ye$ where he lives in Henry ?amess house. His chauffeur once s!ar!led my American wife )y asking her if she would like !o suck one of his gums. H 6nglish clien!s em'loy rum re!ainers. +he )u!ler a! !he %olls" %oyce gues! house near Der)y en!ered our )edroom on a ho! sum" mer morning$ wi!hou! knocking. +here lay my wife$ sound aslee'. oking his moon face in!o her ear$ he shou!ed$ 0 oached or fried$ madam25 Our solici!a!ion of !he Arms!rong Cork accoun! !ook a )i<arre course. A! !he s!ar! I was )idden !o lunch wi!h Ma* (an<haf$ !he ad" ver!ising manager$ a! his golf clu) near Lancas!er$ ennsylvania. Our !a)le looked ou! on !he eigh!een!h green$ and for !wo hours Ma* re" galed me wi!h golfing s!ories. His assessmen! of adver!ising agen!s a''eared !o revolve around !heir a)ili!y !o hi! golf )alls. Did I share his love of golf2 I have ne ver )een on a golf course in my life$ )u! !o admi! i! a! !ha! momen! would have des!royed my chances of landing !he ac" coun!. &o I mum)led an am)iguous evasion$ !o !he effec! !ha! , had no !ime for games. Ma* sugges!ed !ha! we 'lay a round$ !hen and !here. I 'ro!es!ed !ha! I had no! )rough! my clu)s. 0I will lend you mine45 (u! Ma* gracefully acce'!ed !he ne*! e*cuse I offered$ which had !o do wi!h my dige s!ion. And )efore I lef! he e*'lained !ha! !he only remaining im'edimen! !o !he success of my solici!a!ion lay in !he fac! !ha! Henning ren!is$ his Chairman$ was a devo!ed and life" long friend of (ruce (ar!on$ whose agency had en1oyed a mono'oly on Arms!rong adver!ising for for!y years. +he following day luck in!ervened on my side. +he Donegal &ocie!y invi!ed me !o address !heir annual reunion in one of !he old" es! res)y!erian churches in !he Mni!ed &!a!es. I was !o s'eak from !he 'ul'i!$ and Mr. ren!is was !o )e in !he congrega!ion. My sermon was fi*ed for ?une C.$ !ha! marvelous midsummer day on which my grandfa!her$ my fa!her$ and I were )orn. HH As my su)1ec! I !ook !he role of my fellow coun!rymen in )uilding America$ wi!hou! referring direc!ly !o !he one &co!sman on Madison Avenue= %al'h #aldo 6merson and +homas Carlyle once wen! for a walk !hrough !he &co!!ish coun!ryside. #hen 6merson saw !he 'oor soil around 6cclefechan$ he asked Carlyle$ 0#ha! do you raise on land like !his25 a goody manufac!ured )y %own!ree. fa!her once gave me odds of ,@@ !o , agains! my con!inu" ing !his remarka)le series. I haven! ye!.
HH My H 6nglish8

Carlyle re'lied$ 0#e raise men.5 #ha! manner of men do !hey raise on !ha! 'oor &co!!ish soil2 And wha! )ecomes of !hem when !hey come !o !he Mni!ed &!a!es2 +hey work hard. I was )rough! u' wi!h my fa!hers favori!e 'rover) ringing in my ears$ 0Hard work never killed a man.5 a!rick Henry was a &co!$ and ?ohn aul ?ones was !he son of a &co!!ish gardener. Allan inker!on came from &co!land and s!ar!ed !he secre! service. I! was inker!on who uncovered !he firs! 'lo! !o assassina!e Lincoln in /e)ruary ,LA,. +hir!y"five ?us!ices of !he Mni!ed &!a!es &u'reme Cour! have )een &co!smen. And indus!rialis!s galore$ including an indus!rialis! who has con!ri)u!ed so much !o !he 'ros'eri!y and cul!ure of your own Lancas!er Coun!y;Mr. Henning ren!is of !he Arms!rong Cork Com'any. /rom my van!age 'oin! in !he 'ul'i! I was a)le !o o)serve Mr. ren!is reac!ion !o !his a'os!ro'he. He did no! look dis'leased$ and a few weeks la!er he agreed !o !ransfer 'ar! of !he Arms!rong accoun! !o our agency. Of all !he new )usiness hoe"downs in which I have engaged$ !he one wi!h !he larges! num)er of con!es!an!s was !he Mni!ed &!a!es +ravel &ervice. 9o less !han ,.G agencies !hrew !heir ha!s in!o !he ring. Our cam'aigns for (ri!ain and uer!o %ico had )een so suc" cessful !ha! we were uni7uely 7ualified !o adver!ise !he Mni!ed &!a!es as a !ouris! des!ina!ion. I longed !o infec! my fellow 6uro'eans wi!h my own 'assion for !he Mni!ed &!a!es. I had s'en! my life adver!ising !oo!h'as!e and margarine8 wha! a welcome change i! would )e !o ad" ver!ise !he Mni!ed &!a!es. Many of !he agencies which com'e!ed for !he accoun! were a)le !o )ring 'oli!ical influence !o )ear8 I had none. 9ever!heless we go! on !he shor! lis! of si*$ and were invi!ed !o make a 'resen!a!ion in #ashing!on. Assis!an! &ecre!ary of Commerce #illiam %uder;in 'riva!e life a fellow deni<en of Madison Avenue; su)1ec!ed me !o a merciless cross"e*amina!ion which e*'osed !he one weakness in my case= a lack of )ranch offices in foreign coun!ries. Af!er making more !han a hundred new")usiness 'resen!a!ions$ I have come !o know )y !he end of !he mee!ing whe!her I have won or los!. +ha! af!ernoon I knew !ha! I had los!$ and I re!urned !o 9ew 3ork in des'air. +en days wen! )y$ and no announcemen! was made. I was comfor!ed )y my s!aff$ and we laid )e!s on which of our com" 'e!i!ors would win. +hen one &a!urday morning I was awakened )y #es!ern Mnion= !he &ecre!ary of Commerce had a''oin!ed Ogilvy$ (enson I Ma!her !o do !he 0Bisi! M.&.A.5 adver!ising in (ri!ain$ /rance$ and Germany. +his was !he mos! glorious !elegram I had received since O*" ford !elegra'hed !he news of my scholarshi' a! Chris! Church !hir!y years )efore. 6very adver!isemen! I wri!e for !he M. &. +ravel &er" vice is a )read"and")u!!er le!!er from a gra!eful immigran!. (efore our cam'aign )roke I warned !he De'ar!men! of Com" merce !ha! i! was )ound !o a!!rac! cri!icism= +he crunch will come when our firs! adver!isemen! a''ears. #ha!ever !he adver!isemen!s say or don! say$ we are going !o )e su)1ec!ed !o cri!icism. I know !his from long e*'erience wi!h !he (ri!ish !ravel adver!ising. (u! in !he las! analysis$ our cam'aign can only )e defended or a!!acked on !he )asis of resul!s. %esearch had revealed !ha! our grea!es! single o)s!acle lay in !he fac! !ha! 6uro'eans had an e*aggera!ed conce'! of !he cos! of visi!ing !he M.&.A. #e decided !o a!!ack !he 'ro)lem head"on. In" s!ead of saying in a )land$ innocuous way !ha! you can !our America 0for less !han you su''ose$5 we gave a s'ecific figure= .K 'ounds a week. +his was arrived a! af!er careful verifica!ion. /or e*am'le$ )e"

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-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

fore deciding on a reasona)le minimum 'rice for a ho!el room in 9ew 3ork$ we sen! one of our co'ywri!ers !o check !he )eds a! !he Ho!el #inslow$ which charges si* dollars a nigh!8 she found !hem sa!isfac!ory. (u! our cri!ics !ook !he 'osi!ion !ha! .K 'ounds a week was far !oo low. +hey were no! aware of !he reali!ies of !he 'ro)lem= E,F +ravel from 6uro'e had 'reviously )een confined !o )usi" nessmen wi!h e*'ense accoun!s$ and !he very rich. I! was vi!ally im" 'or!an! !o enlarge !he marke! )y a!!rac!ing !ouris!s wi!h more modes! means. /or! :no* was leaking gold$ and foreign e*change was ur" gen!ly needed. ECF #hereas more !han half !he families in !he Mni!ed &!a!es have incomes in e*cess of NK$@@@ only . 'er cen! of !he families in 6ngland have incomes of !his magni!ude. I! was !herefore im'or!an! !o make our 'roduc! availa)le !o !hem a! !he lowes! 'ossi)le 'rice8 !hey could always s'end more if !hey wan!ed !o. E.F I! is )e!!er$ I argued$ for middle"income 6uro'eans !o visi! !he Mni!ed &!a!es even if !hey have !o economi<e !han no! !o come a! all8 !he !hrill of seeing 9ew 3ork$ &an /rancisco$ and !he wide"o'en s'aces far !ranscends any hardshi's involved in economi<ing. /or" eign !ouris!s )ring )adly needed foreign e*change$ and research shows !ha! almos! all of !hem go home wi!h a more favora)le a!!i" !ude !oward !he Mni!ed &!a!es. Our adver!isemen!s achieved record")reaking readershi' when !hey a''eared in 6uro'ean news'a'ers$ and !hey 'roduced so many in7uiries !ha! !he London$ aris$ and /rankfur! offices of !he M. &. +ravel &ervice had !o work far in!o !he nigh!. Our cam'aign !riggered an avalanche of edi!orial 'u)lici!y which was 'ro)a)ly wi!hou! 'receden! in !he his!ory of adver!ising. +he Daily Mail sen! i!s s!ar fea!ure wri!er !o !he Mni!ed &!a!es. In his firs! dis'a!ch he ca)led= A! !he same !ime as residen! :ennedy invi!ed me;and all !he o!her millions of 6uro'e;!o !ry !he novel!y of !ourism in !he M.&.$ he issued a secre! direc!ive !o ,L@$@@@$@@@ Americans !o )e nice !o us. How else !o e*'lain !he em)arrassing generosi!y$ !he overwhelm" ing kindness$ !he e*!reme cour!esy a! every !urn2 +he Daily 6*'ress ins!ruc!ed i!s 9ew 3ork corres'onden! !o wri!e a series of ar!icles on !he su)1ec!. An edi!orial in +he Manches" !er Guardian referred !o our adver!isemen!s as 0famous$5 af!er only !hree of !hem had a''eared. Handels)la!!$ !he leading financial news'a'er in Germany$ wro!e= 0+his is a very !ru!hful cam'aign. +he M. &. +ravel &ervice has in!roduced i!s adver!ising !o !he #es! German !ouris! marke! wi!h a )lare of !rum'e!s.5 +he 'roof of !he 'udding is in !he ea!ing. 6igh! mon!hs af!er our cam'aign s!ar!ed$ /rench !ouris! !raffic !o !he Mni!ed &!a!es was u' CG 'er cen!$ (ri!ish !raffic was u' CJ 'er cen!$ and German !raffic was u' ,L 'er cen!. In ,-KA I 'ar!ici'a!ed in an unusual adven!ure= a 1oin! solici!a" !ion wi!h ano!her agency. (en &onnen)erg 'ersuaded Ar!hur /a!! of Grey and myself !o solici! !he Greyhound (us accoun!; in !andem. He s'ecified !ha! , was !o 0u'grade !he image of )us !ravel$5 while Grey was !o 0'u! arses on !he sea!s.5 /a!! and I flew !o &an /rancisco$ where !he Greyhound 'eo'le were holding a conven!ion. As soon as we had checked in!o our ho" !el$ he showed me his 'resen!a!ion. His research de'ar!men! had 'ene!ra!ed !o !he hear! of !he 'ro)lem$ and his co'ywri!ers had de" velo'ed a slogan which hi! !he nail on !he head;I!s such a common !o !ake !he )us and leave +he driving !o us. F /or!hwi!h I called !he Greyhound adver!ising manager on !he house 'hone$ and invi!ed him !o 1oin me in /a!!s room.

0Ar!hur /a!! has 1us! shown me his half of our 1oin! 'resen!a" !ion. I! is !he )es! I have ever seen. I advise you !o give your whole accoun! !o Grey. +o make your decision easier$ I am now re!urning !o 9ew 3ork.5 I !hen lef! !he room$ and Grey was a''oin!ed. I have never wan!ed !o ge! an accoun! so )ig !ha! I could no! af" ford !o lose i!. +he day you do !ha!$ you commi! yourself !o living wi!h fear. /righ!ened agencies lose !he courage !o give candid ad" vice8 once you lose !ha! you )ecome a lackey. +his was wha! lead me !o refuse an invi!a!ion !o com'e!e for !he 6dsel accoun!. I wro!e !o /ord= 03our accoun! would re'resen! one" half of our !o!al )illing. +his would make i! difficul! for us !o sus!ain our inde'endence of counsel.5 If we had en!ered !he 6dsel con!es!$ and if we had won i!$ Ogilvy$ (enson I Ma!her would have gone down !he drain wi!h 6dsel. #e !ake immense 'ains !o selec! our clien!s. I! is !rue !ha! we have selec!ed a few clien!s who have no! ye! selec!ed us$ )u! we 'er" severe in !heir 'ursui!$ and we !urn down an average of fif!y"nine less desira)le accoun!s every year. I! is no! generally reali<ed !ha! !here aren! enough firs!"class agencies !o go around. /or e*am'le$ when !he soa' manufac!urers have ro'ed off !heir !wen!y"one agencies$ !here are only !wo lef! which could mee! !heir s!andards. My am)i!ion is !o add one new clien! every !wo years. /as!er grow!h would force us !o engage new s!aff fas!er !han we could !rain !hem$ and !o diver! !oo much of our )es! )rain 'ower from !he ser" vice of our old clien!s !o !he difficul! work involved in 'lanning !he firs! cam'aigns for new ones. I seek accoun!s which mee! !en cri!e" ria= P,F +he 'roduc! mus! )e one which we would )e 'roud !o ad" ver!ise. On !hose few occasions when we have adver!ised 'roduc!s which we 'riva!ely des'ised$ we have failed. A lawyer may )e a)le !o defend a murderer whom he knows !o )e guil!y$ and a surgeon may )e a)le !o o'era!e on a man he dislikes$ )u! 'rofessional de" !achmen! doesn! work in adver!ising. &ome measure of 'ersonal commi!men! is re7uired )efore a co'ywri!er can sell a 'roduc!. ECF I never acce'! an accoun! unless I )elieve !ha! we can do a cons'icuously )e!!er 1o) !han !he 'revious agency. #hen +he 9ew 3ork +imes asked us !o do !heir adver!ising$ I declined$ )ecause I didn! !hink we could 'roduce )e!!er adver!isemen!s !han !he )rillian! ones !hey had )een running. E.F I s!eer clear of 'roduc!s whose sales have )een falling over a long 'eriod$ )ecause !his almos! always means !ha! !here is an in" !rinsic weakness in !he 'roduc!$ or !ha! !he managemen! of !he com" 'any is incom'e!en!. 9o amoun! of good adver!ising can make u' for ei!her of !hese deficiencies. However hungry a new agency may )e$ i! mus! have !he self" res!rain! !o !urn down mori)und accoun!s. A surgeon wi!h an es!a)" lished 'rac!ice can afford !o have an occasional 'a!ien! die on !he o'era!ing !a)le$ )u! a young surgeons whole career can )e ruined )y such a misadven!ure. I used !o dread having one of our accoun!s die on our o'era!ing !a)le. EJF I! is im'or!an! !o find ou! whe!her !he 'ros'ec!ive clien! wan!s his agency !o make a 'rofi!. I have had !he galling e*'erience of hel'ing !o make clien!s in!o mul!imillionaires while losing my shir! in !heir service. +he average 'rofi! made )y adver!ising agen" cies is now less !han half of one 'er cen!. #e !read a narrow knife" edge$ 'oised )e!ween overservicing our clien!s and going )roke$ or underservicing !hem and ge!!ing fired.

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-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

EKF If !he accoun! is unlikely !o )e 'rofi!a)le$ would i! give you a chance !o crea!e remarka)le adver!ising2 #e never made much 'rofi! on Guinness or %olls"%oyce$ )u! !hey gave us golden o''or!u" ni!ies !o demons!ra!e our crea!ive e*cellence. +here is no 7uicker way !o 'u! a new agency on !he ma'. +he only danger is !ha! i! gives you a lo'sided re'u!a!ion. +he )usiness world assumes !ha! if a small agency demons!ra!es a genius for crea!ing grea! adver!ise" men!s$ i! mus! )e weak in research and marke!ing. I! seldom occurs !o 'eo'le !ha! if you se! high s!andards in one de'ar!men!$ you are likely !o se! high s!andards in every de'ar!men!. EI myself was soon !y'e"cas! as a good co'ywri!er$ )u! an igno" ramus in every o!her de'ar!men!. +his irri!a!ed me$ )ecause my long sui! was no! co'y a! all$ )u! research8 I had run !he Audience %e" search Ins!i!u!e for Dr. Gallu'. +he )igges! 'ro)lem which )ese!s almos! every agency is !he 'ro)lem of 'roducing good cam'aigns. Co'ywri!ers$ ar! direc!ors$ and !elevision 'roducers are easily come )y$ )u! !he num)er of men who can 'reside over an agencys en!ire crea!ive ou!'u!;'erha's a hundred new cam'aigns every year;can )e num)ered on !he fin" gers of one hand. +hese rare !rum'e!er swans mus! )e ca'a)le of in" s'iring a mo!ley crew of wri!ers and ar!is!s8 !hey mus! )e sure"foo!ed 1udges of cam'aigns for a wide range of differen! 'roduc!s8 !hey mus! )e good 'resen!ers8 and !hey mus! have a colossal a''e!i!e for midnigh! oil. #ord go! around !ha! I was one of !hese rare )irds$ and i! oc" curred !o several of !he )ig agencies !ha! !hey should hire me$ even if !hey had !o !ake my whole agency !o ge! me. In a 'eriod of !hree years I received such offers from ?. #al!er +hom'son$ McCann" 6rickson$ ((DO$ Leo (urne!!$ and five o!her agencies. If i! had oc" curred !o any of !hem !o woo me wi!h gold$ I would have suc" cum)ed. (u! !hey all made !he mis!ake of assuming !ha! I was more in!eres!ed in 0crea!ive challenge$5 wha!ever !ha! may )e.F A lo'sided re'u!a!ion for crea!ivi!y dis7ualifies an agency from ge!!ing )ig accoun!s. (u! i! is some!hing you mus! risk if you are ever going !o esca'e from o)scuri!y. I! wasn! un!il 6s!y &!owell 1oined us in ,-KG !ha! our agency )egan !o ac7uire a re'u!a!ion for s!reng!h in all de'ar!men!s. He had )een 6*ecu!ive Bice residen! of (en!on I (owles$ which was widely regarded as !he )es! of all agencies in !he marke!ing area. He was !he sym)ol we re7uired !o offse! my re'u!a!ion as a mere co'ywri!er8 he was also a very a)le man. #i!h a sigh of relief I !urned over !o him !he managemen! of every de'ar!men! in !he agency e*ce'! !he crea!ive de'ar!men!s. /rom !ha! 'oin! on our agency )egan !o grow in )igger chunks$ EAF +he rela!ionshi' )e!ween a manufac!urer and his adver!is" ing agency is almos! as in!ima!e as !he rela!ionshi' )e!ween a 'a!ien! and his doc!or. Make sure !ha! you can live ha''ily wi!h your 'ro" s'ec!ive clien! )efore you acce'! his accoun!. #hen a 'ros'ec!ive clien! comes !o see me for !he firs! !ime$ I s!ar! )y finding ou! why he wan!s !o change agencies. If I have rea" son !o sus'ec! !ha! he has )een resigned$ I ask a friend in his 'revi" ous agency. Only recen!ly I discovered in !he nick of !ime !ha! a 'ro" s'ec!ive clien! had )een resigned8 his 'revious agency !old me !ha! he needed a 'sychia!ris! more !han an agency. EGF I avoid clien!s for whom adver!ising is only a marginal fac" !or in !heir marke!ing mi*. +hey have an awkward !endency !o raid !heir adver!ising a''ro'ria!ions whenever !hey need cash for o!her 'ur'oses. I 'refer clien!s for whom adver!ising is !he )rea!h of life. #e !hen find ourselves o'era!ing a! !he indis'ensa)le hear! of our clien!s )usiness$ ins!ead of on !he frivolous fringe.

On !he whole$ !he mos! lucra!ive accoun!s are 'roduc!s of low uni! cos!$ universal use$ and fre7uen! 'urchase. +hey genera!e larger )udge!s$ and more o''or!uni!ies for !es!ing$ !han high"'riced dur" a)les. ELF I never !ake new 'roduc!s$ )efore !hey have emerged from !he la)ora!ory$ unless !hey are included in a ham'er wi!h ano!her 'roduc! which has already reached na!ional dis!ri)u!ion. I! cos!s an agency more !o s!eer a new 'roduc! !hrough !es! marke!s !han !o handle a going 'roduc!$ and eigh! ou! of !en new 'roduc!s die in !es! marke!s. #i!h an over"all 'rofi! margin of one"half of one 'er cen!$ we canno! afford !his risk. E-F If you as'ire !o 'roduce grea! adver!ising$ never !ake asso" cia!ions as clien!s. &ome years ago$ we were invi!ed !o com'e!e for !he %ayon Manufac!urers Associa!ion accoun!. I duly 'resen!ed my" self a! !heir head7uar!ers and was ushered in!o a 'om'ous commi!!ee room. 0Mr. Ogilvy$5 said !he chairman$ 0we are in!erviewing several agencies. 3ou have e*ac!ly fif!een minu!es !o 'lead your case. +hen I will ring !his )ell$ and !he re'resen!a!ive of !he ne*! agency$ who is already wai!ing ou!side$ will follow you.5 (efore launching in!o my 'i!ch$ I asked !hree 7ues!ions= 0How many of !he end"uses for rayon mus! )e covered in your cam'aign25 Answer= au!omo)ile !ires$ furnishing fa)rics$ indus!rial 'roduc!s$ womens clo!hing$ mens clo!hing. 0How much money is availa)le25 Answer= NA@@$@@@. 0How many 'eo'le mus! O: !he adver!ise" men!s25 Answer= !he !welve mem)ers of !he Commi!!ee$ re'resen!" ing !welve manufac!urers. 0%ing !he )ell45 I said$ and walked ou!. +hems !he condi!ions wha! 'revail wi!h almos! all associa!ion ac" coun!s. +oo many mas!ers$ !oo many o)1ec!ives$ !oo li!!le money. E,@F &ome!imes a 'ros'ec!ive clien! offers you )usiness on con" di!ion !ha! you hire an individual whom he )elieves !o )e indis'en" sa)le !o !he managemen! of his adver!ising. +he agencies which 'lay !his game wind u' wi!h a crew of 'oli!icians who cock snooks a! !heir 'lans )oard$ ignore !heir co'y chief$ and )lackmail !heir man" agemen!. I have some!imes hired a)le men on condi!ion !ha! !hey did no! )ring !heir ves!"'ocke! accoun!s wi!h !hem. However !horoughly you inves!iga!e 'ros'ec!ive clien!s$ i! is almos! im'ossi)le !o find ou! whe!her !hey 7ualify on all !hese coun!s un!il you mee! !hem face !o face. 3ou !hen find yourself in a delica!e 'osi!ion$ simul!aneously selling your agency and elici!ing from !he 'ros'ec! enough informa!ion a)ou! himself and his 'roduc! !o decide whe!her you wan! his accoun!. I! 'ays !o lis!en more !han you !alk. In early days I some!imes made !he mis!ake of no! e*hi)i!ing sufficien! en!husiasm for !he accoun! I was solici!ing. My s!yle was !oo diffiden!. +hus when +ed Moscoso$ !he )rillian! head of uer!o %icos O'era!ion (oo!s!ra'$ firs! came !o see me$ he wen! away wi!h !he im'ression !ha! i! was a ma!!er of indifference !o me whe!her he hired us or no!. I! !ook me a long !ime !o convince him !ha! I really wan!ed !o work for uer!o %ico. &hor!ly af!er our a''oin!men! as !he agency for uer!o %ico$ I wro!e !o Moscoso= #e mus! su)s!i!u!e a lovely image of uer!o %ico for !he s7ualid image which now e*is!s in !he minds of mos! main"landers. +his is of cardinal im'or!ance !o your indus!rial develo'men!$ your rum indus!ry$ your !ourism and your 'oli!ical evolu!ion. #ha! is uer!o %ico2 #ha! is !he 'ersonali!y of !his island2 #ha! face shall uer!o %ico show !o !he world2 Is uer!o %ico no more !han a )ackward coun!ry in !he !hroes of i!s indus!rial revolu" !ion2 Is !he island !o remain wha! Ma* Ascoli calls 0!he /ormosa of

,.

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

!he 9ew Dealers52 Is i! in !he 'rocess of )ecoming a la!!erday 9or!h hiladel'hia2 Or is !here a soul alive in !he )ody economic2 Is uer!o %ico !o )e overrun )y vulgar !ouris!s$ and changed in!o a second"class Miami (each2 Have uer!o %i"cans forgo!!en !heir &'anish heri!age in a mad rush !o 'rove how American !hey are2 +hese imminen! !ragedies need no! )e. And one of !he sures! ways !o 'reven! !hem is !o s!ar! a long"range adver!ising cam'aign !ha! will 'resen! uer!o %ico !o !he world in !he image which in" s'ires us all;an image of uer!o %ico in renaissance. +ed Moscoso and Governor Muno< acce'!ed !his 'ro'osal$ and we launched !he cam'aign which is s!ill running$ nine years la!er. I! has had a 'rofound effec! on !he for!unes of uer!o %ico. I! is$ I )e" lieve$ !he only ins!ance of an adver!ising cam'aign changing !he im" age of a coun!ry. One day in ,-K-$ Moscoso and I were lunching wi!h (eardsley %uml and 6lmo %o'er a! !he Cen!ury. #alking me )ack !o my of" fice$ Moscoso said$ 0David$ youve )een doing our uer!o %ico ad" ver!ising for five years. +his af!ernoon Im going !o !ele'hone all your o!her clien!s and invi!e !hem !o 1oin me in a 'ro'osi!ion= if you will s!o' solici!ing new clien!s$ we will 'romise never !o fire you. #ouldn! you like !o devo!e all your energy !o !he clien!s you al" ready have$ and s!o' was!ing your !ime in !he 'ursui! of new ones25 I was sorely !em'!ed !o encourage !his novel 'ro'osal. Landing new clien!s is e*ci!ing$ )u! each one increases my load of home" work8 eigh!y hours a week are enough. (u! my younger 'ar!ners were hungry for new challenges. #ha!s more$ even !he )es! agen" cies lose accoun!s. &ome!imes i! ha''ens !ha! clien!s sell !heir com" 'anies8 some!imes !hey hire )ullies !o manage !heir adver!ising$ and I always resign from !he service of )ullies. &o$ if you s!o' adding new clien!s$ you s!ar! )leeding !o dea!h. E(u! !his doesn! mean !ha! you have !o follow (en Duffys e*am'le. #hen he was head of ((DO he !ook every new accoun! !ha! was offered$ and wound u' wi!h ,AG8 !he 'ressure almos! killed him. &!anley %esor was !he o'" 'osi!e. In his firs! year as head of ?. #al!er +hom'son he resigned a hundred accoun!s$ un'rofi!a)le undergrow!h. +ha! was his firs! s!e' in making ?#+ !he )igges! agency in !he world.F A 'os!ure of en!husiasm is no! always !he one )es! calcula!ed !o succeed. /ive or si* !imes I have !urned down accoun!s which did no! mee! our 7ualifica!ions$ only !o find !ha! !he ac! of re1ec!ion in" flamed !he clien!s desire !o hire our agency. #hen a famous &wiss wa!ch manufac!urer offered us his accoun!$ we declined$ )ecause his adver!isemen!s had !o )e a''roved no! only )y head7uar!ers in &wi!" <erland )u! also )y !he American im'or!er$ and no adver!ising agen! can serve !wo mas!ers. (u! ins!ead of declining in a s!raigh!forward way$ I said !ha! we would acce'! !he accoun! if we were 'aid CK 'er cen! ins!ead of !he usual ,K 'er cen! commission. +he clien! 'rom'!ly agreed. &ome!imes a manufac!urer in search of a new agency releases !o !he news'a'ers !he names of !he agencies he is considering. #hen"

ever we are revealed as one of !he sui!ors$ I wi!hdraw from !he con" !es!8 i! is unwise !o risk )eing 'u)licly defea!ed. I like !o succeed in 'u)lic$ )u! !o fail in secre!. I avoid con!es!s in which more !han four o!her agencies are in" volved. +he ri!ual of com'e!i!ive cour!shi' re7uires a series of long mee!ings. A ho! agency finds i!self on !he sho''ing lis! of almos! every 'ros'ec!ive clien!$ and i! is all !oo easy for i!s !o' man !o fri!!er away his !ime in !his way. #e have o!her fish !o fry;!he fish of our 'resen! clien!s. +he mos! desira)le cour!shi' is !he kind which involves no o!her agency. +his is )ecoming increasingly rare$ )ecause cor'ora!e men now seem !o !hink i! naugh!y !o hire a new agency wi!hou! com'aring !he meri!s of several. In Cha'!er IB I will offer !hem free advice on !he righ! way !o go a)ou! selec!ing a new agency. Mos! agencies send large delega!ions !o 'resen! !heir case !o 'ros'ec!ive clien!s. +he head of !he agency limi!s his own 'ar!ici'a" !ion !o in!roducing a series of su)ordina!es$ who !ake !urns harangu" ing !he 'ros'ec!. I have always 'referred !o make !he 'resen!a!ion myself. +he final choice of agency is almos! always made )y !he head of !he clien! com'any$ and chairmen should )e harangued )y chairmen. I have also found !ha! fre7uen! changes of s'eaker lead !o con" fusion wi!h !he o!her agencies which are com'e!ing for !he accoun!. One orches!ra looks like every o!her orches!ra$ )u! !here is no con" fusing one conduc!or wi!h ano!her. #hen we were invi!ed !o solici! !he &ears$ %oe)uck accoun! I )earded !heir )oard of direc!ors )y my" self. &o'his!ica!ed cor'ora!ions are seldom deceived )y a show of )odies. +he agencies wi!h !he )es! record in new")usiness solici!a" !ion rely on !heir leader !o 'u! on solo 'erformances. E#hen you consider !he re'ulsive 'ersonali!ies of many of !hese solois!s$ you are forced !o conclude !ha! singulari!y is an im'or!an! ingredien! in winning accoun!s.F I always !ell 'ros'ec!ive clien!s a)ou! !he chinks in our armor. I have no!iced !ha! when an an!i7ue dealer draws my a!!en!ion !o flaws in a 'iece of furni!ure$ he wins my confidence. #ha! are !he chinks in our armor2 +he !wo mos! im'or!an! are !hese= #e have no u)lic %ela!ions de'ar!men!. I !ake !he view !ha! 'u)lic rela!ions should )e handled )y !he manufac!urer himself$ or )y s'ecialis! counsel. #e have never 'roduced a !elevision s'ec!acular. I have a 'ho" )ia for !hese e*!ravagan<as8 wi!h rare e*ce'!ions !hey cos! !oo much in rela!ion !o !he si<e of !he audience !hey deliver. +ry as I may$ I have never )een a)le !o s'ace !he ac7uisi!ion of new accoun!s a! convenien! in!ervals. /or mon!hs on end$ no!hing ha''ens. I )egin !o wonder if we will ever ge! ano!her accoun!. My s!aff )ecomes des'onden!. +hen we ge! !hree )eau!ies in ra'id suc" cession$ and !he load of urgen! work )ecomes un)eara)le. +he only solu!ion is !o )uild a wai!ing lis! of would")e clien!s$ and !o admi! !hem one )y one a! !imes of our own choosing. +ha! will )e !he day.

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-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

III
How to Kee Clients

+H6 seven"year i!ch is no! confined !o ma!rimony. I! also af" flic!s !he rela!ionshi' )e!ween adver!ising agen!s and !heir clien!s. +he average clien! changes agencies once every seven years. He ge!s )ored wi!h his agency$ much as a gourme! ge!s )ored wi!h !he re'er" !oire of his chef. #inning a new accoun! is a heady e*'erience$ )u! losing one is 'ure hell. #ha! do you do !o convince your o!her clien!s !ha! !hey !oo should no! dismiss you2 I have seen !wo large agencies colla'se af!er one defec!ing clien! s!ar!ed a run on !he )ank8 i! is a sickening s'ec!acle. #ha! does !he agency 'residen! do a)ou! his conscience when he knows !ha! i! was his own faul! !ha! his agency los! !he ac"B coun!2 How can he$ in common decency$ fire !he 'eo'le who worked on !he accoun! and did !heir )es! !o offse! his own s!u'idi!y2 &ome of !hem may )e men of rare a)ili!y$ and he will need !hem !o work on !he ne*! new accoun! he )rings in. (u! can he afford !o kee' !hem on ice2 Generally no!. I have seen agencies fire a hundred 'eo" 'le when !hey have los! a single accoun!8 and some of !hose 'oor devils were !oo old !o ge! ano!her 1o). +his is one reason why agen" cies have !o 'ay such high salaries8 ne*! !o !he !hea!er$ adver!ising is 'ro)a)ly !he leas! secure of all careers. If you as'ire !o manage an agency$ you mus! acce'! !he fac! !ha! you are always going !o )e !raveling on !he edge of a 'reci'ice. If you are na!urally an insecure$ frigh!ened 'erson$ woe )e!ide you. 3ou are in for a rough 'assage. I envy my friends who are doc!ors. +hey have so many 'a!ien!s !ha! !he defec!ion of one canno! ruin !hem. 9or is !he defec!ion re" 'or!ed in !he news'a'ers for all !heir o!her 'a!ien!s !o read. I also envy lawyers. +hey can go on !heir vaca!ions$ safe in !he knowledge !ha! o!her lawyers are no! making love !o !heir clien!s. 9ow !ha! I have ac7uired a 'or!folio of nine!een s'lendid clien!s$ I wish !ha! a law could )e 'assed making i! illegal for agencies !o so" lici!. In &weden !he )ig agencies have go! such a law on!o !he s!a!u!e )ooks$ in deligh!ful res!rain! of !rade. +here are cer!ain s!e's you can !ake !o reduce !he !urnover. /irs! and foremos!$ you can devo!e your )es! )rains !o !he service of your clien!s$ ins!ead of diver!ing !hem !o !he 'ursui! of new ones. I have always for)idden my accoun! e*ecu!ives !o hun! new clien!s$ )e" cause i! corru'!s !hem$ like 'laying !he horses. +hey s!ar! neglec!ing !heir 'resen! clien!s$ and !he revolving door s!ar!s s'inning. &econd$ you can avoid hiring uns!a)le$ 7uarrelsome e*ecu!ives. Madison Avenue is full of masochis!s who unconsciously 'rovoke re1ec!ion )y !heir clien!s. I know )rillian! men who have los! every accoun! !hey have ever handled. And I know 'edes!rian nonen!i!ies

who have a genius for crea!ing rela!ionshi's of calm s!a)ili!y )e" !ween !he agency and i!s clien!s. +hird$ you can avoid !aking on clien!s who have a record of fir" ing !heir agencies a! fre7uen! in!ervals. 3ou may !hink !ha! you can cure !hem of !heir infideli!y$ )u! !he odds are agains! you$ as !hey are when you marry a much"divorced woman. /our!h$ you can kee' in con!ac! wi!h your clien!s a! all !heir lev" els. (u! !his is )ecoming increasingly difficul! as !he )ig adver!isers 'ile level u'on level;assis!an! )rand managers re'or!ing !o )rand managers$ re'or!ing !o division heads$ re'or!ing !o marke!ing vice 'residen!s$ re'or!ing !o e*ecu!ive vice 'residen!s$ re'or!ing !o 'resi" den!s$ re'or!ing !o chairmen;wi!h a )a!!ery of consul!an!s$ commi!" !ees$ and s!aff officers heckling !he agency from !he wings. I! has )ecome !he fashion for mos! cor'ora!e chairmen and 'residen!s !o insula!e !hemselves from all con!ac! wi!h !heir agen" cies. Mind you$ !hey s!ill make !he im'or!an! decisions wi!h res'ec! !o !heir adver!ising$ )u! !hey never see !he agency 'eo'le face !o face$ and !heir henchmen are of!en incom'e!en! !o serve as go" )e!weens. /re7uen!ly I hear adver!ising managers 7uo!e !heir 'resi" den!s as u!!ering s!u'idi!ies which I know !hey could never have said. And I have no dou)! !ha! !hese same 'residen!s hear me 7uo!ed as saying some 're!!y silly !hings. (efore you know i!$ you are fired. I! reminds me of a s!ory !old during !he /irs! #orld #ar. A )ri" gade ma1or sen! a ver)al message )ack from !he fron!"line !rench !o his divisional head7uar!ers. +he message s!ar!ed ou! as 0&end u' re" inforcemen!s$ we are going !o advance.5 (y !he !ime i! had )een re" 'ea!ed from mou!h !o mou!h !hrough all !he levels$ i! reached head" 7uar!ers as 0&end u' !hree"and"four"'ence$ we are going !o a dance.5 One of !he reasons why !he !o' 'eo'le in )ig cor'ora!ions show !his !endency !o deal wi!h agencies a! arms leng!h is !ha! !hey dis" like !he whole )usiness of adver!ising. I! is so in!angi)le. #hen !hey )uild new fac!ories$ or issue new s!ock$ or )uy raw ma!erials$ !hey know e*ac!ly wha! !hey are ge!!ing. +hese 'ro'osi!ions are 'resen!ed !o !hem cu!"and"dried$ wi!h all !he fac!s and figures !hey need !o 1us" !ify !heir decision !o !heir s!ockholders. (u! adver!ising is s!ill an in" e*ac! s'ecula!ion. As !he firs! Lord Leverhulme Eand ?ohn #ana" maker af!er himF com'lained$ 0Half !he money I s'end on adver!is" ing is was!ed$ and !he !rou)le is I don! know which half.5 Manufac!urers who have come u' !hrough 'roduc!ion or ac" coun!ing or research are a'! !o )e sus'icious of adver!ising 'eo'le$ )ecause !hey are !oo ar!icula!e. +ha! is why some inar!icula!e dull" ards have done so well as !he heads of agencies= !hey make !heir cli" en!s feel comfor!a)le. Ano!her !hing you can do !o reduce !he risk of losing accoun!s is !o ado'! my ice")o* 'olicy. As soon as a clien! has a''roved a ,K

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

new cam'aign$ )egin work !o develo' ano!her one$ and 'u! i! in !es! marke!s. 3ou will !hen )e ready wi!h a sho! in your locker if your firs! cam'aign flo's$ or incurs !he dis'leasure of your clien!s !o' managemen! for some more su)1ec!ive reason. +his res!less 're'ara" !ion of reserve 'osi!ions will cu! in!o your 'rofi!s and e*as'era!e your co'ywri!ers$ )u! i! will 'rolong your !enure of accoun!s. I have always !ried !o si! on !he same side of !he !a)le as my cli" en!s$ !o see 'ro)lems !hrough !heir eyes. I )uy shares in !heir com" 'any$ so !ha! I can !hink like a mem)er of !heir family. #hen I !ake a !o!al view of !heir )usiness$ I am )e!!er a)le !o give !hem sound ad" vice. If !hey would elec! me !o !heir )oard of direc!ors$ i! would )e even easier !o iden!ify myself wi!h !heir )es! in!eres!s. 3oung eager )eavers of!en have !he )righ! idea of com)ining !wo of !heir clien!s in a 1oin! o'era!ion. +hey may sugges! !ha! one clien! should moun! a con!es! and offer ano!her clien!s 'roduc! as !he 'ri<e8 or !ha! !wo clien!s should share an adver!isemen! in maga" <ines. +his dou)ling"u' can )e dangerous !o !he agency8 almos! in" varia)ly one of !he clien!s will feel !ha! he has go! !he shor! end of !he s!ick. #hen you !ry !o um'ire dis'u!es )e!ween clien!s$ you end u' wi!h a )loody nose. I was )rough! u' !o kee' my clien!s a'ar!. +he only !ime !he head of Ha!haway me! !he head of &chwe''es was when !hey wen! !o )uy a %olls"%oyce on !he same morning. I never !ell one clien! !ha! I canno! a!!end his sales conven!ion )ecause I have a 'revious engagemen! wi!h ano!her clien!8 success" ful 'olygamy de'ends u'on 're!ending !o each s'ouse !ha! she is !he only 'e))le on your )each. If one clien! asks me wha! resul!s I have )een ge!!ing wi!h a cam'aign for ano!her clien!$ I change !he su)1ec!. +his may irri!a!e him$ )u! if I were !o give him !he informa!ion he asks$ he would 'ro)a)ly conclude !ha! I would )e e7ually indiscree! wi!h his secre!s. Once a clien! loses confidence in your discre!ion$ youve had i!. &ome!imes a clien! hires an adver!ising manager who is so in", com'e!en! !ha! you have !o denounce him. (u! I have only done !his !wice in fif!een years. In one case !he man was a 'sycho!ic whom I had fired si* mon!hs )efore. In !he o!her case he was a 'a!hological liar. Mos! reasona)le clien!s seem !o regard i! as your du!y !o aler! !hem when you de!ec! a weak link in !he chain of communica!ion )e" !ween !heir !o' managemen! and yours. I was once !aken !o !ask )y a clien! for no! warning him !ha! our accoun! e*ecu!ive was ghos!ing his )rand managers marke!ing 'lans. Clien!s do no! hesi!a!e !o )lack)all our accoun! e*ecu!ives. &ome!imes !hey are righ!8 some!imes !hey are wrong. In ei!her case i! is )e!!er for all concerned !o !ransfer !he vic!im !o ano!her 1o)$ and !o do i! )efore !he smoke )urs!s in!o flame and ru'!ures !he whole agency"clien! rela!ionshi'. One of !he mos! )rillian! colleagues I ever had was )lack)alled )y !hree clien!s in one year8 !he e*'erience hur! him so )adly !ha! he lef! !he agency )usiness forever. If you are !oo !hin"skinned !o sur" vive !his ha<ard$ you should no! )ecome an accoun! e*ecu!ive in an adver!ising agency. I always use my clien!s 'roduc!s. +his is no! !oadyism$ )u! elemen!ary good manners. Almos! every!hing I consume is manufac" !ured )y one of my clien!s. My shir!s are )y Ha!haway$ my candle" s!icks )y &!eu)en. My car is a %olls"%oyce$ and i!s !ank is always full of &u'er &hell. I have my sui!s made )y &ears$ %oe)uck. A! )reakfas! I drink Ma*well House coffee or +e!ley +ea$ and ea! !wo slices of e''eridge /arm !oas!. I wash wi!h Dove$ deodori<e wi!h (an$ and ligh! my 'i'e wi!h a Qi''o ligh!er. Af!er sundown I drink no!hing )u! uer!o %ico rum and &chwe''es. I read maga<ines and

news'a'ers which are 'rin!ed on 'a'er from !he mills of In!erna" !ional a'er. #hen I go on vaca!ion Ein (ri!ain or uer!o %icoF I ge! my reserva!ions !hrough American 6*'ress and !ravel )y :LM or IO"Orien! Lines. And why no!$ 'ray !ell2 Are !hese no! !he fines! goods and ser" vices on ear!h2 I !hink !hey are$ and !ha! is why I adver!ise !hem. #hen a clien! hires our agency$ i! is )ecause he has decided !ha! i! is !he )es! availa)le !o him. His advisers have reached !his decision af!er making a !horough s!udy of wha! we have !o offer. (u! as !ime goes )y$ he ac7uires new advisers. 6very !ime !his ha''ens$ i! is e*" 'edien! for !he agency !o convince !he new adviser !ha! his 'redeces" sor was righ! in selec!ing our agency. +he new adviser should )e !rea!ed as if he were a new )usiness 'ros'ec!. #i!h )ig cor'ora!ions$ !his 'rocess of reselling !he agency never ends. I! is !ime"consuming and wearisome$ )u! i! is vi!ally im'or!an!. 9ew )rooms are a cons!an! !hrea! !o !he s!a)ili!y of agency"clien! re" la!ionshi's. +he mos! dangerous !hing !ha! can ha''en !o an agency is !o de'end on a single 'ersonal !ie wi!h a clien! com'any. If !he 'resi" den! of a large manufac!uring organi<a!ion hires your agency )e" cause he likes your 'residen!$ you mus! !ake urgen! s!e's !o forge !ies a! lower levels. Only when !he agency is wired in a! every level can you ho'e for !enure. I do no! )elieve in res!ric!ing con!ac! wi!h !he clien! !o !he ac" coun! e*ecu!ives. I! works )e!!er !o have 'eo'le from your service de'ar!men!s;research$ media$ co'y$ ar!$ !elevision 'roduc!ion$ mer" chandising$ and so on;ge! !o know your clien!. +his some!imes 're" sen!s comic 'ro)lems$ )ecause our )ackroom )oys are no! always remarka)le for !heir !ac!$ and some of !hem are unim'ressive in !heir 'ersons. I! !akes a clien! of rare 'erce'!ion !o recogni<e !ha! a !ongue"!ied ho))ledehoy may )e ca'a)le of wri!ing a commercial which will dou)le his sales.

888
I! is difficul! for a doc!or !o !ell a 'a!ien! !ha! he is suffering from a serious disease$ and i! is e7ually difficul! !o !ell a clien! !ha! his 'roduc! has a serious faul!. I have known clien!s who resen! such candor more !han !hey would resen! cri!icism of !heir wives. A manufac!urers 'ride in his 'roduc! almos! always )linds him !o i!s shor!comings. (u! !he !ime comes in !he life of every adver!ising agen! when he mus! gras' !his ne!!le. I confess !ha! I am no good a! i!. #hen I !old one clien! !ha! I had dou)!s a)ou! !he consis!ency of his s'aghe!!i$ his reac!ion was !o 7ues!ion whe!her I could do a good 1o) for any 'roduc! which I disliked8 we los! !he accoun!. On !he whole$ however$ I have o)served an increasing !endency on !he 'ar! of clien!s !o welcome candor$ 'ar!icularly when i! is )ased on !he re" sul!s of consumer research. +he head of an agency has so much on his 'la!e !ha! he is a'! !o see his clien!s only a! !imes of crisis. +his is a mis!ake. If you ge! in!o !he ha)i! of seeing clien!s when !he wea!her is calm$ you will es!a)lish an easy rela!ionshi' which may save your life when a s!orm )lows u'. I! is im'or!an! !o admi! your mis!akes$ and !o do so )efore you are charged wi!h !hem. Many clien!s are surrounded )y )uck"'assers who make a fine ar! of )laming !he agency for !heir own failures. I sei<e !he earlies! o''or!uni!y !o assume !he )lame. Come !o !hink of i!$ we have resigned !hree !imes as many cli" en!s as we have )een fired )y. I will no! allow my s!aff !o )e )ullied

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Confessions of an Advertising Man

)y !yran!s$ and I will no! run a cam'aign dic!a!ed )y a clien! unless I )elieve in i!s )asic soundness. #hen you do !ha!$ you im'eril !he crea!ive re'u!a!ion of your agency$ which ough! !o )e your mos! !reasured 'ossession. In ,-KJ I made !his very mis!ake. My friend ?erry (a)) a! Lever (ro!hers was insis!ing !ha! we adver!ise !he old %inso soa' 'owder and !he new %inso (lue de!ergen! in !he same adver!isemen!s. A s!udy of !he 'receden!s had !augh! me !ha! i! doesn! 'ay !o adver!ise !wo 'roduc!s in one adver!isemen!$ 'ar!icu" larly when one of !hem is new and !he o!her is o)solescen!. 6ven worse$ ?erry ins!ruc!ed me !o in1ec! a no!e of whimsical gaie!y in!o !he cam'aign. /or several weeks I !ried !o sell him !he kind of serious cam" 'aign which had 'roved successful for +ide and o!her de!ergen!s$ )u! ?erry was adaman!. &!orm signals were hois!ed. His righ!"hand man warned me !ha! unless I did as I was !old$ I would lose !he accoun!. In !he end$ I ca'i!ula!ed. I! !ook me !wo hours and a 'in! of uer!o %ican rum !o wri!e !he sillies! co'y in !he his!ory of adver!ising. I! was in verse$ !o )e sung !o !he !une of 0(oys and Girls Come Ou! !o lay5= %inso #hi!e or %inso (lue2 &oa' or de!ergen!;i!s u' !o you4 (o!h wash whi!er and )righ!er !han new$ +he choice$ dear lady$ is u' !o you4 +his dreadful doggerel duly a''eared. I los! more face !han I could afford8 my s!aff !hough! !ha! I had gone mad$ and !he working levels a! Lever (ro!hers concluded !ha! I had no conce'!ion of wha! kind of adver!ising was re7uired !o 'ersuade housewives !o )uy a de" !ergen!. &i* mon!hs la!er we were fired$ and deserved !o )e. 9or did !he mischief end !here. /or several years af!erward I found i! im'ossi)le !o ge! any serious marke!ing man !o 1oin Ogilvy$ (enson I Ma!her un!il I had !old him !ha! my o'inion of my idio!ic %inso cam'aign was as low as his own. +his e'isode !augh! me !ha! i! does no! 'ay !o a''ease clien!s on ma!!ers of grand s!ra!egy. One Munich was enough. I also resign accoun!s when !hey are un'rofi!a)le !o my agency. +his ha''ened wi!h %eed I (ar!on. Our commissions were no! )ig enough !o 'ay for !he services which were re7uired$ and %oger Hal" lowell$ who managed !his fine old family )usiness$ was unwilling !o make good !he losses we were incurring. I liked %oger and all his colleagues a! %eed I (ar!on$ )u! I was no! 're'ared !o !rade wi!h !hem indefini!ely a! a loss. I )elieve !ha! !hey made a mis!ake in al" lowing us !o resign8 we had made an im'or!an! con!ri)u!ion !o !heir 'rofi!s )y showing !hem how !o 're!es! new 'a!!erns for s!erling fla!ware. I! cos!s NK@@$@@@ !o launch a new 'a!!ern$ and no male e*" ecu!ive can 'redic! wha! 'a!!erns will a''eal !o nine!een"year"old )rides. I also resign accoun!s when I lose confidence in !he 'roduc!. I! is flagran!ly dishones! for an adver!ising agen! !o urge consumers !o )uy a 'roduc! which he would no! allow his own wife !o )uy. /rank Hummer!$ who succeeded Claude Ho'kins as co'y chief of Lord I +homas and !hen made a for!une as !he inven!or of soa' o'eras$ once !old me= 0All clien!s are 'igs. 3ou may s!ar! )y !hink" ing o!herwise$ )u! you will change your mind.5 +his has no! )een my e*'erience. I have encoun!ered a handful of 'igs and I have resigned !hem. (u! wi!h a very few e*ce'!ions$ I have loved my clien!s. If I hadn! )ecome his adver!ising agen!$ I would never have made friends wi!h +ed Moscoso$ !he grea! uer!o

%ican who )ecame American Am)assador !o Bene<uela and head of !he Alliance for rogress. If I hadn! landed !he &!eu)en Glass accoun!$ I would never have made friends wi!h Ar!hur Hough!on. I! was a grea! day for me when I reali<ed !ha! I had ac7uired as a clien! !he foremos! 'a!ron of con!em'orary ar!is!s in !he his!ory of indus!ry$ an eminen! au!hori!y on rare )ooks$ and !he mos! imagina!ive of 'hilan!hro'is!s. My lis! of clien!s who )ecame dear friends is a long one. 6ller" !on ?e!!e of Ha!haway enriched my life )y ge!!ing me elec!ed !o !he (oard of +rus!ees a! Col)y College. &ir Colin Anderson of IO" Orien! Lines is !he only clien! I have ever had who is e7ually e*'er! a! &co!!ish dancing and em)roidery. Commander #hi!ehead of &chwe''es s!ar!ed ou! as a clien! and )ecame one of my closes! com'anions. #e have )een shi'wrecked !oge!her$ and our wives solace each o!her )y com'aring no!es on !heir hus)ands vani!ies. Helena %u)ins!ein has always fascina!ed me. +his !iny olish )eau!y s!ar!ed her career in Aus!ralia in !he nine!een!h cen!ury$ and made a 'rofi! of R.@$@@@ when she was eigh!een years old. (y !he !ime she discovered me$ she had )ecome a ma!riarch$ in con!rol of com'anies all over !he world. In !he office she is a !error$ )u! she also has an irresis!i)le sense of humor. A hundred !imes I have seen her$ in !he middle of an o!herwise grim mee!ing$ so convulsed )y laugh!er !ha! !he !ears ran down her cheeks. As a friend$ she is an en" chan!ing com)ina!ion of gaie!y and generosi!y. Ano!her !hing I admire in Madame %u)ins!ein is her lack of 're!ense8 she is as remarka)le as she looks$ and no 're!ense is needed. +ha! is wha! Graham &u!herland ca'!ured in his 'or!rai! of her. &ome agencies 'ander !o !he cra<e for doing every!hing in commi!!ee. +hey )oas! a)ou! 0!eamwork5 and decry !he role of !he individual. (u! no !eam can wri!e an adver!isemen!$ and I dou)! whe!her !here is a single agency of any conse7uence which is no! !he leng!hened shadow of one man. Clien!s some!imes ask me wha! would )ecome of our agency if I were run over )y a !a*ica). I! would change. #hen &ena!or (en!on and Governor (owles lef! !heir agency$ i! changed;for !he )e!!er. ?. #al!er +hom'son survived !he de'ar!ure of Mr. +hom'son. McCann"6rickson hi! i!s s!ride af!er Harry McCann re!ired. 6ven !he re!iremen! of %aymond %u)icam$ who was 'ro)a)ly !he )es! agency head in his!ory$ failed !o arres! !he 'rogress of 3oung I %u)icam. Like a midwife$ I make my living )ringing new )a)ies in!o !he world$ e*ce'! !ha! mine are new adver!ising cam'aigns. Once or !wice a week I go in!o our Delivery %oom and 'reside over wha! is known as a resen!a!ion. +hese awesome ceremonies are a!!ended )y si* or seven of my henchmen and no!a)les from !he clien!s offi" cial family. +he a!mos'here is elec!ric. +he clien! knows !ha! he is going !o )e asked !o a''rove a cam'aign which will cos! millions. +he agency has inves!ed much !ime and !reasure in 're'aring i!s of" fering. A! my agency we always rehearse our 'resen!a!ions )efore our lans (oard$ on which si! our senior sena!ors. +hey are s!erner cri!" ics !han any clien! I have so far encoun!ered$ and !heir cri!icisms are e*'ressed in rougher language. (y !he !ime a cam'aign has 'assed !heir scru!iny$ i! is a'! !o )e good. (u! however well"documen!ed our 'resen!a!ion may )e$ how" ever !horoughly our 'lanners have assessed !he marke!ing reali!ies$ and however )rillian!ly our co'ywri!ers have done !heir work$ horri" )le !hings can ha''en a! +he resen!a!ion. If i! )egins early in !he morning$ !he clien! may have a hangover. On one occasion I made

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-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

!he mis!ake of 'resen!ing a new cam'aign !o &am (ronfman of &ea" gram af!er luncheon. He fell sound aslee'$ and awoke in such a 'oi" sonous humor !ha! he re1ec!ed !he cam'aign on which we had )een working for several mon!hs. (ronfman disliked !he conven!ion which mos! agencies o)serve of using several s'okesmen !o make !heir 'resen!a!ions. &o do I. I! is less dis!rac!ing !o !he audience if one man does all !he !alking. He should )e !he mos! 'ersuasive advoca!e availa)le$ and he should )e so !horoughly )riefed !ha! he can s!and u' under cross"e*amina!ion. I make more 'resen!a!ions !han mos! agency heads$ 'ar!ly )e" cause I fancy myself as an advoca!e$ and 'ar!ly )ecause I )elieve !ha! !here is no )e!!er way of demons!ra!ing !o !he clien! !ha! !he head of !he agency is 'ersonally involved in his affairs. I wonder if any )arris!er has !o s'end as many nigh!s as I do 're'aring for !he resen!a!ions which succeed each o!her wi!h such remorseless regu" lari!y. I! 'ays !o !ake immense 'ains in 're'aring !he 'lans you 'resen! !o clien!s. +hey should )e wri!!en wi!h !he ma*imum lucidi!y and !he leas! 'ossi)le mannerism. +hey should )e laced wi!h irrefu!a)le fac!s. (u! !here are s!ill a few clien!s who do no! like !heir agencies !o 'resen! adver!isemen!s in !he con!e*! of a well"documen!ed 'lan. +hey en1oy a''raising layou!s in a vacuum$ as if !hey were selec!ing 'ic!ures for an e*hi)i!ion. &ir /rederic Hoo'er of &chwe''es )e" longs !o !his school. +he firs! !ime I 'resen!ed a marke!ing 'lan !o him$ he 7uickly )ecame )ored. He had )een looking forward !o a di" ver!ing half"hour of li!erary cri!icism$ and found himself )eing su)" 1ec!ed !o a !edious reci!a!ion of marke!ing fac!s. On 'age ,- of my 'resen!a!ion I came !o a s!a!is!ic !ha! con!radic!ed one of his )asic assum'!ions. 0Ogilvy$5 he !hundered$ 0your s!a!is!ical a''roach !o adver!ising is 'osi!ively )a)yish.5 I wondered wha! effec! !his com'limen! would have on !he s!a!" is!icians who had 're'ared our 'lan. (u! I s!uck !o my guns$ and five years la!er &ir /rederic made an amende honora)le when he invi!ed me !o address an adver!ising conven!ion over which he was !o 're" side. He sugges!ed !ha! I !ake as my !e*! a conclusion a! which he had recen!ly arrived= 0In !he end$ clien!s are gra!eful !o adver!ising agen!s who !ell !hem !he !ru!h.5 (y !ha! !ime &chwe''es sales in !he Mni!ed &!a!es had increased K,G 'er cen!. #e lived ha''ily ever af" !er. Ano!her clien! who did no! wan! !o )e confused wi!h fac!s com" 'lained !o me wi!h !he u!mos! gravi!y$ 0David$ !he !rou)le wi!h your agency is !ha! i! con!ains !oo many 'eo'le wi!h o)1ec!ive minds.5 +he )es! !ool ever devised for e*'laining com'lica!ed 'lans !o commi!!ees is !he fli'"over easel$ which !he 'resen!er reads aloud. I! has !he effec! of rive!ing !he a!!en!ion of everyone in !he room on wha! you are saying. Here I have some advice !o offer. I! may sound !rivial$ )u! i! can )e crucial !o !he success of !he 'resen!a!ion= as you read aloud$ never de'ar! from your 'rin!ed !e*! )y a single word. +he !rick lies in assaul!ing your audience simul!aneously !hrough !heir eyes and !heir ears. If !hey see one se! of words$ and hear a dif" feren! se!$ !hey )ecome confused and ina!!en!ive.

I s!ill die a !housand dea!hs )efore every 'resen!a!ion. I am 'ar" !icularly nervous a)ou! !he im'ac! of my 6nglish accen!. How can an American manufac!urer 'ossi)ly have any confi" dence in !he a)ili!y of a foreigner !o influence !he )ehavior of American housewives2 In my hear! I know !ha! my years wi!h Dr. Gallu' a! rince!on gave me more insigh! in!o !he ha)i!s and men!al" i!y of !he American consumer !han mos! na!ive co'ywri!ers can )ring !o )ear$ and I always ho'e !ha! !his will )ecome a''aren! as my 'resen!a!ion unfolds. I !herefore o'en wi!h a*ioms which no)ody can 7ues!ion. (y !he !ime !he audience grows accus!omed !o my ac" cen!$ I launch in!o more con!roversial 1udgmen!s. +he firs! !ime I allowed a mem)er of my s!aff !o 'resen! one of my cam'aigns !o a clien!$ I knew !ha! my 'resence a! !he mee!ing would increase his nervousness. &o I concealed myself in !he ne*! room and o)served his 'erformance !hrough a 'ee'hole. His name was Garre! Lydecker$ and he 'erformed )e!!er !han I have ever done$ )efore or since. 9owadays I have several 'ar!ners who are firs!"class 'resen!ers$ and I no longer hesi!a!e !o a!!end !heir 'resen!a!ions. +hey have learned !o 'reserve !heir e7uanimi!y$ even when I heckle !hem. In !he discussion which follows$ we hammer ou! a 'osi!ion which was nei!her !he clien!s nor !he agencys a! !he )eginning of !he mee!ing. +he resul! is a feeling of comradeshi'$ cu!!ing across !he lines which !radi!ionally kee' agency and clien! on o''osi!e sides of !he !a)le. In some agencies !he accoun! e*ecu!ives are allowed !o )oss !he crea!ive 'eo'le. +his makes a good im'ression on some clien!s8 !hey )elieve !ha! !heir adver!ising is safer in !he hands of 0)usiness5 men. (u! i! crea!es an a!mos'here which inhi)i!s co'ywri!ers$ and !he cli" en! winds u' wi!h second"ra !e adver!ising. In o!her agencies !he ac" coun! e*ecu!ives are li!!le more !han wai!ers who carry confec!ions from !he cam'aign")uilders !o !he clien!s. +hey are for)idden !o ac" ce'! !he sligh!es! modifica!ion which !he clien! may 'ro'ose wi!hou! referring )ack !o head7uar!ers. Denied !he au!hori!y !o e*ercise !heir own 1udgmen!$ !hey end u' as errand )oys. I de'lore )o!h sys!ems. I have a)le co'ywri!ers$ and !hey work in !andem wi!h a)le accoun! e*ecu!ives who are em'owered !o nego" !ia!e wi!h clien!s. +he accoun! e*ecu!ives are sufficien!ly ma!ure !o manage every 'hase of !heir accoun!s wi!hou! challenging !he ul!i" ma!e su<erain!y of !he co'ywri!er. I! is a delica!e )alance$ and I know of only one o!her agency which has ever achieved i!. +he marke!ing 'lans coming ou! of our agency !oday are more 'rofessional$ more o)1ec!ive$ and )e!!er documen!ed !han !he 'lans I used !o wri!e in our early days. (u! some of !hem are wri!!en in a )usiness lingo which makes me s7uirm;'ercen!agewise$ im'or" !an!ly$ mi!iga!e agains!$ ma*imi<e$ and so on. As a )oy I was o)liged !o learn !welve verses of !he (i)le )y hear! )efore )reakfas! every morning$ and I read La!in from !he age of nine. A! O*ford I came under !he influence of dons who re1ec!ed !he German school of scholarshi';dry"as"dus!$ humorless$ and unreada)le. I was !augh! !o admire no! Mommsen$ )u! Gi))on$ Macaulay$ and +revelyan$ who wro!e !o )e read. +his kind of !raining did no! e7ui' me !o read !he !urgid documen!s which are my homework !oday. American )usi" nessmen are no! !augh! !ha! i! is a sin !o )ore your fellow crea!ures.

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Confessions of an Advertising Man

I#
How to Be a Good Client

O96 of !he )igges! adver!isers in !he world recen!ly engaged an illus!rious firm of managemen! engineers !o s!udy !he rela!ionshi' )e!ween his adver!ising and his 'rofi!. +he s!a!is!ician who made !he s!udy fell in!o a !ra' which is curiously common= he assumed !ha! !he only significan! varia)le was !he amoun! of money s'en! on ad" ver!ising from year !o year. He was no! aware !ha! a million dollars wor!h of effec!ive adver!ising can sell more !han !en million dollars wor!h of ineffec!ive adver!ising. Mail"order adver!isers have found !ha! a mere change of head" line can increase sales !en !imes8 and I have seen !elevision commer" cials sell five !imes as much of a 'roduc! as o!her commercials wri!" !en )y !he same man. I know of a )rewer who sells more of his )eer !o !he 'eo'le who never see his adver!ising !han !o !he 'eo'le who see i! every week. (ad adver!ising can unsell a 'roduc!. &ome!imes !he res'onsi)ili!y for such ca!as!ro'hes res!s on !he agency$ )u! of!en i! is !he clien! who is !o )lame. Clien!s ge! !he ad" ver!ising !hey deserve. I have worked for nine!y"si* of !hem$ and have had uni7ue o''or!uni!ies for com'aring !heir a!!i!udes and 'ro" cedures. &ome )ehave so )adly !ha! no agency could 'roduce effec" !ive adver!ising for !hem. &ome )ehave so well !ha! no agency could fail !o do so. In !his cha'!er$ I will se! down !he fif!een rules which I would o)ey in dealing wi!h my agency if I )ecame a clien!. +hey are calcu" la!ed !o e*!rac! !he )es! service. (1) Emancipate your agency from fear. Mos! agencies run scared$ mos! of !he !ime. +his is 'ar!ly )e" cause many of !he 'eo'le who gravi!a!e !o !he agency )usiness are na!urally insecure$ and 'ar!ly )ecause many clien!s make i! unmis" !aka)ly 'lain !ha! !hey are always on !he lookou! for a new agency. /righ!ened 'eo'le are 'owerless !o 'roduce good adver!ising. Af!er I resigned !he %olls"%oyce accoun!$ I invi!ed myself !o visi! !he /ord Mo!or Com'any$ 0!o ge! ac7uain!ed.5 +o his everlas!" ing credi!$ !he adver!ising manager of /ord refused !o receive me. He said= 0De!roi! is a small !own. If you come !o visi! me$ you would )e seen. Our 'resen! agencies would hear a)ou! i!$ and !hey migh! )e alarmed. I don! wan! !o alarm !hem.5 If I were a clien!$ I would do every!hing in my 'ower !o eman" ci'a!e my agencies from fear$ even !o !he e*!en! of giving !hem long" !erm con!rac!s. My friend Clarence 6ldridge has worked on )o!h sides of !he fence. Af!er dis!inguishing himself as Chairman of !he lans (oard a! 3oung I %u)icam$ he wen! on !o )ecome Bice residen! in charge of marke!ing for General /oods and la!er &enior Bice resi"

den! of Cam')ell &ou' Com'any. +his 1udicious connoisseur of cli" en!"agency rela!ionshi's came !o )elieve !ha! 0!here is one word which charac!eri<es !he ideal rela!ionshi'= 6%MA969C3 . . . If 'ermanency is !o )e achieved$ i! mus! )e in !he minds of !he 'ar!ies from !he very )eginning. I! mus! )e deli)era!ely and consciously )uil! in!o !he rela!ionshi'.5 Ar!hur age em'loyed 9. #. Ayer as !he agency for American +ele'hone I +elegra'h. 6very now and !hen he would )ecome dis" enchan!ed wi!h Ayers service$ )u! ins!ead of firing !he agency$ as mos! clien!s would have done$ he summoned !he head of Ayer and asked him !o 'u! !hings righ!. As a resul!$ !he A+I+ adver!ising was never 1ol!ed )y !hose disloca!ions which always accom'any !he a'" 'oin!men! of a new agency. One Ayer man$ George Cecil$ wro!e !he A+I+ co'y for !hir!y years$ and succeeded in )uilding an image so favora)le !ha! i! made a mono'oly 'o'ular in a coun!ry which has no love for mono'olies. Ar!hur age was a wise clien!. Adver!ising agencies make convenien! sca'egoa!s. I! is easier !o fire your agency !han !o admi! !o your s!ockholders !ha! !here is some!hing wrong wi!h your 'roduc! or your managemen!. However$ )efore you fire your agency$ ask yourself !hese 7ues!ions= EAF roc!er I Gam)le and General /oods ge! su'erla!ive ser" vice ou! of !heir agencies$ and !hey have never fired an agency. #hy no!2 E(F #ill !he a''oin!men! of a new agency solve your 'ro)lem$ or merely swee' i! under !he rug2 #ha! are !he real roo!s of your 'ro)lem2 ECF Has your 'roduc! )een made o)sole!e )y your com'e!i!ors2 EDF Did you dic!a!e !he adver!ising for which you now )lame your agency2 E6F Have you )een scaring your agency in!o a )lue funk2 E/F Is your adver!ising manager such a 1ackass !ha! he would nega!e !he )es! )rains in any agency2 EGF How do you feel a)ou! one of your com'e!i!ors inheri!ing !he secre!s which your agency has ac7uired in your service2 EHF Do you reali<e !ha! a change in agencies may disru'! your marke!ing o'era!ion for !welve mon!hs or more2 EIF Have you )een candid wi!h !he head of your agency2 If you !old him of your dissa!isfac!ion$ he migh! well )e a)le !o wheel u' guns wi!h grea!er fire 'ower !han you could find in a new agency. E?F Have you faced !he fac! !ha! when you dismiss an agency$ you cause mos! of !he men and women who work on your accoun! !o lose !heir 1o)s2 Is !here no way !o avoid !his human !ragedy2 &everal !imes I have advised manufac!urers who wan!ed !o hire our agency !o s!ay where !hey were. /or e*am'le$ when !he head of ,-

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

Hallmark Cards sen! emissaries !o sound me ou!$ I said !o !hem$ 03our agency has con!ri)u!ed much !o your for!unes. I! would )e an ac! of gross ingra!i!ude !o a''oin! ano!her agency. +ell !hem e*ac!ly wha! i! is a)ou! !heir service which you now find unsa!isfac!ory. I am sure !hey will 'u! i! righ!. &!ay where you are.5 Hallmark !ook my advice. #hen one of !he can com'anies invi!ed us !o solici! !heir ac" coun!$ I said$ 03our agency has )een giving you su'er) service$ in circums!ances of no!orious difficul!y. I ha''en !o know !ha! !hey lose money on your accoun!. Ins!ead of firing !hem$ reward !hem.5 One of !he young Can e*ecu!ives )ridled. 0Mr. Ogilvy$ !ha! is !he mos! im'uden! !hing I have ever heard anyone say.5 (u! his col" leagues decided !ha! I was righ!. #hen !he Glass Con!ainer Manufac!urers Ins!i!u!e asked us !o com'e!e for !heir accoun!$ I urged !hem !o s!ay wi!h :enyon I 6ck" hard!$ who had )een giving !hem e*cellen! adver!ising. +hey ignored my advice. (#) $elect the right agency in the first place. If you s'end large sums of your s!ockholders money on adver" !ising$ and if your 'rofi!s are de'enden! on i!s efficiency$ i! is your du!y !o !ake grea! 'ains !o find !he )es! 'ossi)le agency. Ama!eurs do i! )y ca1oling a grou' of agencies in!o su)mi!!ing free cam'aigns$ on s'ecula!ion. +he agencies which win !hese con" !es!s are !he ones which use !heir )es! )rains for solici!ing new ac" coun!s8 !hey relega!e !heir clien!s !o !heir second")es! )rains. If I were a manufac!urer$ I would look for an agency which had no new" )usiness de'ar!men!. +he )es! agencies don! need !hem8 !hey ge! all !he )usiness !hey can handle wi!hou! 're'aring s'ecula!ive cam" 'aigns. +he sensi)le way !o 'ick an agency is !o em'loy an adver!ising manager who knows enough a)ou! wha! is going on in !he adver!is" ing world !o have an informed 1udgmen!. Ask him !o show you re'" resen!a!ive adver!isemen!s and commercials from !he !hree or four agencies he )elieves !o )e )es! 7ualified for your accoun!. +hen call some of !heir clien!s on !he !ele'hone. +his can )e 'ar!icularly revealing when you call adver!isers like roc!er I Gam" )le$ Lever$ Colga!e$ General /oods$ and (ris!ol"Myers$ who em'loy several agencies8 !hey can give you cross")earings on mos! of !he !o' agencies. +hen invi!e !he chief e*ecu!ive from each of !he leading con" !enders !o )ring !wo of his key men !o dine a! your house. Loosen !heir !ongues. /ind ou! if !hey are discree! a)ou! !he secre!s of !heir 'resen! clien!s. /ind ou! if !hey have !he s'ine !o disagree when you say some!hing s!u'id. O)serve !heir rela!ionshi' wi!h each o!her8 are !hey 'rofessional colleagues or 7uarrelsome 'oli!icians2 Do !hey 'romise you resul!s which are o)viously e*aggera!ed2 Do !hey sound like e*!inc! volcanoes$ or are !hey alive2 Are !hey good lis!en" ers2 Are !hey in!ellec!ually hones!2 A)ove all$ find ou! if you like !hem8 !he rela!ionshi' )e!ween clien! and agency has !o )e an in!ima!e one$ and i! can )e hell if !he 'ersonal chemis!ry is sour. Don! make !he mis!ake of assuming !ha! your accoun! will )e neglec!ed in a )ig agency. +he young men a! !he working levels in )ig agencies are of!en a)ler and harder"working !han !he na)o)s a! !he !o'. On !he o!her hand$ don! assume !ha! a )ig agency can give you more service !han a small one. +he num)er of )odies de'loyed agains! your accoun! will )e roughly !he same in a small agency as in a )ig one;a)ou! nine )odies for every million dollars you s'end. ()) *rief your agency ery thoroughly indeed.

+he more your agency knows a)ou! your com'any and your 'roduc!$ !he )e!!er 1o) i! will do for you. #hen General /oods hired our agency !o adver!ise Ma*well House Coffee$ !hey under!ook !o !each us !he coffee )usiness. Day af!er day we sa! a! !he fee! of !heir e*'er!s$ )eing lec!ured a)ou! green coffee$ and )lending$ and roas!" ing$ and 'ricing$ and !he arcane economics of !he indus!ry. &ome adver!ising managers are !oo la<y or !oo ignoran! !o )rief !heir agencies 'ro'erly. In such cases we have !o dig ou! !he fac!s )y ourselves. +he resul!ing delay in 'roducing our firs! cam'aign de" morali<es all concerned. (4) Do not compete with your agency in the creati e area. !hy keep a dog and bark yourself" (ack"sea! driving knocks !he s!uffing ou! of good crea!ive men8 if you do !ha!$ God hel' you. Make i! 'lain !o your adver!ising man" ager !ha! !he res'onsi)ili!y for crea!ing your cam'aign )elongs no! !o him )u! !o !he agency$ and en1oin him no! !o dilu!e !heir res'onsi)il" i!y. #hen 6ller!on ?e!!e offered us !he Ha!haway accoun! he said= 0#e are a)ou! !o s!ar! adver!ising. Our accoun! will )e less !han N.@$@@@ a year. If you will !ake i! on$ I will make you a 'romise= I will never change a word of your co'y.5 &o we !ook !he Ha!haway accoun!$ and Mr. ?e!!e ke'! his word. He never changed a word of our co'y. He saddled us wi!h !he !o!al res'onsi)ili!y for his adver!ising. If our adver!ising for Ha!haway had failed$ !he res'onsi)ili!y would have )een mine. (u! i! has no! failed. 9ever has a na!ional )rand )een )uil! a! such a low cos!. (%) &oddle the goose who lays your golden eggs. erha's !he mos! im'or!an! o'era!ion agencies are ever called u'on !o 'erform is !o 're'are a cam'aign for a new 'roduc! which has no! ye! emerged from !he la)ora!ory. +his re7uires us !o crea!e a !o!al image ab o o . As I wri!e I am engaged in 1us! such an o'era!ion. I! has !aken more !han a hundred scien!is!s !wo years !o find ou! how !o make !he 'roduc! in 7ues!ion8 I have )een given !hir!y days !o crea!e i!s 'er" sonali!y and 'lan i!s launching. If I do my 1o) well$ I shall con!ri)u!e as much as !he hundred scien!is!s !o !he success of !his 'roduc!. +his is no! work for )eginners. I! calls for vivid imagina!ion$ !em'ered )y marke!ing acumen8 knowledge of !he research !ech" ni7ues which should )e used !o selec! names$ 'ackages$ and 'rom" ises8 an a)ili!y !o 'eer in!o !he fu!ure$ when com'e!i!ors will launch e*ac!ly similar 'roduc!s8 and$ no! leas!$ a genius for wri!ing in!ro" duc!ory adver!isemen!s. I dou)! whe!her !here are more !han a do<en 'eo'le in !he ;Mni!ed &!a!es who are 7ualified )y !em'eramen! and e*'erience !o 'erform such an o'era!ion8 and mos! clien!s e*'ec! i! !o )e 'erformed a! !he agencys e*'ense. If !hey would inves! half as much in !he crea!ive work of launching new 'roduc!s as !hey inves! in !he !echnical work of develo'ing !hem$ !hey would see fewer of !heir conce'!ions a)or!. (') Don(t strain your ad ertising through too " le els. I know one adver!iser who makes his agencies clear !heir cam" 'aigns !hrough five differen! levels in his com'any$ each level hav" ing !he 'ower !o !am'er and ve!o. +his has grave conse7uences. I! can cause leakage of secre! in" forma!ion. I! !ies u' a)le men in an in!ermina)le series of unneces" sary mee!ings. I! com'lica!es !he 'ris!ine sim'lici!y of !he original su)missions. And$ wors! of all$ i! 'oisons !he a!mos'here wi!h 0crea" !ive 'oli!ics.5 +he co'ywri!ers learn !o collec! vo!es )y 'andering !o !he whims of a do<en differen! e*ecu!ives. #hen a co'ywri!er )e"

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-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

comes a 'oli!ician$ he 7ualifies for ?ohn #e)s!ers descri'!ion= 0A 'oli!ician imi!a!es !he Devil$ as !he Devil imi!a!es a cannon= wheresoever he comes !o do mischief$ he comes wi!h his )ackside !owards you.5 E+he #hi!e Devil$ c. ,A@LF. Much of !he messy adver!ising you see on !elevision !oday is !he 'roduc! of commi!!ees. Commi!!ees can cri!ici<e adver!isemen!s$ )u! !hey should never )e allowed !o crea!e !hem. Mos! of !he cam'aigns which have )uil! )rands !o fame and for" !une have come from !he 'ar!ne rshi' of !wo men; a sure"foo!ed co'ywri!er working in harness wi!h an ins'iring clien!. &uch was !he 'ar!nershi' of Gordon &eagrove and ?erry Lam)er! in )uilding Lis" !erine. And such was !he 'ar!nershi' of +ed Moscoso and myself in adver!ising uer!o %ico. #hen !he &eagram 'eo'le commissioned us !o do a cam'aign for !he Chris!ian (ro!hers wines$ !hey warned me !ha! !he adver!ise" men!s would have !o 'lease no! only !heir chief!ain$ &am (ronfman$ )u! also (ro!her Cellarmas!er and his fellow monks a! !he Chris!ian (ro!hers monas!ery in !he 9a'a Balley. As a school)oy I had loved Daude!s yarn a)ou! ere Gauche!$ !he monk who )ecame an alco" holic while e*'erimen!ing in search of !he 'erfec! li7ueur. I !herefore decided !o make (ro!her Cellarmas!er !he hero of our cam'aign. &eagram a''roved$ and (ro!her Cellarmas!er himself did no! flinch from assuming !he role of an ecclesias!ical Commander #hi!ehead. (u! he fel! o)liged !o su)mi! our layou!s !o !he head of his order in %ome$ and !ha! eminen! divine !urned !hum)s down$ in La!in. &hor!ly af!erward one of !he American cardinals in!ervened$ and I was commanded !o 're'are a cam'aign 0wi!hou! im'ac!.5 +his unusual order !ook !he wind ou! of my sails$ and in due course I handed in my nun dimittis . Hydra"headed clien!s 'resen! insolu)le 'ro)lems. (,) -ake sure that your agency makes a profit. 3our accoun! com'e!es wi!h all !he o!her accoun!s in your agency. If i! is un'rofi!a)le$ i! is unlikely !ha! !he managemen! of !he agency will assign !heir )es! men !o work on i!. And sooner or la!er !hey will cas! a)ou! for a 'rofi!a)le accoun! !o re'lace yours. I! has )ecome increasingly difficul! for agencies !o make any 'rofi! a! all. On every one hundred dollars s'en! )y agencies on )e" half of !heir clien!s$ !hey now make an average 'rofi! of !hir!y"four cen!s. A! !his ra!e$ !he game is hardly wor!h !he candle. 6*'erience has !augh! me !ha! adver!isers ge! !he )es! resul!s when !hey 'ay !heir agency a fla! fee. +he conven!ional ,KS'er"cen! commission sys!em is an anachronism$ 'ar!icularly on 0'ackage5 goods accoun!s$ where !he agency is e*'ec!ed !o give o)1ec!ive ad" vice on !he division of marke!ing e*'endi!ures )e!ween commis" siona)le adver!ising and uncommissiona)le 'romo!ions. I! is unreal" is!ic !o e*'ec! your agency !o )e im'ar!ial when i!s ves!ed in!eres! lies wholly in !he direc!ion of increasing your commissiona)le ad" ver!ising. I! seems !o me !ha! !he clien!"agency rela!ionshi' is mos! sa!is" fac!ory when !he agencys emolumen!s are no! rela!ed !o !he amoun! of money i! can 'ersuade i!s clien!s !o s'end on adver!ising. I 'refer !o )e in a 'osi!ion !o advise my clien!s !o s'end more wi!hou! !heir sus'ec!ing my mo!ive. And I like !o )e in a 'osi!ion !o advise clien!s !o s'end less; wi!hou! incurring !he odium of my own s!ockhold" ers. I am no! afraid of a 'rice war )e!ween agencies. A 'eriod of com'e!i!ive 'ricing would s!reng!hen !he good agencies and 'u! !he 'oor ones ou! of )usiness. +he whole s!andard of agency 'erform" ance would )e raised. Good agencies should )e 'aid a! a higher ra!e !han )ad ones.

My announcemen! !ha! Ogilvy$ (enson I Ma!her was 're'ared !o handle accoun!s on a fee )asis was gree!ed wi!h a''roval )y many !hough!ful men ou!side !he agency )usiness. +he head of Mc:insey I Com'any wro!e$ 03our announcemen! shows real leadershi' in a!!acking 'u)licly an ou!moded me!hod of com'ensa!ion.5 Clarence 6ldridge wro!e$ 03ou are !o )e congra!ula!ed on !he courage !o )reak wi!h !radi!ion and a''roach !he ma!!er of agency com'ensa!ion logi" cally and realis!ically. +his re'resen!s a ma1or )reak!hrough.5 (u! my conversion !o !he fee sys!em was so un'o'ular wi!h my fellow adver!ising agen!s !ha! i! almos! )rough! a)ou! our e*commu" nica!ion from !he American Associa!ion of Adver!ising Agencies$ on whose )oard I was !hen si!!ing. /or !hir!y years !his augus! socie!y had con!rived !o fi* !he 'rice of agency service a! ,K 'er cen!$ and mem)ershi' of !he Associa!ion had )een con!ingen! u'on unswerving o)edience !o !he rule. In ,-KA !he Mni!ed &!a!es Governmen! in!ervened !o for)id i!s enforcemen!$ )u! !he !radi!ion remained. Any adver!ising agen! who re1ec!ed !he conven!ional commission arrangemen! was a cad. I 'ro'hesy !ha! Madison Avenue o'inion will change. Indeed$ I e*'ec! !o )e remem)ered as !he here!ic who 'ioneered a course which conferred 'rofessional s!a!us on adver!ising agen!s. (+) Don(t haggle with your agency. If you allow 'e!!ifoggers on your s!aff !o haggle wi!h your agency over 'aymen! of i!s )ills$ you make a mis!ake. If$ for e*am'le$ you are s!ingy a)ou! 'aying for research$ you will wind u' wi!hou! enough research. 3our agency will )e forced !o fly )lind. +his could cos! you your com'any. If$ on !he o!her hand$ you volun!eer !o 'ay for 're!es!ing com" mercials$ s'li!"running e*'erimen!al 'rin! adver!isemen!s$ and all !he o!her a''ara!us of adver!ising research$ you will make i! financially 'ossi)le for your agency !o e*'erimen! in con!inuous search for more 'rofi!a)le adver!ising. Don! e*'ec! your agency !o 'ay for all !he dry holes !hey drill on your )ehalf. If$ for e*am'le$ !hey 'roduce a !elevision commer" cial which doesn! work as well as !he s!ory)oard 'romised$ ask !hem !o !ry again$ a! your e*'ense. +elevision is an infernally diffi" cul! medium !o use. I have no! ye! seen a commercial which sa!isfied me$ )u! I canno! afford !o 'ay N,@$@@@ of my own money !o remake one. #hen we finished 'roducing our firs! commercial for Bim de" !ergen! !a)le!s$ a wise man a! Lever (ro!hers said !o me$ 0Can you !hink of any ways in which !his commercial could )e im'roved25 I confessed !ha! I could !hink of nine!een ways. 0#ell$5 he said$ 0we are going !o s'end NJ$@@@$@@@ on )roadcas!ing !his commercial. I wan! i! !o )e as 'owerful as 'ossi)le. %emake i!$ and we will 'ay for i!.5 Mos! clien!s would have insis!ed !ha! !he agency 'ay for re" making i!$ an a!!i!ude !ha! encourages agencies !o conceal !heir di" vine discon!en! wi!h !heir )o!ches. #hen Ar!hur Hough!on asked us !o do !he adver!ising for &!eu" )en$ he gave me a crys!al"clear direc!ive= 0#e make !he )es! glass in !he world. 3our 1o) is !o .make !he )es! adver!ising.5 I re'lied$ 0Making 'erfec! glass is very difficul!. 6ven !he &!eu" )en craf!smen 'roduce some im'erfec! 'ieces. 3our ins'ec!ors )reak !hem. Making 'erfec! adver!isemen!s is e7ually difficul!.5 &i* weeks la!er I showed him !he 'roof of our firs! &!eu)en ad" ver!isemen!. I! was in color$ and !he 'la!es$ which had cos! f ,$C@@$ were im'erfec!. #i!hou! demur$ Ar!hur agreed !o le! me )reak !hem and make a new se!. /or such enligh!ened clien!s i! is im'ossi)le !o do shoddy work.

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-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

(.) *e candid/ and encourage candor. If you !hink !ha! your agency is 'erforming )adly$ or if you !hink !ha! a 'ar!icular adver!isemen! is fee)le$ don! )ea! a)ou! !he )ush. &'eak your mind$ loud and clear. Disas!rous conse7uences can arise when a clien! 'ussyfoo!s in his day"!o"day dealings wi!h his agency. I do no! sugges! !ha! you should !hrea!en. Don! say$ 03ou are an incom'e!en! mucker$ and I will ge! ano!her agency unless you come )ack !omorrow wi!h a grea! adver!isemen!.5 &uch )ru!ali!y will only 'araly<e !he !roo's. I! is )e!!er !o say$ 0#ha! you have 1us! shown me is no! u' !o your usual high s!andard. lease !ake ano!her crack a! i!.5 A! !he same !ime you should e*'lain e*ac!ly wha! you find inade7ua!e a)ou! !he su)mission8 don! leave your agency !o guess. +his kind of candor will encourage your agency !o )e e7ually candid wi!h you. And no 'ar!nershi' can fruc!ify wi!hou! candor on )o!h sides. (11) $et high standards. Discourage )un!ing. Make i! 'lain !ha! you e*'ec! your agency !o hi! home runs$ and 'our on !he 'raise when !hey do. Many clien!s find i! easy !o )lame !heir agency when sales go down$ )u! are niggardly in giving credi! !o !heir agency when sales go u'. +his is unedifying. (u! never le! your agency res! on i!s laurels. :ee' urging !hem !o grea!er heigh!s. 3ou may have a good cam'aign going for you. +he day af!er you firs! a''rove i!$ ask your agency !o s!ar! searching for an even )e!!er one. As soon as you find a cam'aign which !es!s )e!!er !han !he cam'aign you are now running$ swi!ch !o i!. (u! never give u' a cam'aign 1us! )ecause you have grown !ired of i!8 housewives don! see your adver!isemen!s as of!en as you do. +he )es! !hing is !o ge! a grea! cam'aign$ and !hen con!inue i! for several years. +he 'ro)lem is !o find a grea! cam'aign. +hey don! grow on every !ree$ as you would know if you had my 1o) of 'roducing !hem. (11) 2est e erything. +he mos! im'or!an! word in !he voca)ulary of adver!ising is +6&+. If you 're!es! your 'roduc! wi!h consumers$ and 're!es! your adver!ising$ you will do well in !he marke!'lace. +wen!y"four ou! of !wen!y"five new 'roduc!s never ge! ou! of !es! marke!s. Manufac!urers who don(t !es!"marke! !heir 'roduc!s in" cur !he colossal cos! Eand disgraceF of having !heir 'roduc!s fail on a na!ional scale$ ins!ead of dying incons'icuously and economically in !es! marke!s. +es! your 'romise. +es! your media. +es! your headlines and your illus!ra!ions. +es! !he si<e of your adver!isemen!s. +es! your

fre7uency. +es! your level of e*'endi!ure. +es! your commercials. 9ever s!o' !es!ing$ and your adver!ising will never s!o' im'roving. (1#) 0urry. Mos! young men in )ig cor'ora!ions )ehave as if 'rofi! were no! a func!ion of !ime. #hen ?erry Lam)er! scored his firs! )reak!hrough wi!h Lis!erine$ he s'eeded u' !he whole 'rocess of marke!ing )y di" viding !ime in!o mon!hs. Ins!ead of locking himself in!o annual 'lans$ Lam)er! reviewed his adver!ising and his 'rofi!s every mon!h. +he resul! was !ha! he made NCK$@@@$@@@ in eigh! years$ where i! !akes mos! 'eo'le !welve !imes as long. In ?erry Lam)er!s day$ !he Lam)er! harmacal Com'any lived )y !he mon!h$ ins!ead of )y !he year. I commend !ha! course !o all adver!isers. (1)) Don(t waste time on problem babies. Mos! adver!isers and !heir agencies s'end !oo much !ime worry" ing a)ou! how !o revive 'roduc!s which are in !rou)le$ and !oo li!!le !ime worrying a)ou! how !o make successful 'roduc!s even more successful. In adver!ising$ i! is !he mark of a )rave man !o look unfa" vora)le !es! resul!s in !he face$ cu! your loss$ and move on. 3ou need no! always dro' !he 'roduc!. &ome!imes you can make large 'rofi!s ou! of 0milking.5 Bery few marke!ers know how !o milk dying )rands. I! is like 'laying a misere hand in whis!. Concen!ra!e your !ime$ your )rains$ and your adver!ising money on your successes. %ecogni<e success when i! comes$ and 'our on !he adver!ising. (ack your winners$ and a)andon your losers. (14) 2olerate genius. Conan Doyle wro!e !ha! 0mediocri!y knows no!hing higher !han i!self.5 My o)serva!ion has )een !ha! mediocre men recogni<e gen" ius$ resen! i!$ and feel com'elled !o des!roy i!. +here are very few men of genius in adver!ising agencies. (u! we need all we can find. Almos! wi!hou! e*ce'!ion !hey are dis" agreea)le. Don! des!roy !hem. +hey lay golden eggs. (1%) Don(t underspend. &ays Charlie Mor!imer$ !he head of General /oods and T !ha! com'anys former adver!ising manager$ 0+he sures! way !o over" s'end on adver!ising is no! !o s'end enough !o do a 1o) 'ro'erly. I!s like )uying a !icke! !hree"7uar!ers of !he way !o 6uro'e8 you have s'en! some money$ )u! you do no! arrive.5 I have come !o !hink !ha! nine ou! of !en adver!ising )udge!s are !oo small !o do !he 1o) assigned !o !hem. If your )rand genera!es less !han NC$@@@$@@@ a year for adver!ising$ do no! a!!em'! con!inuous na" !ional adver!ising. ull in your horns. Concen!ra!e wha! money you have in your mos! lucra!ive marke!s$ or confine your adver!ising !o one income grou'. Or give u' adver!ising com'le!ely. I ha!e !o admi! i!$ )u! !here are o!her roads !o for!une.

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-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

#
How to Build Great Ca% aigns

#H69 co'ywri!ers$ ar! direc!ors$ and !elevision 'roducers come !o work in our agency$ !hey are herded in!o a conference room and su)1ec!ed !o my Magic Lan!ern$ which !ells !hem how !o wri!e headlines and )ody co'y$ how !o illus!ra!e adver!isemen!s$ how !o cons!ruc! !elevision commercials$ and how !o selec! !he )asic 'rom" ise for !heir cam'aigns. +he rules I 'os!ula!e do no! re'resen! my 'ersonal o'inions8 !hey are !he 7uin!essence of wha! I have learned from research. +he recrui!s reac! !o my lec!ure in differen! ways. &ome find comfor! and securi!y under !he command of a chief who seems !o know wha! he is !alking a)ou!. &ome are uneasy a! !he 'ros'ec! of working wi!hin such rigid disci'lines. 0&urely$5 !hey say$ 0!hese rules and regula!ions mus! resul! in dull adver!ising25 09o! so far5 I re'ly. And I go on !o 'reach !he im'or!ance of disci'line in ar!. &hakes'eare wro!e his sonne!s wi!hin a s!ric! disci" 'line$ four!een lines of iam)ic 'en!ame!er$ rhyming in !hree 7ua!" rains and a cou'le!. #ere his sonne!s dull2 Mo<ar! wro!e his sona!as wi!hin an e7ually rigid disci'line;e*'osi!ion$ develo'men!$ and re" ca'i!ula!ion. #ere !hey dull2 +his argumen! disarms mos! of !he high)rows. I go on !o 'rom" ise !hem !ha! if !hey will su)scri)e !o my 'rinci'les$ !hey will soon )e 'roducing good adver!isemen!s. #ha! is a good adver!isemen!2 +here are !hree schools of !hough!. +he cynics hold !ha! a good adver!isemen! is an adver!ise" men! wi!h a clien!s O: on i!. Ano!her school acce'!s %aymond %u" )icams defini!ion$ 0+he )es! iden!ifica!ion of a grea! adver!isemen! is !ha! i!s 'u)lic is no! only s!rongly sold )y i!$ )u! !ha! )o!h !he 'u)" lic and !he adver!ising world remem)er i! for a long !ime as an admi" ra)le 'iece of work.5 I have 'roduced my share of adver!isemen!s which have )een remem)ered )y !he adver!ising world as 0admira" )le 'ieces of work$5 )u! I )elong !o !he !hird school$ which holds !ha! a good adver!isemen! is one which sells !he 'roduc! wi!hou! drawing a!!en!ion !o i!self. I! should rive! !he readers a!!en!ion on !he 'roduc!. Ins!ead of saying$ 0#ha! a clever adver!isemen!$5 !he reader says$ 0I never knew !ha! )efore. I mus! !ry !his 'roduc!.5 I! is !he 'rofessional du!y of !he adver!ising agen! !o conceal his ar!ifice. #hen Aeschines s'oke$ !hey said$ 0How well he s'eaks.5 (u! when Demos!henes s'oke$ !hey said$ 0Le! us march agains! hili'.5 Im for Demos!henes. If my new recrui!s )oggle a! !his s!ern defini!ion of good adver" !ising$ I invi!e !hem !o re!urn !o !heir 'revious incarna!ions$ !here !o flounder in silliness and ignorance. My ne*! s!e' is !o !ell !hem !ha! I will no! allow !hem !o use !he word C%6A+IB6 !o descri)e !he func!ions !hey are !o 'erform in

our agency. +he even more fashiona)le word C%6A+IBI+3 is no! in !he !welve"volume O*ford Dic!ionary. I! reminds Leo (urne!! of a saying of (ernard (erenson !o !he effec! !ha! !he only !hing !he 6!ruscans added !o !he ar! of !he Greeks was 0!he originali!y of in" com'e!ence.5 /airfa* Cone 0would like !o )lo! !he word C%6A+IB" I+3 ou! of our lives.5 6d Co* !hinks !ha! 0!here are no crea!ive or non"crea!ive co'ywri!ers8 only good ad"makers and )ad.5 (ear in mind !ha! (urne!!$ Cone$ and Co* are among !he mos! 0crea!ive5 men in !he adver!ising )usiness. How did we ge! along !wen!y years ago$ )efore 0crea!ivi!y5 en!ered !he le*icon of adver!ising2 I am ashamed !o say !ha! I some!imes use i! myself$ even as I wri!e !hese 'ages. In !his cha'!er I will e*'ose !o !he reader wha! he would see in my Magic Lan!ern on !he day he came !o work for Ogilvy$ (enson I Ma!her. +he research on which i! is )ased derives from five 'rin" ci'al sources= /irs!$ from !he e*'erience of mail"order adver!isers. +his eli!e cor's$ re'resen!ed )y such mas!ers as Harry &cherman of !he (ook" of"!he"Mon!h Clu)$ Bic &chwa)$ and ?ohn Ca'les$ knows more a)ou! !he reali!ies of adver!ising !han any)ody else. +hey are in a 'osi!ion !o measure !he resul!s of every adver!isemen! !hey wri!e$ )ecause !heir view is no! o)scured )y !hose com'le* channels of dis" !ri)u!ion which make i! im'ossi)le for mos! manufac!urers !o dissec! ou! !he resul!s of !heir adver!ising from all !he o!her fac!ors in !heir marke!ing mi*. +he mail"order adver!iser has no re!ailers !o shrink and e*'and !heir inven!ories$ !o 'ush his 'roduc! or !o hide i! under !he coun!er. He mus! rely on his adver!isemen!s !o do !he en!ire selling 1o). 6i" !her !he reader cli's !he cou'on$ or he doesn!. A few days af!er his adver!isemen! a''ears$ !he mail"order wri!er knows whe!her i! is 'rofi!a)le or no!. /or !wen!y"seven years I have ke'! my eyes rive!ed on wha! mail"order adver!isers do in !heir adver!isemen!s. And from !his o)" serva!ion I have crys!alli<ed some general 'rinci'les which can )e a''lied$ I )elieve$ !o all kinds of adver!ising. +he second mos! valua)le source of informa!ion as !o wha! makes some !echni7ues succeed and o!hers fail is !he e*'erience of de'ar!men! s!ores. +he day af!er !hey run an adver!isemen!$ !hey can coun! !he sales i! has 'roduced. +ha! is why I am so a!!en!ive !o !he adver!ising 'rac!ices of &ears$ %oe)uck$ who are !he mos! knowing of all re!ailers. +he !hird source of da!a on which my Magic Lan!ern de'ends is !he research done )y Gallu'$ &!arch$ Clark"Hoo'er and Harold %u" dol'h on !he fac!ors which make 'eo'le read adver!isemen!s and$ in C.

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

!he case of Dr. Gallu'$ !he fac!ors which make 'eo'le remem)er wha! !hey read. On !he whole$ !heir findings endorse !he e*'erience of !he mail"order fra!erni!y. More is known a)ou! consumer reac!ions !o adver!ising in news'a'ers and maga<ines !han consumer reac!ions !o !elevision commercials$ )ecause serious research in!o !elevision;my four!h source;was no! s!ar!ed un!il !en years ago. However$ Dr. Gallu' and o!hers have already 'roduced a )ody of knowledge a)ou! !elevi" sion adver!ising which is sufficien! !o emanci'a!e us from !o!al reli" ance on guesswork. E#hen i! comes !o radio commercials$ !here is li!!le or no research availa)le from any source. %adio was made o)" sole!e )y !elevision )efore any)ody had learned !o use i! scien!ifi" cally$ )u! i! has now recovered !o !he 'oin! where i! may )e de" scri)ed as !he Cinderella of adver!ising media8 i! is !ime for !he re" searchers !o !ackle i!.F My las! source is less scien!ific. I am an inve!era!e )rain"'icker$ and !he mos! rewarding )rains I have 'icked are !he )rains of my 'redecessors and my com'e!i!ors. I have learned much from s!udy" ing !he successful cam'aigns of %aymond %u)icam$ ?im 3oung$ and George Cecil. Here$ !hen$ are my reci'es for cooking u' !he kind of adver!is" ing cam'aigns which make !he cash regis!er ring;eleven com" mandmen!s which you mus! o)ey if you work a! my agency= (1) !hat 3ou $ay 4s -ore 4mportant 2han 0ow 3ou $ay 4t. Once u'on a !ime I was riding on !he !o' of a /if!h Avenue )us$ when I heard a my!hical housewife say !o ano!her$ 0Molly$ my dear$ I would have )ough! !ha! new )rand of !oile! soa' if only !hey hadn! se! !he )ody co'y in !en 'oin! Garamond.5 Don! you )elieve i!. #ha! really decides consumers !o )uy or no! !o )uy is !he con!en! of your adver!ising$ no! i!s form. 3our mos! im'or!an! 1o) is !o decide wha! you are going !o say a)ou! your 'roduc!$ wha! )enefi! you are going !o 'romise. +wo hundred years ago Dr. ?ohnson said$ 0 romise$ large 'romise is !he soul of an ad" ver!isemen!.5 #hen he auc!ioned off !he con!en!s of !he Anchor (rewery he made !he following 'romise= 0#e are no! here !o sell )oilers and va!s$ )u! !he 'o!en!iali!y of growing rich )eyond !he dreams of avarice.5 +he selec!ion of !he righ! 'romise is so vi!ally im'or!an! !ha! you should never rely on guesswork !o decide i!. A! Ogilvy$ (enson I Ma!her$ we use five research !echni7ues !o find ou! which is !he mos! 'owerful. One !echni7ue is !o dis!ri)u!e )a!ches of !he 'roduc! !o ma!ched sam'les of consumers$ each )a!ch )earing a differen! 'romise on !he 'ackage. +hen we com'are !he 'ercen!ages of consumers in each sam'le who send us a re'ea! order. Ano!her !echni7ue is !o show consumers cards on which we have 'rin!ed various 'romises$ asking !hem !o selec! !he one which would )e mos! likely !o make !hem )uy !he 'roduc!. Here are !he re" sul!s of one such !es!= +AC9 C.9AM Cleans Dee' in!o ores HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH reven!s Dryness HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Is a Com'le!e (eau!y +rea!men! HHHHHHHHHHH %ecommended )y &kin Doc!ors HHHHHHHHHHH Makes &kin Look 3ounger HHHHHHHHH reven!s Make"u' Caking HHHHHH Con!ains 6s!rogenic Hormones HHHHH as!euri<ed for uri!y HHHHH

reven!s &kin from Aging HHH &moo!hes Ou! #rinkles HHH /rom !his vo!ing came one of Helena %u)ins!eins mos! suc" cessful face creams. #e chris!ened i! Dee' Cleanser$ !hus )uilding !he winning 'romise in!o !he name of !he 'roduc!. Ano!her !echni7ue is !o 're'are a series of adver!isemen!s$ each )uil! around a differen! 'romise. #e !hen mail !he adver!isemen!s !o ma!ched sam'les and coun! !he num)er of orders 'rocured )y each 'romise. Ano!her !echni7ue is !o run 'airs of adver!isemen!s in !he same 'osi!ion in !he same issue of a news'a'er$ wi!h an offer of a sam'le )uried in !he co'y. #e used !his ar!ful dodge !o selec! !he s!ronges! 'romise for Dove !oile! )ar. 0Creams 3our &kin #hile 3ou #ash5 'ulled A. 'er cen! more orders !han !he ne*! )es! 'romise$ and i! has )een !he fulcrum of every Dove adver!isemen! !ha! has ever run. +his marvelous 'roduc! made a 'rofi! a! !he end of i!s firs! year$ a rare fea! in !he marke!ing world of !oday. /inally$ we have develo'ed a !echni7ue for selec!ing )asic 'romises which is so valua)le !ha! my 'ar!ners for)id me !o reveal i!. +hey remind me of !ha! selfish family of eigh!een!h"cen!ury o)s!e!ri" cians who made a for!une )y delivering more live )a)ies !han any of !heir com'e!i!ors. +hey ke'! !heir secre! for !hree genera!ions8 i! was no! un!il an en!er'rising medical s!uden! clim)ed u' and 'eeked !hrough !he window of !heir surgery !ha! !he design of !heir force's was revealed !o !he world. (#) 5nless 3our &ampaign 4s *uilt 6round a 7reat 4dea/ 4t !ill 8lop. I! isn! every clien! who can recogni<e a grea! idea when he sees i!. I remem)er 'resen!ing a !ruly )rillian! idea !o a clien! who said$ 0Mr. Ogilvy$ you have here !he mucus of a good idea.5 #hen I s!ar!ed wri!ing adver!isemen!s$ I was de!ermined !o )la<e new !rails$ !o make every one of my cam'aigns !he mos! suc" cessful in !he his!ory of !he indus!ry concerned. I have no! always failed. ()) 7i e the 8acts. Bery few adver!isemen!s con!ain enough fac!ual informa!ion !o sell !he 'roduc!. +here is a ludicrous !radi!ion among co'ywri!ers !ha! consumers aren! in!eres!ed in fac!s. 9o!hing could )e far!her from !he !ru!h. &!udy !he co'y in !he &ears$ %oe)uck ca!alogue8 i! sells a )illion dollars wor!h of merchandise every year )y giving fac!s. In my %olls"%oyce adver!isemen!s I gave no!hing )u! fac!s. 9o ad1ec!ives$ no 0gracious living.5 +he consumer isn! a moron8 she is your wife. 3ou insul! her in" !elligence if you assume !ha! a mere slogan and a few va'id ad1ec" !ives will 'ersuade her !o )uy any!hing. &he wan!s all !he informa" !ion you can give her. Com'e!ing )rands are )ecoming more and more alike. +he men who make !hem have access !o !he same scien!ific 1ournals8 !hey use !he same 'roduc!ion !echni7ues8 and !hey are guided )y !he same re" search. #hen faced wi!h !he inconvenien! fac! !ha! !heir )rand is a)ou! !he same as several o!hers$ mos! co'ywri!ers conclude !ha! !here is no 'oin! in !elling !he consumer wha! is common !o all )rands8 so !hey confine !hemselves !o some !rivial 'oin! of differ" ence. I ho'e !ha! !hey will con!inue !o make !his mis!ake$ )ecause i! ena)les us !o 're"em'! !he !ru!h for our clien!s. #hen we adver!ise &hell$ we give !he consumer fac!s$ many of which o!her gasoline marke!ers could give$ )u! don!. #hen we ad" ver!ise :LM %oyal Du!ch Airlines we !ell !ravelers a)ou! !he safe!y

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Confessions of an Advertising Man

'recau!ions which all airlines !ake$ )u! fail !o men!ion in !heir adver" !isemen!s. #hen I was a door"!o"door salesman I discovered !ha! !he more informa!ion I gave a)ou! my 'roduc!$ !he more I sold. Claude Ho'" kins made !he same discovery a)ou! adver!ising$ fif!y years ago. (u! mos! modern co'ywri!ers find i! easier !o wri!e shor!$ la<y adver" !isemen!s. Collec!ing fac!s is hard work. (4) 3ou &annot *ore ;eople into *uying. +he average family is now e*'osed !o more !han ,K@@ adver" !isemen!s a day. 9o wonder !hey have ac7uired a !alen! for ski''ing !he adver!isemen!s in news'a'ers and maga<ines$ and going !o !he )a!hroom during !elevision commercials. +he average woman now reads only four of !he adver!isemen!s which a''ear in !he average maga<ine. &he glances a! more$ )u! one glance is enough !o !ell her !ha! !he adver!isemen! is !oo )oring !o read. Com'e!i!ion for !he consumers a!!en!ion is )ecoming more fe" rocious every year. &he is )eing )om)arded )y a )illion dollars wor!h of adver!ising a mon!h. +hir!y !housand )rand names are com'e!ing for a 'lace in her memory. If you wan! your voice !o )e heard a)ove !his ear"s'li!!ing )arrage$ your voice mus! )e uni7ue. I! is our )usiness !o make our clien!s voices heard a)ove !he crowd. #e make adver!isemen!s !ha! 'eo'le wan! !o read. 3ou can! save souls in an em'!y church. If you will em)race our rules$ you will )e a)le !o reach more readers 'er dollar. I once asked &ir Hugh %ig)y$ &ergean! &urgeon !o :ing George B$ 0#ha! makes a grea! surgeon25 &ir Hugh re'lied$ 0+here isn! much !o choose )e!ween sur" geons in manual de*!eri!y. #ha! dis!inguishes !he grea! surgeon is !ha! he knows more !han o!her surgeons.5 I! is !he same wi!h adver" !ising agen!s. +he good ones know !heir craf!. (%) *e !eil--annered/ *ut Don(t &lown. eo'le don! )uy from )ad"mannered salesmen$ and research has shown !ha! !hey don! )uy from )ad"mannered adver!isemen!s. I! is easier !o sell 'eo'le wi!h a friendly handshake !han )y hi!!ing !hem over !he head wi!h a hammer. 3ou should !ry !o charm !he consumer in!o )uying your 'roduc!. +his doesn! mean !ha! your adver!isemen!s should )e cu!e or comic. eo'le don! )uy from clowns. #hen !he housewife fills her sho''ing )aske!$ she is in a fairly serious frame of mind. (') -ake 3our 6d ertising &ontemporary. +he young housewife of ,-A. was )orn af!er residen! %oose" vel! died. &he is living in a new world. A! !he age of fif!y"one I am finding i! increasingly difficul! !o !une in on !he young married cou" 'les who are s!ar!ing ou! in life8 !ha! is why mos! of !he co'ywri!ers a! our agency are so young. +hey unders!and !he 'sychology of young consumers )e!!er !han I do. (,) &ommittees &an &ritici>e 6d ertisements/ *ut 2hey &annot !rite 2hem. A lo! of adver!isemen!s and !elevision commercials look like !he minu!es of a commi!!ee mee!ing$ and !ha! is wha! !hey are. Adver!is" ing seems !o sell mos! when i! is wri!!en )y a soli!ary individual. He mus! s!udy !he 'roduc!$ !he research$ and !he 'receden!s. +hen he mus! shu! !he door of his office and wri!e !he adver!isemen!. +he )es! adver!isemen! I ever wro!e wen! !hrough seven!een draf!s$ and )uil! a )usiness.

(+) 4f 3ou 6re 9ucky Enough 2o !rite a 7ood 6d ertisement/ :epeat 4t 5ntil 4t $tops ;ulling. &cores of good adver!isemen!s have )een discarded )efore !hey los! !heir 'o!ency$ largely )ecause !heir s'onsors go! sick of seeing !hem. &!erling Ge!chels famous adver!isemen! for lymou!h E0Look a! All +hree5F a''eared only once$ and was succeeded )y a series of inferior varia!ions which were 7uickly forgo!!en. (u! !he &herwin Cody &chool of 6nglish ran !he sa me adver!isemen! E0Do 3ou Make +hese Mis!akes in 6nglish25F for for!y"!wo years$ changing only !he !y'e face and !he color of Mr. Codys )e ard. 3ou aren! adver!ising !o a s!anding army8 you are adver!ising !o a moving 'arade. +hree million consumers ge! married every year. +he adver!isemen! which sold a refrigera!or !o !hose who go! married las! year will 'ro)a)ly )e 1us! as successful wi!h !hose who ge! married ne*! year. One million$ seven hundred !housand con" sumers die every year$ and J$@@@$@@@ new ones are )orn. +hey en!er !he marke! and !hey de'ar! from i!. An adver!isemen! is like a radar swee'$ cons!an!ly hun!ing new 'ros'ec!s as !hey come in!o !he mar" ke!. Ge! a good radar$ and kee' I! swee'ing. (.) <e er !rite an 6d ertisement !hich 3ou !ouldn(t !ant 3our =wn 8amily 2o :ead. 3ou wouldn! !ell lies !o your own wife. Don! !ell !hem !o mine. Do as you would )e done )y. If you !ell lies a)ou! a 'roduc!$ you will )e found ou!;ei!her )y !he Governmen!$ which will 'rosecu!e you$ or )y !he consumer$ who will 'unish you )y no! )uying your 'roduc! a second !ime. Good 'roduc!s can )e sold )y hones! adver!ising. If you don! !hink !he 'roduc! is good$ you have no )usiness !o )e adver!ising i!. If you !ell lies$ or weasel$ you do your clien! a disservice$ you in" crease your load of guil!$ and you fan !he flames of 'u)lic resen!" men! agains! !he whole )usiness of adver!ising. (11) 2he 4mage and the *rand. 6very adver!isemen! should )e !hough! of as a con!ri)u!ion !o !he com'le* sym)ol which is !he )rand image. If you !ake !ha! long view$ a grea! many day"!o"day 'ro)lems solve !hemselves. How do you decide wha! kind of image !o )uild2 +here is no shor! answer. %esearch canno! hel' you much here. 3ou have ac!u" ally go! !o use 1udgmen!. EI no!ice increasing reluc!ance on !he 'ar! of marke!ing e*ecu!ives !o use 1udgmen!8 !hey are coming !o rely !oo much on research$ and !hey use i! as a drunkard uses a lam' 'os!$ for su''or! ra!her !han for illumina!ion.F Mos! manufac!urers are reluc!an! !o acce'! any limi!a!ion on !he image of !heir )rand. +hey wan! i! !o )e all !hings !o all 'eo'le. +hey wan! !heir )rand !o )e a male )rand and a female )rand. An u''er" crus! )rand and a 'le)eian )rand. +hey generally end u' wi!h a )rand which has no 'ersonali!y of any kind$ a wishy"washy neu!er. 9o ca'on ever rules !he roos!. 9ine!y"five 'er cen! of all !he cam'aigns now in circula!ion are )eing crea!ed wi!hou! any reference !o such long"!erm considera" !ions. +hey are )eing crea!ed ad hoc. Hence !he lack of any consis" !en! image from one year !o ano!her. #ha! a miracle i! is when a manufac!urer manages !o sus!ain a coheren! s!yle in his adver!ising over a 'eriod of years4 +hink of all !he forces !ha! work !o change i!. +he adver!ising managers come and go. +he co'ywri!ers come and go. 6ven !he agencies come and go. I! !akes uncommon gu!s !o s!ick !o one s!yle in !he face of all !he 'ressures !o 0come u' wi!h some!hing new5 every si* mon!hs. I! is !ragically easy !o )e s!am'eded in!o change. (u! golden rewards

CK

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

awai! !he adver!iser who has !he )rains !o crea!e a coheren! image$ and !he s!a)ili!y !o s!ick wi!h i! over a long 'eriod. As e*am'les$ I ci!e Cam')ell &ou'$ Ivory &oa'$ 6sso$ (e!!y Crocker$ and Guinness &!ou! Ein 6nglandF. +he men who have )een res'onsi)le for !he ad" ver!ising of !hese hardy 'erennials have unders!ood !ha! every adver" !isemen!$ every radio 'rogram$ every +B commercial is no! a one" !ime sho!$ )u! a long"!erm inves!men! in !he !o!al 'ersonali!y of !heir )rands. +hey have 'resen!ed a consis!en! image !o !he world$ and grown rich in !he 'rocess. During !he las! few years !he researchers have )een a)le !o !ell us wha! image old )rands have ac7uired in !he 'u)lic mind. &ome manufac!urers have )een so)ered !o learn !ha! !heir image has se ri" ous flaws$ which have )een hur!ing !heir sales. +hey !hen ask !heir adver!ising agency !o se! a)ou! changing !he image. +his is one of !he mos! difficul! o'era!ions we are ever called u'on !o 'erform$ )e" cause !he faul!y image has )een )uil! u' over a 'eriod of many years. I! is !he resul! of many differen! fac!ors;adver!ising$ 'ricing$ !he name of !he 'roduc!$ i!s 'ackaging$ !he kind of !elevision shows i! has s'onsored$ !he leng!h of !ime i! has )een on !he marke!$ and so on. Mos! of !he manufac!urers who find i! e*'edien! !o change !he image of !heir )rand wan! i! changed u'ward. Of!en i! has ac7uired a )argain")asemen! image$ a useful asse! in rimes of economic scar" ci!y$ )u! a grave em)arrassmen! in )oom days$ when !he ma1ori!y of consumers are on !heir way u' !he social ladder. I! isn! easy !o 'erform a face"lif!ing o'era!ion on an old )ar" gain")asemen! )rand. In many cases i! would )e easier !o s!ar! again$ wi!h a fresh new )rand. +he grea!er !he similari!y )e!ween )rands$ !he less 'ar! reason 'lays in )rand selec!ion. +here isn! any significan! difference )e" !ween !he various )rands of whiskey$ or cigare!!es$ or )eer. +hey are all a)ou! !he same. And so are !he cake mi*es and !he de!ergen!s$ and !he margarines. +he manufac!urer who dedica!es his adver!ising !o )uilding !he mos! shar'ly defined 'ersonali!y for his )rand will ge! !he larges! share of !he marke! a! !he highes! 'rofi!. (y !he same !oken$ !he manufac!urers who will find !hemselves u' !he creek are !hose shor!" sigh!ed o''or!unis!s who si'hon off !heir adver!ising funds for 'ro" mo!ions. 3ear af!er year I find myself warning my clien!s a)ou! wha! will ha''en !o !heir )rands if !hey s'end so much on 'romo" !ions !ha! !here is no money lef! for adver!ising. rice"off deals and o!her such hy'odermics find favor wi!h sales managers$ )u! !heir effec! is e'hemeral$ and !hey can )e ha)i!"

forming. &ays (ev Mur'hy$ who inven!ed Ar! 9ielsens !echni7ue for measuring consumer 'urchases and wen! on !o )ecome residen! of Cam')ell &ou' Com'any= 0&ales are a func!ion of 'roduc!"value and adver!ising. romo!ions canno! 'roduce more !han a !em'orary kink in !he sales curve.5 ?erry Lam)er! never used 'romo!ions for Lis!erine8 he knew !ha! kinks in a sales curve make i! im'ossi)le !o read ou! !he resul!s of adver!ising. A s!eady die! of 'rice"off 'romo!ions lowers !he es!eem in which !he consumer holds !he 'roduc!8 can any!hing which is always sold a! a discoun! )e desira)le2 lan your cam'aign for years ahead$ on !he assum'!ion !ha! your clien!s in!end !o s!ay in )usiness forever. (uild shar'ly defined 'ersonali!ies for !heir )rands$ and s!ick !o !hose 'ersonali!ies$ year af!er year. I! is !he !o!al 'ersonali!y of a )rand ra!her !han any !rivial 'roduc! difference which decides i!s ul!ima!e 'osi!ion in !he marke!. (11) Don(t *e a &opy-&at. %udyard :i'ling wro!e a long 'oem a)ou! a self"made shi''ing !ycoon called &ir An!hony Glos!er. On his dea!h )ed !he old man re" views !he course of his life for !he )enefi! of his son$ and refers con" !em'!uously !o his com'e!i!ors= +hey co'ied all !hey could follow$ )u! !hey couldn! co'y my mind$ And I lef! >em swea!ing and s!ealing$ a year and a half )ehind. If you ever have !he good for!une !o crea!e a grea! adver!ising cam'aign$ you will soon see ano!her agency s!eal i!. +his is irri!a!" ing$ )u! don! le! i! worry you8 no)ody has ever )uil! a )rand )y imi" !a!ing some)ody elses adver!ising. Imi!a!ion may )e !he 0sinceres! form of 'lagiarism$5 )u! i! is also !he mark of an inferior 'erson. +hese$ !hen$ are !he general 'rinci'les I inculca!e in our new re" crui!s. #hen I recen!ly invi!ed a grou' of !hem who had com'le!ed !heir firs! year wi!h us !o com'are Ogilvy$ (enson I Ma!her wi!h !heir 'revious agencies$ I was agreea)ly sur'rised )y !he num)er who fas!ened on !he fac! !ha! we have a more clearly defined dogma. Here is wha! one of !hem wro!e= Ogilvy$ (enson I Ma!her has a consis!en! 'oin! of view$ a cor" 'ora!e o'inion of wha! cons!i!u!es good adver!ising. My 'revious agency has none$ and conse7uen!ly is rudderless.

CA

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

#I
How to &rite 'otent Co y

I. Headlines
+H6 headline is !he mos! im'or!an! elemen! in mos! adver!ise" men!s. I! is !he !elegram which decides !he reader whe!her !o read !he co'y. On !he average$ five !imes as many 'eo'le read !he headline as read !he )ody co'y. #hen you have wri!!en your headline$ you have s'en! eigh!y cen!s ou! of your dollar. If you haven! done some selling in your headline$ you have was!ed L@ 'er cen! of your clien!s money. +he wickedes! of all sins is !o run an adver!isemen! wi!hou! a headline. &uch headless won" ders are s!ill !o )e found8 I don! envy !he co'ywri!er who su)mi!s one !o me. A change of headline can make a difference of !en !o one in sales. I never wri!e fewer !han si*!een headlines for a single adver" !isemen!$ and I o)serve cer!ain guides in wri!ing !hem= E,F +he headline is !he 0!icke! on !he mea!.5 Mse i! !o flag down !he readers who are 'ros'ec!s for !he kind of 'roduc! you are adver" !ising. If you are selling a remedy for )ladder weakness$ dis'lay !he words (LADD6% #6A:96&& in your headline8 !hey ca!ch !he eye of everyone who suffers from !his inconvenience. If you wan! mo!h" ers !o read your adver!isemen!$ dis'lay MO+H6%& in your headline. And so on. Conversely$ do no! say any!hing in your headline which is likely !o e*clude any readers who migh! )e 'ros'ec!s for your 'roduc!. +hus$ if you are adver!ising a 'roduc! which can )e used e7ually well )y men and women$ don! slan! your headline a! women alone8 i! would frigh!en men away. ECF 6very headline should a''eal !o !he readers self"in!eres!. I! should 'romise her a )enefi!$ as in my headline for Helena %u)in" s!eins Hormone Cream= HO# #OM69 OB6% .K CA9 LOO: 3OM9G6%. E.F Always !ry !o in1ec! news in!o your headlines$ )ecause !he consumer is always on !he lookou! for new 'roduc!s$ or new ways !o use an old 'roduc!$ or new im'rovemen!s in an old 'roduc!. +he !wo mos! 'owerful words you can use in a headline are /%66 and 96#. 3ou can seldom use /%66$ )u! you can almos! always use 96#;if you !ry hard enough. EJF O!her words and 'hrases which work wonders are HO# +O$ &MDD69L3$ 9O#$ A99OM9CI9G$ I9+%ODMCI9G$ I+& H6%6$ ?M&+ A%%IB6D$ IM O%+A9+ D6B6LO M69+$ IM" %OB6M69+$ AMAQI9G$ &69&A+IO9AL$ %6MA%:A(L6$ %6BOLM+IO9A%3$ &+A%+LI9G$ MI%ACL6$ MAGIC$ O//6%$ DMIC:$ 6A&3$ #A9+6D$ CHALL69G6$ ADBIC6 +O$ +H6 +%M+H A(OM+$ COM A%6$ (A%GAI9$ HM%%3$ LA&+ CHA9C6.

Don! !urn u' your nose a! !hese clichUs. +hey may )e sho'" worn$ )u! !hey work. +ha! is why you see !hem !urn u' so of!en in !he headlines of mail"order adver!isers and o!hers who can measure !he resul!s of !heir adver!isemen!s. Headlines can )e s!reng!hened )y !he inclusion of emo!ional words$ like DA%LI9G$ LOB6$ /6A%$ %OMD$ /%I69D$ and (A(3. One of !he mos! 'rovoca!ive adver!isemen!s which has come ou! of our agency showed a girl in a )a!h!u)$ !alking !o her lover on !he !ele'hone. +he headline= Darling$ Im having !he mos! e*!raordi" nary e*'erience . . . m head over heels in DOB6. EKF /ive !imes as many 'eo'le read !he headline as read !he )ody co'y$ so i! is im'or!an! !ha! !hese glancers should a! leas! )e !old wha! )rand is )eing adver!ised. +ha! is why you should always include !he )rand name in your headlines. EAF Include your selling 'romise in your headline. +his re7uires long headlines. #hen !he 9ew 3ork Mniversi!y &chool of %e!ailing ran headline !es!s wi!h !he coo'era!ion of a )ig de'ar!men! s!ore$ !hey found !ha! headlines of !en words or longer$ con!aining news and informa!ion$ consis!en!ly sold more merchandise !han shor! headlines. Headlines con!aining si* !o !welve words 'ull more cou'on re" !urns !han shor! headlines$ and !here is no significan! 0difference )e" !ween !he readershi' of !welve"word headlines and !he readershi' of !hree"word headlines. +he )es! headline I ever wro!e con!ained eigh!een words= A! &i*!y Miles an Hour !he Loudes! 9oise in !he 9ew %olls"%oyce comes from !he elec!ric clock. H EGF eo'le are more likely !o read your )ody co'y if your head" line arouses !heir curiosi!y8 so you should end your headline wi!h a lure !o read on. ELF &ome co'ywri!ers wri!e !ricky headlines;'uns$ li!erary al" lusions$ and o!her o)scuri!ies. +his is a sin. In !he average news'a'er your headline has !o com'e!e for a!" !en!ion wi!h .K@ o!hers. %esearch has shown !ha! readers !ravel so fas! !hrough !his 1ungle !ha! !hey don! s!o' !o deci'her !he meaning of o)scure headlines. 3our headline mus! !elegra'h wha! you wan! !o say$ and i! mus! !elegra'h i! in 'lain language. Don! 'lay games wi!h !he reader. In ,-A@ !he +imes Li!erary &u''lemen! a!!acked !he whimsical !radi!ion in (ri!ish adver!ising$ calling i! 0self"indulgen!;a kind of middle"class 'riva!e 1oke$ a''aren!ly designed !o amuse !he adver" !iser and his clien!.5 Amen. !he chief engineer a! !he %olls"%oyce fac!ory read !his$ he shook his head sadly and said$ 0I! is !ime we did some!hing a)ou! !ha! damned clock.5 CG
H #hen

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

E-F %esearch shows !ha! i! is dangerous !o use nega!ives in headlines. If$ for e*am'le$ you wri!e OM% &AL+ CO9+AI9& 9O A%&69IC$ many readers will miss !he nega!ive and go away wi!h !he im'ression !ha! you wro!e OM% &AL+ CO9+AI9& A%&69IC. E,@F Avoid )lind headlines;!he kind which mean no!hing unless you read !he )ody co'y undernea!h !hem8 mos! 'eo'le don!.

II. Body co y
#hen you si! down !o wri!e your )ody co'y$ 're!end !ha! you are !alking !o !he woman on your righ! a! a dinner 'ar!y. &he has asked you$ 0I am !hinking of )uying a new car. #hich would you recommend25 #ri!e your co'y as if you were answering !ha! 7ues" !ion. E,F Don! )ea! a)ou! !he )ush;go s!raigh! !o !he 'oin!. Avoid analogies of !he 01us! as$ so !oo5 varie!y. Dr. Gallu' has demon" s!ra!ed !ha! !hese !wo"s!age argumen!s are generally misunders!ood. ECF Avoid su'erla!ives$ generali<a!ions$ and 'la!i!udes. (e s'e" cific and fac!ual. (e en!husias!ic$ friendly$ and memora)le. Don! )e a )ore. +ell !he !ru!h$ )u! make !he !ru!h fascina!ing. How long should your co'y )e2 I! de'ends on !he 'roduc!. If you are adver!ising chewing gum$ !here isn! much !o !ell$ so make your co'y shor!. If$ on !he o!her hand$ you are adver!ising a 'roduc! which has a grea! many differen! 7uali!ies !o recommend i!$ wri!e long co'y= !he more you !ell$ !he more you sell. +here is a universal )elief in lay circles !ha! 'eo'le won! read long co'y. 9o!hing could )e far!her from !he !ru!h. Claude Ho'kins once wro!e five 'ages of solid !e*! for &chli!< )eer. In a few mon!hs$ &chli!< moved u' from fif!h 'lace !o firs!. I once wro!e a 'age of solid !e*! for Good Luck Margarine$ wi!h mos! gra!ifying resul!s. %esearch shows !ha! readershi' falls off ra'idly u' !o fif!y words of co'y$ )u! dro's very li!!le )e!ween fif!y and K@@ words. In my firs! %olls"%oyce adver!isemen! I used G,- words;'iling one fascina!ing fac! on ano!her. In !he las! 'aragra'h I wro!e$ 0 eo'le who feel diffiden! a)ou! driving a %olls"%oyce can )uy a (en!ley.5 ?udging from !he num)er of mo!oris!s who 'icked u' !he word 0dif" fiden!5 and )andied i! a)ou!$ I concluded !ha! !he adver!isemen! was !horoughly read. In !he ne*! one I used ,J@@ words. 6very adver!isemen! should )e a com'le!e sales 'i!ch for your 'roduc!. I! is unrealis!ic !o assume !ha! consumers will read a series of adver!isemen!s for !he same 'roduc!. 3ou should shoo! !he works in every adver!isemen!$ on !he assum'!ion !ha! i! is !he only chance you will ever have !o sell your 'roduc! !o !he reader ;now or never$ &ays Dr. Charles 6dwards of !he gradua!e &chool of %e!aHing a! 9ew 3ork Mniversi!y$ 0+he more fac!s you !ell$ !he more you sell. An adver!isemen!s chance for success invaria)ly increases as !he num)er of 'er!inen! merchandise fac!s included in !he adver!isemen! increases.5 In my firs! adver!isemen! for uer!o %icos O'era!ion (oo!" s!ra'$ I used -A, words$ and 'ersuaded (eardsley %uml !o sign !hem. /our!een !housand readers cli''ed !he cou'on from !his adver" !isemen!$ and scores of !hem la!er es!a)lished fac!ories in uer!o %ico. +he grea!es! 'rofessional sa!isfac!ion I have ye! had is !o see !he 'ros'eri!y in uer!o %ican communi!ies which had lived on !he edge of s!arva!ion for four hundred years )efore I wro!e my adver" !isemen!. If I had confined myself !o a few vacuous generali!ies$ no!hing would have ha''ened. #e have even )een a)le !o ge! 'eo'le !o read long co'y a)ou! gasoline. One of our &hell adver!isemen!s con!ained A,G words$ and CC 'er cen! of male readers read more !han half of !hem.

Bic &chwa) !ells !he s!ory of Ma* Har! Eof Har!$ &chaffner I Mar*F and his adver!ising manager$ George L. Dyer$ arguing a)ou! long co'y. Dyer said$ 0Ill )e! you !en dollars I can wri!e a news'a" 'er 'age of solid !y'e and youd read every word of i!.5 Har! scoffed a! !he idea. 0I don! have !o wri!e a line of i! !o 'rove my 'oin!$5 Dyer re'lied. 0Ill only !ell you !he headline= +HI& AG6 I& ALL A(OM+ MAV HA%+.5 Adver!isers who 'u! cou'ons in !heir adver!isemen!s know !ha! shor! co'y doesn! sell. In s'li!"run !es!s$ long co'y invaria)ly ou!" sells shor! co'y. Do I hear someone say !ha! no co'ywri!er can wri!e long adver" !isemen!s unless his media de'ar!men! gives him )ig s'aces !o work wi!h2 +his 7ues!ion should no! arise$ )ecause !he co'ywri!er should )e consul!ed )efore 'lanning !he media schedule. E.F 3ou should always include !es!imonials in your co'y. +he reader finds i! easier !o )elieve !he endorsemen! of a fellow con" sumer !han !he 'uffery of an anonymous co'ywri!er. &ays ?im 3oung$ one of !he )es! co'ywri!ers alive !oday$ 06very !y'e of ad" ver!iser has !he same 'ro)lem8 namely !o )e )elieved. +he mail" order man knows no!hing so 'o!en! for !his 'ur'ose as !he !es!imo" nial$ ye! !he general adver!iser seldom uses i!.5 +es!imonials from cele)ri!ies ge! remarka)ly high readershi'$ and if !hey are hones!ly wri!!en !hey s!ill do no! seem !o 'rovoke in" creduli!y. +he )e!!er known !he cele)ri!y$ !he more readers you will a!!rac!. #e have fea!ured Dueen 6li<a)e!h and #ins!on Churchill in 0Come !o (ri!ain5 adver!isemen!s$ and we were a)le !o 'ersuade Mrs. %oosevel! !o make !elevision commercials for Good Luck Mar" garine. #hen we adver!ised charge accoun!s for &ears$ %oe)uck$ we re'roduced !he credi! card of +ed #illiams$ 0recen!ly !raded )y (os" !on !o &ears.5 &ome!imes you can cas! your en!ire co'y in !he form of a !es!i" monial. My firs! adver!isemen! for Aus!in cars !ook !he form of a le!" !er from an 0anonymous di'loma!5 who was sending his son !o Gro!on wi!h money he had saved driving an Aus!in;a well"aimed com)ina!ion of sno))ery and economy. Alas$ a 'ers'icacious +ime edi!or guessed !ha! I was !he anonymous di'loma!$ and asked !he headmas!er of Gro!on !o commen!. Dr. Crocker was so cross !ha! I decided !o send my son !o Ho!chkiss. EJF Ano!her 'rofi!a)le gam)i! is !o give !he reader hel'ful ad" vice$ or service. I! hooks a)ou! GK 'er cen! more readers !han co'y which deals en!irely wi!h !he 'roduc!. One of our %inso adver!isemen!s !old housewives how !o re" move s!ains. I! was )e!!er read E&!archF and )e!!er remem)ered EGallu'F !han any de!ergen! adver!isemen! in his!ory. Mnfor!una!ely$ however$ i! forgo! !o fea!ure %insos main selling 'romise ;!ha! %inso washes whi!er8 for !his reason i! should never have run. H EKF I have never admired !he belles lettres school of adver!ising$ which reached i!s 'om'ous 'eak in +heodore /. Mac"Manus fa" mous adver!isemen! for Cadillac$ 0+he enal!y of Leadershi'$5 and 9ed ?ordans classic$ 0&omewhere #es! of Laramie.5 /or!y years ago !he )usiness communi!y seems !o have )een im'ressed )y !hese 'ieces of 'ur'le 'rose$ )u! I have always !hough! !hem a)surd8 !hey did no! give !he reader a single fac!. I share Claude Ho'kins view !ha! 0fine wri!ing is a dis!inc! disadvan!age. &o is uni7ue li!erary s!yle. +hey !ake a!!en!ion away from !he su)1ec!.5

'ho!ogra'h showed several differen! kinds of s!ain; li's!ick$ coffee$ shoe"'olish$ )lood and so for!h. +he )lood was my own8 I am !he only co'ywri!er who has ever )led for his clien!. CL

H +he

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

EAF Avoid )om)as!. %aymond %u)icams famous slogan for &7ui))$ 0+he 'riceless ingredien! of every 'roduc! is !he honor and in!egri!y of i!s maker$5 reminds me of my fa!hers advice= when a com'any )oas!s a)ou! i!s in!egri!y$ or a woman a)ou! her vir!ue$ avoid !he former and cul!iva!e !he la!!er. EGF Mnless you have some s'ecial reason !o )e solemn and 're" !en!ious$ wri!e your co'y in !he collo7uial language which your cus" !omers use in everyday conversa!ion. I have never ac7uired a suffi" cien!ly good ear for vernacular American !o wri!e i!$ )u! I admire co'ywri!ers who can 'ull i! off$ as in !his un'u)lished 'earl from a dairy farmer= Carna!ion Milk is !he )es! in !he land$ Here I si! wi!h a can in my hand. 9o !i!s !o 'ull$ no hay !o 'i!ch$ ?us! 'unch a hole in !he son"of"a")i!ch. I! is a mis!ake !o use highfalu!in language when you adver!ise !o uneduca!ed 'eo'le. I once used !he word O(&OL6+6 in a headline$ only !o discover !ha! J. 'er cen! of housewives had no idea wha! i! mean!. In ano!her headline$ I used !he word I96//A(L6$ only !o discover !ha! I didn! know wha! i! mean! myself. However$ many co'ywri!ers of my vin!age err on !he side of underes!ima!ing !he educa!ional level of !he 'o'ula!ion. hili' Hauser$ head of !he &ociology De'ar!men! a! !he Mniversi!y of Chi" cago$ draws a!!en!ion !o !he changes which are !aking 'lace= +he increasing e*'osure of !he 'o'ula!ion !o formal schooling . . . can )e e*'ec!ed !o affec! im'or!an! changes in ... !he s!yle of ad" ver!ising. . . . Messages aimed a! !he 0average5 American on !he as" sum'!ion !ha! he has had less !han a grade school educa!ion are likely !o find !hemselves wi!h a declining or disa''earing clien!ele.

Meanwhile$ all co'ywri!ers should read Dr. %udol'h /leschs Ar! of lain +alk. I! will 'ersuade !hem !o use shor! words$ shor! sen!ences$ shor! 'aragra'hs$ and highly 'e rsonal co'y. Aldous Hu*ley$ who once !ried his hand a! wri!ing adver!ise" men!s$ concluded !ha! 0any !race of li!erariness in an adver!isemen! is fa!al !o i!s success. Adver!isemen! wri!ers may no! )e lyrical$ or o)scure$ or in any way eso!eric . +hey mus! )e universally in!elligi" )le. A good adver!isemen! has !his in common wi!h drama and ora" !ory$ !ha! i! mus! )e immedia!ely com'rehensi)le and direc!ly mov" ing.5 H ELF %esis! !he !em'!a!ion !o wri!e !he kind of co'y which wins awards. I am always gra!ified when I win an award$ )u! mos! of !he cam'aigns which 'roduce resul!s never win award$ )ecause !hey don! draw a!!en!ion !o !hemselves. +he 1uries !ha! )es!ow awards are never given enough informa" !ion a)ou! !he resul!s of !he adver!isemen!s !hey are called u'on !o 1udge. In !he a)sence of such informa!ion$ !hey rely on !heir o'in" ions$ which are always war'ed !oward !he high)row. E-F Good co'ywri!ers have always resis!ed !he !em'!a!ion !o en" !er!ain. +heir achievemen! lies in !he num)er of new 'roduc!s !hey ge! off !o a flying s!ar!. In a class )y himself s!ands Claude Ho'kins$ who is !o adver!ising wha! 6scoffier is !o cooking. (y !odays s!an" dards$ Ho'kins was an unscru'ulous )ar)arian$ )u! !echnically he was !he su'reme mas!er. 9e*! I would 'lace %aymond %u)icam$ George Cecil$ and ?ames #e)) 3oung$ all of whom lacked Ho'" kins ru!hless salesmanshi'$ )u! made u' for i! )y !heir hones!y$ )y !he )roader range of !heir work$ and )y !heir a)ili!y !o wri!e civili<ed co'y when !he occasion re7uired i!. 9e*! I would 'lace ?ohn Ca'les$ !he mail"order s'ecialis! from whom I have learned much. +hese gian!s wro!e !heir adver!isemen!s for news'a'ers and maga<ines. I! is s!ill !oo early !o iden!ify !he )es! wri!ers for !elevi" sion.

&cien !ific American EOc!o)er ,-ACF.

Old And 9ew EHar'er I (ro!hers$ ,-CGF. Charles Lam) and (yron also wro!e adver!isemen!s. &o did (ernard &haw$ Hemingway$ Mar7uand$ &herwood Anderson$ and /aulkner;none of !hem wi!h any degree of success. C-

H 6ssays

#II
How to Illustrate Advertise%ents and 'osters

Advertise%ents
MO&+ co'ywri!ers !hink in !erms of words$ and devo!e li!!le !ime !o 'lanning !heir illus!ra!ions. 3e! !he illus!ra!ion of!en occu'ies more s'ace !han !he co'y$ and i! should work 1us! as hard !o sell !he 'roduc!. I! should !elegra'h !he same 'romise !ha! you make in your headline. Doyle$ Dane I (ern)ach have a uni7ue genius for illus!ra!ing adver!isemen!s8 !he 'ho!ogra'hs !hey have used for Bolkswagen are in a class )y !hemselves. +he su)1ec! of your illus!ra!ion is more im'or!an! !han i!s !ech" ni7ue. As in all areas of adver!ising$ su)s!ance is more im'or!an! !han form. If you have a remarka)le idea for a 'ho!ogra'h$ i! does no! re7uire a genius !o click !he shu!!er. If you haven! go! a remark" a)le idea$ no! even Irving enn can save you. Dr. Gallu' has discovered !ha! !he kind of 'ho!ogra'hs which win awards from camera clu)s;sensi!ive$ su)!le$ and )eau!ifully com'osed;don! work in adver!isemen!s. #ha! do work are 'ho!o" gra'hs which arouse !he readers curiosi!y. He glances a! !he 'ho!o" gra'h and says !o himself$ 0#ha! goes on here25 +hen he reads your co'y !o find ou!. +his is !he !ra' !o se!. Harold %udol'h called !his magic elemen! 0s!ory a''eal$5 and demons!ra!ed !ha! !he more of i! you in1ec! in!o your 'ho!ogra'hs$ !he more 'eo'le will look a! your adver!isemen!s. +his discovery has had a 'rofound effec! on !he cam'aigns 'roduced )y my agency. #hen we were asked !o 'reside over Ha!haways de)u! as a na" !ional adver!iser$ I was de!ermined !o give !hem a cam'aign which would )e )e!!er !han 3oung I %u)icams his!oric cam'aign for Ar" row shir!s. (u! Ha!haway could s'end only N.@$@@@ agains! Arrows NC$@@@$@@@. A miracle was re7uired. :nowing from %udol'h !ha! a s!rong dose of 0s!ory a''eal5 would make readers s!o' and !ake no!ice$ I concoc!ed eigh!een dif" feren! ways !o in1ec! !his magic ingredien!. +he eigh!een!h was !he eye 'a!ch. A! firs! we re1ec!ed i! in favor of a more o)vious idea$ )u! on !he way !o !he s!udio I ducked in!o a drugs!ore and )ough! an eye 'a!ch for N,.K@. 6*ac!ly why i! !urned ou! !o )e so successful$ I shall never know. I! 'u! Ha!haway on !he ma' af!er ,,A years of rela!ive o)scuri!y. &eldom$ if ever$ has a na!ional )rand )een crea!ed so fas!$ or a! such low cos!. Ar!icles were wri!!en a)ou! i! in news'a'ers and maga<ines all over !he world. &cores of o!her manufac!urers s!ole i! for !heir own adver!ising;I have seen five co'ies from Denmark alone. #ha! s!ruck me as a modera!ely good idea for a we! +uesday morning made me famous. I could have wished for fame !o come from some more serious achievemen!. As !he cam'aign develo'ed$ I showed !he model in a series of si!ua!ions in which I would have liked !o find myself= conduc!ing !he

9ew 3ork hilharmonic a! Carnegie Hall$ 'laying !he o)oe$ co'ying a Goya a! !he Me!ro'oli!an Museum$ driving a !rac!or$ fencing$ sail" ing$ )uying a %enoir$ and so for!h. Af!er eigh! years of !his$ my friend 6ller!on ?e!!e sold !he Ha!haway com'any !o a (os!on finan" cier$ who resold i! si* mon!hs la!er a! a 'rofi! of several million dol" lars. My !o!al 'rofi! on !he accoun! had )een NA$@@@. If I were a fin" ancier ins!ead of an adver!ising agen!$ how rich I would )e$ and how )ored. Ano!her e*am'le of 0s!ory a''eal5 was a 'ho!ogra'h which 6llio!! 6rwi!! !ook for our uer!o %ico !ourism cam'aign. Ins!ead of 'ho!ogra'hing a)lo Casals 'laying his cello$ 6rwi!! 'ho!ogra'hed an em'!y room$ wi!h !he grea! mans cello leaning agains! a chair. #hy was !he room em'!y2 #here was Casals2 +hose were !he 7ues" !ions raised in !he readers mind$ and he looked for !he answer in our co'y. Af!er reading i!$ he made reserva!ions for !he Casals /es!ival in &an ?uan. During !he firs! si* years of !his cam'aign$ !ouris! e*" 'endi!ures in uer!o %ico wen! u' from N,-$@@@$@@@ !o NK.$@@@$@@@ a year. If you will !ake !he !rou)le !o ge! grea! 'ho!ogra'hs for your adver!isemen!s$ you will no! only sell more$ you will also )ask in !he glow of 'u)lic es!eem. I was comfor!ed when rofessor ?. :. Gal)rai!h$ !ha! redou)!a)le cri!ic of adver!ising$ wro!e !o me$ 0/or years I have )een in!eres!ed in 'ho!ogra'hy$ and for 7ui!e a long !ime I have 'icked ou! yours as really su'er) e*am'les of )o!h selec" !ion and re'roduc!ion.5 Over and over again research has shown !ha! 'ho!ogra'hs sell more !han drawings. +hey a!!rac! more readers. +hey deliver more a''e!i!e a''eal. +hey are )e!!er remem)ered. +hey 'ull more cou" 'ons. And !hey sell more merchandise. ho!ogra'hs re'resen! real" i!y$ whereas drawings re'resen! fan!asy$ which is less )elieva)le. #hen we !ook over !he 0Come !o (ri!ain5 adver!ising we su)" s!i!u!ed 'ho!ogra'hs for !he drawings which !he 'revious agency had )een using. %eadershi' !ri'led$ and in !he su)se7uen! !en years M.&. !ouris! e*'endi!ures in (ri!ain have !ri'led. I! grieves me !o !ell you no! !o use drawings$ )ecause I would dearly like !o hel' ar!is!s ge! commissions !o illus!ra!e adver!ise" men!s. (u! !he adver!isemen!s would no! sell$ !he clien!s would go )roke$ and !hen !here would )e no 'a!rons lef! !o su''or! !he ar!is!s. If you use 'ho!ogra'hs$ your clien!s will 'ros'er sufficien!ly !o )uy 'ain!ings and 'resen! !hem !o 'u)lic galleries. &ome manufac!urers illus!ra!e !heir adver!isemen!s wi!h a)s!rac! 'ain!ings. I would only do !his if I wished !o conceal from !he reader wha! I was adver!ising. I! is im'era!ive !ha! your illus!ra!ion !ele" gra'h !o !he reader wha! i! is !ha! you are offering for sale. A)s!rac!

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

ar! does no! !elegra'h i!s message fas! enough for use in adver!ise" men!s. +he only adver!iser who ever made a success wi!h nonre're" sen!a!ional illus!ra!ions was !he la!e #al!er ae'cke. +he eccen!ric" i!y of his cam'aign for !he Con!ainer Cor'ora!ion seems !o have se! !ha! com'any a'ar! from i!s com'e!i!ors8 )u! i! !akes more !han one swallow !o make a summer. %eader$ )eware of eccen!rici!y when you adver!ise !o 'eo'le who are no! eccen!ric. (efore"and"af!er 'ho!ogra'hs seem !o fascina!e readers$ and !o make !heir 'oin! )e!!er !han any words. &o does a challenge !o !he reader !o !ell !he difference )e!ween !wo similar 'ho!ogra'hs$ as in 0#hich +win Has !he +oni25 #hen in dou)! as !o which of !wo illus!ra!ions !o use$ !es! !heir rela!ive 'ulling 'ower )y s'li!"running !hem in a news'a'er. #e used !his !echni7ue !o se!!le a dis'u!e over whe!her :LM adver!ise" men!s should )e illus!ra!ed wi!h 'ho!ogra'hs of aircraf! or 'ho!o" gra'hs of des!ina!ions. +he la!!er 'ulled !wice as many cou'ons as !he former. +ha! is why all :LM adver!isemen!s are now illus!ra!ed wi!h 'ho!ogra'hs of des!ina!ions. #hen I worked for Dr. Gallu'$ I was a)le !o demons!ra!e !ha! moviegoers are more in!eres!ed in ac!ors of !heir own se* !han in ac" !ors of !he o''osi!e se*. +rue$ !here are a few e*ce'!ions !o !his rule= !he female se*"ki!!ens find grea! favor wi!h male moviegoers and !he les)ian s!ars do no! a''eal !o men. (u!$ in general$ 'eo'le !ake more in!eres! in movie s!ars wi!h whom !hey can iden!ify. In !he same way$ !he cas! of charac!ers in mos! 'eo'les dreams con!ains more 'eo'le of !heir own se* !han of !he o''osi!e se*. Dr. Calvin Hall re" 'or!s !ha! 0!he male"female charac!er ra!io in male dreams is ,.G !o i. +his . . . a''ears also in Ho'i dreams. ... I! may 'rove !o )e a univer" sal 'henomenon.5 H I have o)served !he same force a! work in consumer reac!ions !o adver!isemen!s. #hen you use a 'ho!ogra'h of a woman$ men ig" nore your adver!isemen!. #hen you use a 'ho!ogra'h of a man$ you e*clude women from your audience. If you wan! !o a!!rac! women readers$ your )es! )e! is !o use a 'ho!ogra'h of a )a)y. %esearch has shown !ha! !hey s!o' almos! !wice as many women as 'ho!ogra'hs of families. #hen you were a )a)y you were !he cynosure of every eye$ )u! )y !he !ime you )e" came a mere mem)er of !he family$ you a!!rac!ed no s'ecial a!!en" !ion. Here you run in!o a 'eculiar difficul!y. Mos! manufac!urers o)" 1ec! !o illus!ra!ing )a)ies in !heir adver!isemen!s$ )ecause )a)ies consume such small !onnage8 !hey wan! you !o show !he whole ruddy family. One of !he mos! agreea)le chores in adver!ising is selec!ing 're!!y girls !o a''ear in adver!isemen!s and !elevision commercials. I used !o arroga!e !his func!ion !o myself$ )u! gave i! u' af!er com'ar" ing my 'ersonal !as!e in girls wi!h !he !as!e of female consumers. Men don! like !he same kind of girls !ha! girls like. Adver!isemen!s are !wice as memora)le$ on !he average$ when !hey are illus!ra!ed in color. Avoid his!orical su)1ec!s. +hey may )e useful for adver!ising whiskey$ )u! for no!hing else. Halls analysis of .$LGJ dreams led him !o some o!her re" marka)le conclusions$ including !hese= 0+he fauce! was inven!ed )y a man who wan!ed a )e!!er 'enis. Money was inven!ed )y someone who wan!ed !o accumula!e a )igger 'ile of feces. %ocke!s !o !he moon were inven!ed )y a grou' of dissa!isfied oedi'al animals. Houses were inven!ed )y wom)seekers$ and whiskey )y )reas!" lings.5
H Dr.

Don! show enlarged close"u's of !he human face8 !hey seem !o re'el readers. :ee' your illus!ra!ions as sim'le as 'ossi)le$ wi!h !he focus of in!eres! on one 'erson. Crowd scenes don! 'ull. Avoid s!ereo!y'ed si!ua!ions like grinning housewives 'oin!ing fa!uously in!o o'en refrigera!ors. #hen you ge! in!o a 1am$ you may find !his advice hel'ful= #hen !he clien! moans and sighs$ Make his logo !wice !he si<e. If he s!ill should 'rove refrac!ory$ &how a 'ic!ure of !he fac!ory. Only in !he graves! cases &hould you show !he clien!s faces. 0Making !he logo !wice !he si<e5 is of!en a good !hing !o do$ )ecause mos! adver!isemen!s are deficien! in )rand iden!ifica!ion. 0&howing !he clien!s faces5 is also a )e!!er s!ra!agem !han i! may sound$ )ecause !he 'u)lic is more in!eres!ed in 'ersonali!ies !han in cor'ora!ions. &ome clien!s$ like Helena %u)ins!ein and Commander #hi!ehead$ can )e 'ro1ec!ed as human sym)ols of !heir own 'roduc!s. (u! i! is never wise !o 0show a 'ic!ure of !he fac!ory5;unless !he fac!ory is for sale. Mos! of !he ar! schools which !rain unsus'ec!ing s!uden!s for careers in adver!ising s!ill su)scri)e !o !he mys!i7ue of !he (auhaus. +hey hold !ha! !he success of an adver!isemen! de'ends on such !hings as 0)alance$5 0movemen!$5 and 0design.5 (u! can !hey 'rove i!2 My research sugges!s !ha! !hese aes!he!ic in!angi)les do no! in" crease sales$ and I canno! conceal my hos!ili!y !o !he old school of ar! direc!ors who !ake such 'reachmen!s seriously. Imagine my hor" ror when !heir college of cardinals$ !he augus! Ar! Direc!ors Clu)$ gave Henry Luce$ /rank &!an!on$ Henry /ord and myself s'ecial awards for 0encouraging ar! direc!ors !o work in !he )es! 'ossi)le clima!e.5 Did !hey no! know !ha! I wage war on art-directoritis $ !he disease which reduces adver!ising cam'aigns !o im'o!ence2 I no longer en!er my agencys layou!s in !he con!es!s organi<ed )y !he ar! direc!ors socie!ies$ for fear !ha! one of !hem migh! )e dis" graced )y an award. +heir gods are no! my gods. I have my own dogma$ and i! s'rings from o)serving !he )ehavior of human )eings$ as recorded )y Dr. Gallu'$ Dr. &!arch$ and !he mail"order e*'er!s. Always design your layou! for !he 'u)lica!ion in which i! will a''ear$ and never a''rove i! un!il you have seen how i! looks when 'as!ed in!o !ha! 'u)lica!ion. +he almos! universal 'rac!ice of a'" 'raising layou!s in acuo $ moun!ed on gray card)oard and covered wi!h cello'hane$ is dangerously misleading. A layou! mus! rela!e !o !he gra'hic clima!e of !he news'a'er or maga<ine which is !o carry i!. A young and ine*'erienced clien! recen!ly said !o me$ 0I knew which of your layou!s was !he )es! as soon as I saw !hem !acked u' on my )ulle!in )oard.5 +ha! is no! !he environmen! in which readers see adver!isemen!s. +here is no need for adver!isemen!s !o look like adver!isemen!s. If you make !hem look like edi!orial 'ages$ you will a!!rac! a)ou! K@ 'er cen! more readers. 3ou migh! !hink !ha! !he 'u)lic would resen! !his !rick$ )u! !here is no evidence !o sugges! !ha! !hey do. Our Qi''o adver!isemen!s are laid ou! wi!h !he same kind of s!raigh!forward sim'lici!y !ha! !he Life edi!ors use. 9o gadge!ry. 9o clu!!er. 9o ar!y use of !y'e for 'ur'oses of decora!ion. 9o hand le!" !ering. 9o !rade marks. 9o sym)ols. E+rade marks and sym)ols were valua)le in olden days$ )ecause !hey made i! 'ossi)le for illi!era!es

.,

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

!o iden!ify your )rand. (u! illi!eracy has disa''eared in !he Mni!ed &!a!es$ and you can now rely on 'rin!ed names for 'ur'oses of iden" !ifica!ion.F Maga<ine edi!ors have discovered !ha! 'eo'le read !he e*'lana" !ory ca'!ions under 'ho!ogra'hs more !han !hey read !he !e*! of ar!i" cles8 and !he same !hing is !rue of adver!isemen!s. #hen we ana" ly<ed &!arch da!a on adver!isemen!s in Life$ we found !ha! on !he av" erage !wice as many 'eo'le read !he ca'!ions as read !he )ody co'y. +hus ca'!ions offer you !wice !he audience you ge! for )ody co'y. I! follows !ha! you should never use a 'ho!ogra'h wi!hou! 'u!!ing a ca'!ion under i!$ and each ca'!ion should )e a minia!ure adver!ise" men!$ com'le!e wi!h )rand name and 'romise. If you can kee' your )ody co'y down !o ,G@ words$ you should se! i! in !he form of a ca'!ion under your 'ho!ogra'h$ as we have done in our maga<ine adver!isemen!s for +e!ley +ea. If you need very long co'y$ !here are several devices which are known !o increase i!s readershi'= E,F A dis'lay su)head of !wo or !hree lines$ )e!ween your head" line and your )ody co'y$ will heigh!en !he readers a''e!i!e for !he feas! !o come. ECF If you s!ar! your )ody co'y wi!h a large ini!ial le!!er$ you will increase readershi' )y an average of ,. 'er cen!. E.F :ee' your o'ening 'aragra'h down !o a ma*imum of eleven words. A long firs! 'aragra'h frigh!ens readers away. All your 'ara gra'hs should )e as shor! as 'ossi)le8 long 'aragra'hs are fa!iguing. EJF Af!er !wo or !hree inches of co'y$ inser! your firs! cross" head$ and !hereaf!er 'e''er cross"heads !hroughou!. +hey kee' !he reader marching forward. Make some of !hem in!erroga!ive$ !o e*ci!e curiosi!y in !he ne*! run of co'y. An ingenious se7uence of )oldly dis'layed cross"heads can deliver !he su)s!ance of your en!ire 'i!ch !o glancers who are !oo la<y !o wade !hrough !he !e*!. EKF &e! your co'y in columns no! more !han for!y charac!ers wide. Mos! 'eo'le ac7uire !heir reading ha)i!s from news'a'ers$ which use columns of a)ou! !wen!y"si* charac!ers. +he wider !he measure$ !he fewer !he readers. EAF +y'e smaller !han '"'oin! is difficul! for mos! 'eo'le !o read. +his )ook is se! in ,, 'oin!. EGF &erif !y'e like !his is easier !o read !han sans serif ty e like t/is . +he (auhaus )rigade is no! aware of !his fac!. ELF #hen I was a )oy i! was fashiona)le !o make co'ywri!ers s7uare u' every 'aragra'h. &ince !hen i! has )een discovered !ha! 0widows5 increase readershi'$ e*ce'! a! !he )o!!om of a column$ where !hey make i! !oo easy for !he reader !o 7ui!. E-F (reak u' !he mono!ony of long co'y )y se!!ing key 'ara" gra'hs in )oldface or i!alic. E,@F Inser! illus!ra!ions from !ime !o !ime. E,,F Hel' !he reader in!o your 'aragra'hs wi!h arrowheads$ )ul" le!s$ as!erisks$ and marginal marks. E,CF If you have a lo! of unrela!ed fac!s !o reci!e$ don! !ry !o re" la!e !hem wi!h cum)ersome connec!ives8 sim'ly num)er !hem$ as I am doing here. E,.F 9ever se! your co'y in reverse Ewhi!e !y'e on a )lack )ack" groundF$ and never se! i! over a gray or colored !in!. +he old school of ar! direc!ors )elieved !ha! !hese devices forced 'eo'le !o read !he co'y8 we now know !ha! !hey make reading 'hysically im'ossi)le. E,JF If you use leading )e!ween 'aragra'hs$ you increase read" ershi' )y an average of ,C 'er cen!. +he more !y'ogra'hical changes you make in your headline$ !he fewer 'eo'le will read i!. A! our agency we run s!raigh! !hrough our

headlines in !he same !y'e face$ in !he same si<e$ and in !he same weigh!. &e! your headline$ and indeed your whole adver!isemen!$ in lower case. CA I+AL L6++6%& A%6 MMCH HA%D6% %6AD$ %O(A(L3 (6CAM&6 #6 L6A%9 %6AD in lower case. eo'le read all !heir )ooks$ news'a'ers$ and maga<ines in lower case. 9ever deface your illus!ra!ion )y 'rin!ing your headline over i!. Old"fashioned ar! direc!ors love doing !his$ )u! i! reduces !he a!!en" !ion value of !he adver!isemen! )y an average of ,- 'er cen!. 9ews" 'a'er edi!ors never do i!. In general$ imi!a!e !he edi!ors8 !hey form !he reading ha)i!s of your cus!omers. #hen your adver!isemen! is !o con!ain a cou'on$ and you wan! !he ma*imum re!urns$ 'u! i! a! !he !o'$ )ang in !he middle. +his 'osi" !ion 'ulls L@ 'er cen! more cou'ons !han !he !radi!ional ou!side" )o!!om of !he 'age. E9o! one adver!ising man in a hundred knows !his.F H. L. Mencken once said !ha! no)ody ever wen! )roke underes" !ima!ing !he !as!e of !he American 'u)lic. +ha! is no! !rue. I have come !o )elieve !ha! i! 'ays !o make all your layou!s 'ro1ec! a feeling of good !as!e$ 'rovided !ha! you do i! uno)!rusively. An ugly layou! sugges!s an ugly 'roduc!. +here are very few 'roduc!s which do no! )enefi! from )eing given a /irs!"Class !icke! !hrough life. In a so" cially mo)ile socie!y$ 'eo'le do no! like !o )e seen consuming 'rod" uc!s which !heir friends regard as &econd"Class.

'osters
9o! long ago I received a !ouching !ri)u!e !o one of my 'os!ers$ in !he form of a le!!er from !he 'as!or of an 6!hio'ian (a'!is! Church in California= Dear Mr. Ogilvy= I am !he head of a small church grou' which is s'reading !he Lords word on !he highways of California. #e use a lo! of 'os!er adver!ising and run in!o many 'ro)lems due !o high ar! cos!s. I saw !he 'os!er for &chwe''es$ !he one wi!h !he )earded man who has his arms s!re!ched ou!. #ha! I would like !o know is$ can you send !ha! 'ho!ogra'h along !o me when you are done wi!h i!2 #e would have ?6&M& &AB6& 'rin!ed on i!$ and 'u! i! u' on !he highways of Cali" fornia$ s'reading !he Lords word. If my clien!s face could )ecome iden!ified wi!h !he &on of God$ we would never have !o s'end ano!her 'enny on adver!ising$ and !he whole (a'!is! world would )e conver!ed !o &chwe''es. My imagina!ion )oggled. Only fear of losing my commissions 'ersuaded me !o !ell !he 'as!or !ha! Commander #hi!ehead was no! wor!hy of !his holy role. I have never liked 'os!ers. +he 'assing mo!oris! does no! have !ime !o read more !han si* words on a 'os!er$ and my early e*'eri" ences as a door"!o"door salesman convinced me !ha! i! is im'ossi)le !o sell any!hing wi!h only si* words. In a news'a'er or maga<ine

.C

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

adver!isemen!$ I can use hundreds of words. os!ers are for slo" ganeers. As a 'riva!e 'erson$ I have a 'assion for landsca'e$ and I have never seen one which was im'roved )y a )ill)oard. #here every 'ros'ec! 'leases$ man is a! his viles! when he erec!s a )ill)oard. #hen I re!ire from Madison Avenue$ I am going !o s!ar! a secre! so" cie!y of masked vigilan!es who will !ravel a)ou! !he world on silen! mo!or )icycles$ cho''ing down 'os!ers a! !he dark of !he moon. How many 1uries will convic! us when we are caugh! in !hese ac!s of )e" neficen! ci!i<enshi'2 +he 'eo'le who own !he )ill)oards are unscru'ulous lo))yis!s. +hey have done !heir foul )es! !o !or'edo !he legisla!ion which 'ro" hi)i!s 'os!ers on !he new American !urn'ikes. +hey 'lead !ha! !he 'os!er indus!ry em'loys !housands of workers. &o do )ro!hels. However$ 'os!ers are s!ill wi!h us$ and sooner or la!er you may )e called u'on !o design one. &o here goes. +ry !o make your 'os!er a !our de force;wha! &avignac calls a 0visual scandal.5 If you overdo !he scandal$ you will s!o' !he !raffic and cause fa!al acciden!s. In 6uro'e i! has long )een !he fashion !o cri!ici<e American 'os!ers for )eing so low")row. 9o)ody could 're!end !ha! American 'os!ers can hold !heir own$ es!he!ically$ wi!h !he 'os!ers of Cassan" dre$ Leu'in$ &avignac and Mc:nigh! :auffer. (u!$ alas$ !here is rea"

son !o )elieve !ha! !he corny American s!yle makes i!s 'oin! fas!er$ and is )e!!er remem)ered$ !han !he more dis!inguished designs of 6uro'ean ar!is!s. During !he second German #ar$ !he Canadian Governmen! en" gaged my old )oss$ Dr. George Gallu'$ !o measure !he rela!ive effi" ciency of several recrui!ing 'os!ers. Dr. Gallu' found !ha! !he 'os!ers which worked )es! wi!h !he mos! 'eo'le were !hose which used real" is!ic ar!work or 'ho!ogra'hs. A)s!rac! or sym)olic designs did no! communica!e !heir message fas! enough. 3our 'os!er should deliver !he selling 'romise of your 'roduc!$ no! only in words$ )u! also 'ic!orially. Only a handful of adver!ising men have !he genius !o do !his$ and I am no! one of !hem. If your 'os!er is aimed a! 'assing mo!oris!s;you rascal$ you; i! mus! do i!s work in five seconds. %esearch has shown !ha! i! will communica!e fas!er if you use s!rong$ 'ure colors8 don! 'ain! wi!h a dir!y 'ale!!e. 9ever use more !han !hree elemen!s in your design$ and silhoue!!e !hem agains! a whi!e )ackground. A)ove all$ use !he larges! 'ossi)le !y'e Esans"serifF$ and make your )rand"name visi)le a! a glance. I! seldom is. If you will follow !hese sim'le direc!ions$ you will 'roduce 'os!ers which do !heir 1o). (u! I mus! warn you !ha! you will no! en" dear yourself !o connoisseurs of con!em'orary ar!. Indeed$ you may find yourself 'illoried as a yahoo.

#III
How to Make Good )elevision Co%%ercials

0+H6 /6# &6CO9D& of an adver!ising commercial$5 says &!anho'e &hel!on$ 0will fi! in!o a 'ill)o* !wo and one half inches in diame!er. +his !iny 'ill)o*"full re'resen!s several weeks of concen" !ra!ed effor! on !he 'ar! of !hir!y 'eo'le. I! can make !he difference )e!ween 'rofi! and loss.5 I have found !ha! i! is easier !o dou)le !he selling 'ower of a commercial !han !o dou)le !he audience of a 'rogram. +his may come as news !o !he Hollywood hidalgos who 'roduce !he 'rograms and look down !heir noses a! us o)scure co'ywri!ers who wri!e !he commercials. +he 'ur'ose of a commercial is no! !o en!er!ain !he viewer$ )u! !o sell him. Horace &chwerin re'or!s !ha! !here is no correla!ion )e" !ween 'eo'le liking commercials and )eing sold )y. (u! !his does no! mean !ha! your commercials should )e deli)era!ely )ad" mannered. On !he con!rary$ !here is reason !o )elieve !ha! i! 'ays !o make !hem human and friendly$ if you can do so wi!hou! )eing unc" !uous. In !he early days of !elevision$ I made !he mis!ake of relying on words !o do !he selling8 I had )een accus!omed !o radio$ where !here are no 'ic!ures. I now know !ha! in !elevision you mus! make your

'ic!ures !ell !he s!ory8 wha! you show is more im'or!an! !han wha! you say. #ords and 'ic!ures mus! march !oge!her$ reinforcing each o!her. +he only func!ion of !he words is !o e*'lain wha! !he 'ic!ures are showing. Dr. Gallu' re'or!s !ha! if you say some!hing which you don! also illus!ra!e$ !he viewer immedia!ely forge!s i!. I conclude !ha! if you don! show i!$ !here is no 'oin! in saying i!. +ry running your commercial wi!h !he sound !urned off8 if i! doesn! sell wi!hou! sound$ i! is useless. Mos! commercials )efuddle !he viewer )y drowning him in lo" gorrhea$ a !orren! of words. I advise you !o res!ric! yourself !o nine!y words a minu!e. I! is !rue !ha! you can deliver somewha! more selling 'oin!s in a !elevision commercial !han in a 'rin!ed adver!isemen!$ )u! !he mos! effec!ive commercials are )uil! around only one or !wo 'oin!s$ sim" 'ly s!a!ed. A hodge'odge of many 'oin!s leaves !he viewer un" moved. +ha! is why commercials should never )e crea!ed in commi!" !ee. Com'romise has no 'lace in adver!ising. #ha!ever you do$ go !he whole hog.

..

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

#hen you adver!ise in maga<ines and news'a'ers$ you mus! s!ar! )y a!!rac!ing !he readers a!!en!ion. (u! in !elevision !he viewer is already a!!ending8 your 'ro)lem is no! !o frigh!en her away. I! is fa!al !o warn her !ha! she is a)ou! !o hear 0a friendly word from our s'onsor.5 Her )ladder will reac! !o !his s!imulus as avlovs dog re" ac!ed !o !he sound of a )ell= she will leave !he room. +he 'ur'ose of mos! commercials is !o deliver your selling 'romise in a way !he viewer will remem)er ne*! !ime she goes sho'" 'ing. I !herefore advise you !o re'ea! your 'romise a! leas! !wice in every commercial$ !o illus!ra!e i! 'ic!orially$ and !o 'rin! i! on !he screen as a 0!i!le5 or 0su'er.5 +he average consumer$ 'oor dear$ is now su)1ec!ed !o ,@$@@@ commercials a year. Make sure !ha! she knows !he name of !he 'rod" uc! )eing adver!ised in your commercial. %e'ea! i!$ ad nauseam$ !hroughou!. H &how i! in a! leas! one !i!le. And show her !he 'ackage which you wan! her !o recogni<e in !he s!ore. Make your 'roduc! !he hero of !he commercial$ as i! is !he hero of our famous commercial for Ma*well House Coffee;1us! a cof" fee'o! and a cu' of coffee;0good !o !he las! dro'.5 EI did no! inven! !his slogan8 +heodore %oosevel! did.F In !elevision adver!ising you have e*ac!ly fif!y"eigh! seconds !o make your sale$ and your clien! is 'aying NK@@ a second. Don! mess a)ou! wi!h irrelevan! lead"ins. &!ar! selling in your firs! frame$ and never s!o' selling un!il !he las!. /or 'roduc!s which lend !hemselves !o selling )y demons!ra" !ion;e.g.$ cooking ingredien!s$ make"u'$ and sinus remedies; !elevision is !he mos! 'owerful adver!ising medium ever inven!ed. &uccess in using i! de'ends more !han any!hing else on your ingenu" i!y in devising )elieva)le demons!ra!ions. +he 'u)lici!y which has a!!ended some of !he /ederal +rade Commissions indic!men!s has made !he American 'u)lic sus'icious of !rickery. Dr. Gallu' is a foun!ain of useful informa!ion on how 'eo'le reac! !o differen! kinds of commercials. He !ells us !ha! commercials which s!ar! )y se!!ing u' a 'ro)lem$ !hen wheel u' your 'roduc! !o solve !he 'ro)lem$ !hen 'rove !he solu!ion )y demons!ra!ion$ sell four !imes as many 'eo'le as commercials which merely 'reach a)ou! !he 'roduc!. Dr. Gallu' also re'or!s !ha! commercials wi!h a s!rong elemen! of news are 'ar!icularly effec!ive. &o you should s7uee<e every dro' of news value ou! of !he ma!erial availa)le for your commercials.

(u! some!imes$ alas$ !here isn! any news. 3our 'roduc! may have )een on !he marke! for genera!ions$ and !here may have )een no significan! im'rovemen! in i!s formula. &ome 'roduc!s canno! )e 'resen!ed as !he solu!ion !o any 'ro)lem. &ome do no! lend !hem" selves !o demons!ra!ion. #ha! do you do when !hese surefire gam" )i!s are denied !o you2 Do you give u'2 9o! necessarily. +here is ano!her gam)i! availa)le which can move moun!ains= emo!ion and mood. I! is a difficul! gam)i! !o use wi!hou! inducing derision in !he viewer$ )u! i! has )een used wi!h consumma!e success in 6uro'e$ no" !a)ly )y Ma!her I Crow!her in !heir commercials for layers Ciga" re!!es. +he average consumer now sees -@@ commercials a mon!h$ and mos! of !hem slide off her memory like wa!er off a ducks )ack. /or !his reason you should give your commercials a !ouch of singulari!y$ a )urr !ha! will make !hem s!ick in !he viewers mind. (u! )e very careful how you do !his8 !he viewer is a'! !o remem)er your )urr )u! forge! your selling 'romise. A! !wo oclock one morning I awoke from a !rou)led slee' wi!h such a )urr in my mind$ and wro!e i! down= o'en !he e'"'eridge /arm commercials )y having +i!us Moody drive a )akers wagon wi!h a !eam of horses along a coun!ry lane. I! worked. Don! sing your selling message. &elling is a serious )usiness. How would you reac! if you wen! in!o a &ears s!ore !o )uy a frying 'an and !he salesman s!ar!ed singing 1ingles a! you2 Candor com'els me !o admi! !ha! I have no conclusive research !o su''or! my view !ha! 1ingles are less 'ersuasive !han !he s'oken word. I! is )ased on !he difficul!y I always e*'erience in hearing !he words in 1ingles$ and on my e*'erience as a door"!o"door salesman8 I never sang !o my 'ros'ec!s. +he adver!isers who )elieve in !he sell" ing 'ower of 1ingles have never had !o sell any!hing. +his 're1udice of mine is no! shared )y all my 'ar!ners. #hen I go on vaca!ion !hey occasionally have !ime !o fois! a 1ingle on one of our clien!s$ and a! leas! one of !heir 1ingles made !he welkin ring. +his e*ce'!ion 'roves my rule. H +he screens in movie !hea!ers are for!y fee! wide$ which is )ig enough for crowd scenes and long"dis!ance sho!s. (u! !he !elevision screen is less !han !wo fee! wide$ which is no! )ig enough for (en Hur. I advise you !o use no!hing )u! e*!reme close"u's in !elevision commercials. Avoid hackneyed si!ua!ions;deligh!ed drinkers$ ecs!a!ic ea!ers$ families e*hi)i!ing !oge!herness$ and all !he o!her clichUs of 'oor old Madison Avenue. +hey do no! increase !he consumers in!eres! in )uying your 'roduc!.

of my sis!ers has sugges!ed !ha! !he name of our agency should )e changed !o Ad 9auseam$ Inc.

H One

wri!ing !his 'aragra'h$ I have )een shown research on !wo commercials for a famous )rand of margarine. +he commercials were iden!ical$ e*ce'! !ha! in one !he words were s'oken$ while in !he o!her !hey were sung. +he s'oken version swi!ched !hree !imes as many consumers as !he sung version. .J

H &ince

I*
How to Make Good Ca% aigns for +ood 'roducts, )ourist -estinations and 'ro rietary Medicines

MO&+ of !he commandmen!s in !his )ook$ and !he research from which !hey derive$ have !o do wi!h adver!ising in general. (u! every ca!egory of 'roduc! 'resen!s i!s own s'ecial 'ro)lems. #hen you adver!ise de!ergen!s$ for e*am'le$ you have !o decide whe!her !o 'romise !ha! your 'roduc! will wash whi!er$ or cleaner$ or )righ!er. #hen you adver!ise whiskey$ you have !o decide how much 'romi" nence !o give !o !he )o!!le. #hen you adver!ise deodoran!s$ you have !o decide how much em'hasis !o give !o deodori<ing your cus!omer$ and how much !o kee'ing her dry.

E,CF Make your headline s'ecific$ ra!her !han general. E,.F Include your )rand name in your headline. E,JF Loca!e your headline and co'y )elow your illus!ra!ion. E,KF Dis'lay your 'ackage 'rominen!ly$ )u! don! allow i! !o domina!e your a''e!i!e 'ho!ogra'h. E,AF (e serious. Don! use humor or fan!asy. Don! )e clever in your headline. /eeding her family is a serious )usiness for mos! housewives. 2ele ision E,GF &how how !o 're'are your 'roduc!. E,LF Mse !he 'ro)lem"solu!ion gam)i! whenever you can do so wi!hou! )eing farfe!ched. E,-F #henever 'ossi)le$ give news;and 'lay i! loud and clear. EC@F &how your 'roduc! early in !he commercial. EC,F Don! use sound for i!s own sake. Only use sound effec!s which are relevan! !o your 'roduc!;!he 'erking of a coffee'o!$ !he si<<le of a s!eak$ !he crunch of cornflakes. ECCF Commercials are for selling. Don! allow en!er!ainmen! !o domina!e.

+ood roducts
+he adver!ising of food 'roduc!s 'resen!s many s'ecial 'ro)" lems. How$ for e*am'le$ can you make food look a''e!i<ing in )lack"and"whi!e on a !elevision screen2 Can any com)ina!ion of words 'ersuade !he reader of your adver!isemen! !ha! a food 'roduc! !as!es good2 How im'or!an! are 'romises of nu!ri!ion2 &hould you show 'eo'le ea!ing !he 'roduc!2 I have !ried !o answer such 7ues!ions )y research. #ha! I ha ve so far learned can )e )oiled down !o !wen!y"!wo commandmen!s= ;rint ,iF (uild your adver!isemen! around a''e!i!e a''eal. ECF +he larger your food illus!ra!ion$ !he more a''e!i!e a''eal. E.F Don! show 'eo'le in food adver!isemen!s. +hey !ake u' s'ace !ha! is )e!!er devo!ed !o !he food i!self. EJF Mse color. /ood looks more a''e!i<ing in color !han in )lack"and"whi!e. EKF Mse 'ho!ogra'hs;!hey have more a''e!i!e a''eal !han ar! work. EAF One 'ho!ogra'h is )e!!er !han !wo or more. If you have !o use several 'ho!ogra'hs$ make one of !hem dominan!. EGF Give a reci'e whenever you can. +he housewife is always on !he lookou! for new ways !o 'lease her family. ELF Don! )ury your reci'e in your )ody co'y. Isola!e i!$ loud and clear. E-F Illus!ra!e your reci'e in your main 'ho!ogra'h. E,@F Don! 'rin! your reci'e over a screen8 i! will )e read )y far more women if you 'rin! i! on clean whi!e 'a'er. E,,F Ge! news in!o your adver!isemen!s whenever you can ; news a)ou! a new 'roduc!$ an im'rovemen! in an old 'roduc!$ or a new use for an old 'roduc!.

)ourist destinations
6*'erience as !he adver!ising agen! for !he (ri!ish +ravel I Holidays Associa!ion$ for uer!o %ico$ and for !he Mni!ed &!a!es +ravel &ervice has led me !o cer!ain conclusions as !o wha! makes for good !ourism adver!ising. +hey may )e summari<ed as follows= ,iF Des!ina!ion adver!ising is )ound !o affec! !he image of !he coun!ry concerned. I! is 'oli!ically im'or!an! !ha! i! should affec! i! favora)ly. If you run crummy adver!isemen!s for your coun!ry$ you will make 'eo'le !hink !ha! i! is a crummy coun!ry. ECF +ouris!s do no! !ravel !housands of miles !o see !hings which !hey can see ne*! door. /or e*am'le$ 'eo'le who live in &wi!" <erland canno! )e 'ersuaded !o !ravel five !housand miles !o see !he moun!ains in Colorado. Adver!ise wha! is uni7ue in your coun!ry. E.F 3our adver!isemen!s should es!a)lish in !he readers mind an image which she will never forge!. +he 'eriod of ges!a!ion )e" !ween e*'osure !o an adver!isemen! and !he 'urchase of a !icke! is likely !o )e very long. EJF 3our adver!isemen!s a''ear in media which are read )y 'eo'le who can afford !o !ravel long dis!ances. +hese 'eo'le are

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

well educa!ed. Do no! insul! !heir in!elligence8 wri!e in adul! lan" guage;no! in !he clichUs of conven!ional !ravel adver!ising. EKF +he )igges! )arrier !o in!erna!ional !ravel is cos!. 3our ad" ver!isemen!s should hel' !he reader !o ra!ionali<e !he cos! of his 1ourney )y selling i!s cul!ural and s!a!us over!ones. EAF a!!erns of !ravel are 'eculiarly su)1ec! !o fashion . 3our ad" ver!isemen!s should 'u! your coun!ry on !he ma' as !he 'lace where 0every)ody5 is going. (andwagons work like magic in !ourism. EGF eo'le dream a)ou! far"away 'laces. 3our adver!isemen!s should conver! !heir dreams in!o ac!ion;!ransforming 'o!en!ial en" ergy in!o kine!ic energy. +his can )es! )e done )y offering !he reader s'ecific how"!o"do"i! informa!ion. A com)ina!ion of mou!h"wa!ering 'ho!ogra'hs and s'ecific informa!ion has )rough! !he )es! resul!s for (ri!ish$ American and uer!o %ican !ourism. ELF (eware of eso!eric su)1ec!s. +hey may in!eres! !he na!ionals of !he coun!ry s'onsoring !he cam'aign$ )u! !he foreign !ouris!;!he cus!omer;is ou! !o collec! clichUs. My 0Come +o (ri!ain5 adver!isemen!s have )een cons'icuously successful$ )u! !hey have )een su)1ec!ed !o a drumfire of cri!icism in !he (ri!ish 'ress. +he charge agains! !hem is !ha! !hey damage (ri!" ish 'res!ige )y 'ro1ec!ing an an!i7ue image;!oo many !ha!ched co!" !ages$ !oo much 'om' and circums!ance. I am re)uked for crea!ing !he im'ression !ha! 6ngland is a )ucolic li!!le kingdom living on !he glories of an ancien! 'as!. #hy don! I show 6ngland 0as she really is$5 !he vi!al$ indus!riali<ed$ welfare s!a!e which has given !he world 'enicillin$ 1e! engines$ Henry Moore and a!omic"'ower s!a!ions2 #hile !his kind of !hing migh! well )e 'oli!ically valua)le$ !he only 'ur'ose of our cam'aign is !o a!!rac! !ouris!s$ and no American is going !o cross !he )riny ocean !o look a! a 'ower s!a!ion. He would ra!her see #es!mins!er A))ey8 so would I. #hen deciding which coun!ries !o visi! when he goes a)road$ !he American !ouris! is influenced )y his a!!i!ude !o !he local inha)i" !an!s. My surveys show !ha! he e*'ec!s !he (ri!ish !o )e 'oli!e$ cul" !ured$ hones!$ s!raigh!forward$ clean and moral. (u! he also e*'ec!s !hem !o )e aloof$ 'om'ous and doleful. &o$ in our adver!ising$ we do our )es! !o correc! !he disagreea)le as'ec!s of !his s!ereo!y'e )y wri!" ing a)ou! !he friendliness of 6nglish 'eo'le.

I have )een sur'rised !o find !ha! American !ouris!s do no! 0!ravel on !heir s!omachs.5 As !he gradua!e of a /rench ki!chen$ I find i! difficul! !o )elieve !ha! so many American !ouris!s ac!ually like 6nglish cooking )e!!er !han /rench cooking$ )u! such is !he case. +hey canno! read /rench menus$ and !hey de!es! rich sauces. 9or is 6ngland a! any disadvan!age is-a- is !he /rench when i! comes !o 7uenching !he !hirs! of !he American !ouris!. He may no! a''recia!e 6nglish )eer$ )u! he would ra!her drink &co!ch whisky !han clare!;a 'reference which is shared )y an increasing num)er of /renchmen. #e live in !erri)le !imes. I once found myself cons'iring wi!h a (ri!ish ca)ine! minis!er as !o how we migh! 'ersuade Her Ma1es!ys +reasury !o cough u' more money for !he (ri!ish !ravel adver!ising in America. &aid he$ 0#hy does any American in his senses s'end his vaca!ion in !he cold dam' of an 6nglish summer when he could e7ually well )ask under I!alian skies2 I can only su''ose !ha! your adver!ising is !he answer.5

'ro rietary %edicines

Adver!ising drugs is a s'ecial ar!. Here$ s!a!ed wi!h !he dogma" !ism of )revi!y$ are !he 'rinci'les I recommend !o !hose who 'rac!ice !his ar!= H E,F A good 'a!en!"medicine adver!isemen! sei<es u'on 0!he com'elling difference5 )e!ween your )rand and i!s com'e!i!ors. ECF A good 'a!en!"medicine adver!isemen! con!ains news. +he news may )e a new 'roduc!$ a new as'ec! of an e*is!ing 'roduc!$ a new diagnosis$ or a new name for a familiar com'lain!;like hali!o" sis. E.F A good 'a!en!"medicine adve r!isemen! has a feeling of seri" ousness. hysical discomfor! is no 1oking ma!!er !o !he sufferer. He welcomes recogni!ion of !he reali!y of his com'lain!. EJF A good 'a!en!"medicine adver!isemen! conveys a feeling of au!hori!y. +here is a doc!or"'a!ien! rela!ionshi' inheren! in medicine co'y$ no! merely a seller")uyer rela!ionshi'. EKF +he adver!isemen! should no! merely e*!ol !he meri!s of your 'roduc!8 i! should also e*'lain !he disease. +he sufferer should feel !ha! he has learned some!hing a)ou! his condi!ion. EAF Do no! s!rain creduli!y. A 'erson in 'ain wan!s !o )elieve !ha! you can hel' him. His will !o )elieve is an ac!ive ingredien! in !he efficacy of !he 'roduc!.

have !o !hank Louis %edmond for hel' in arriving a! !hese 'rinci'les. .A

HI

*
How to .ise to t/e )o of t/e )ree
0Advice to t/e 1oung

O96 of my Irish ances!ors en!ered !he service of ?ohn Com" 'any and succeeded in 0shaking !he agoda"!ree.5 In o!her words$ he made a for!une. 9ow I am an ances!or myself$ and I s'end my wak" ing hours shaking !he agoda"!ree on Madison Avenue. How is i! done2 Af!er wa!ching !he careermanshi' of my own em'loyees for four!een years$ I have iden!ified a 'a!!ern of )ehavior which leads ra'idly !o !he !o'. /irs!$ you mus! )e am)i!ious$ )u! you mus! no! )e so nakedly aggressive !ha! your fellow workers rise u' and des!roy you. 2out soldat pone dans sa giberne le baton de marechal . 3es$ )u! don! le! i! s!ick ou!. If you go s!raigh! in!o an adver!ising agency af!er leaving !he Harvard (usiness &chool$ conceal your arrogance and kee' u' your s!udies. Af!er a year of !edious !raining$ you will 'ro)a)ly )e made an assis!an! accoun! e*ecu!ive;a sor! of midshi'man. +he momen! !ha! ha''ens$ se! yourself !o )ecoming !he )es!"informed man in !he agency on !he accoun! !o which you are assigned. If$ for e*am'le$ i! is a gasoline accoun!$ read !e*! )ooks on !he chemis!ry$ geology and dis!ri)u!ion of 'e!roleum 'roduc!s. %ead all !he !rade 1ournals in !he field. %ead all !he research re'or!s and marke!ing 'lans !ha! your agency has ever wri!!en on !he 'roduc!. &'end &a!urday mornings in service s!a!ions$ 'um'ing gasoline and !alking !o mo!oris!s. Bisi! your clien!s refineries and research la)ora!ories. &!udy !he adver!is" ing of his com'e!i!ors. A! !he end of your second year$ you will know more a)ou! gasoline !han your )oss8 you will !hen )e ready !o succeed him. Mos! of !he young men in agencies are !oo la<y !o do !his kind of homework. +hey remain 'ermanen!ly su'erficial. Claude Ho'kins a!!ri)u!ed his success !o !he fac! !ha! he worked !wice as long hours as o!her co'ywri!ers$ and !hus made his way u' !he ladder a! !wice !heir s'eed. One of !he )es! agencies )orn in !he las! for!y years owes i!s su'remacy !o !he fac! !ha! i!s founder was so unha''y wi!h his wife !ha! he rarely lef! !he office )efore midnigh!. In my )achelor days I used !o work un!il !he small hours. If you 're" fer !o s'end all your s'are !ime growing roses or 'laying wi!h your children$ I like you )e!!er$ )u! do no! com'lain !ha! you are no! )eing 'romo!ed fas! enough. Managers 'romo!e !he men who 'roduce !he mos!. If 'eo'le in adver!ising agencies were 'aid on a 'iece"work )a" sis$ !he drones would ge! !heir 1us! deser!s and !he dynamos would !rium'h even fas!er !han !hey do now. #hen Dr. #illiam (. &hockley s!udied !he crea!ivi!y of scien!is!s in !he (ell La)ora!ories$

he discovered !ha! !hose in !he mos! crea!ive 7uar!ile a''lied for !en !imes as many 'a!en!s as !hose in !he leas! crea!ive 7uar!ile$ )u! were 'aid only K@ 'er cen! more. Mnfair2 3es$ I !hink so. Al)er! Lasker used !o 'ay !he less 'roduc!ive co'ywri!ers a! Lord I +homas N,@@@ a week$ )u! he 'aid Claude Ho'kins NK@$@@@ for every N,$@@@$@@@ wor!h of adver!ising he wro!e. A 'rofi!a)le !ime was had )y all; Lasker$ Ho'kins and !heir clien!s. 9owadays i! is !he fashion !o 're!end !ha! no single individual is ever res'onsi)le for a successful adver!ising cam'aign. +his em'ha" sis on 0!eam"work5 is )unkum;a cons'iracy of !he mediocre ma1or" i!y. 9o adver!isemen!$ no commercial and no image can )e crea!ed )y a commi!!ee. Mos! !o' managemen!s are secre!ly aware of !his$ and kee' !heir eyes o'en for !hose rare individuals who lay golden eggs. +hese cham'ions can no longer )e rewarded on !he Ho'kins scale$ )u! !hey are !he only men in adver!ising agencies who are im" mune !o !he !hrea! of dismissal in. !imes of scarci!y. +hey give value for money. Mos! of !he work you do in an agency will )e rou!ine main!e" nance. If you do i! well$ you will make gradual 'rogress$ )u! your golden o''or!uni!y will come when you rise !o a grea! occasion. +he !rick is !o recogni<e !he grea! occasion when i! 'resen!s i!self. &everal years ago Lever (ro!hers asked !heir seven agencies !o su)mi! 'olicy 'a'ers on !he !elevision medium$ which was !hen 7ui!e new. +he o!her agencies 'u! in ade7ua!e 'a'ers of five or si* 'ages$ )u! a young man on my s!aff !ook !he !rou)le !o assem)le every con" ceiva)le s!a!is!ic and$ af!er working day and nigh! for !hree weeks$ came u' wi!h an analysis which covered one hundred and seven!y" seven 'ages. His la<y colleagues sneered a! him as a 0com'ulsive worker$5 )u! one year la!er he was elec!ed !o our )oard of direc!ors. On such isola!ed inciden!s are mos! successful careers )uil!. 4l faut epater les clients . Mos! of !he a)le young men who come in!o agencies nowadays are de!ermined !o )ecome accoun! e*ecu!ives$ 'ro)a)ly )ecause !hey have )een !augh! in )usiness school !ha! !heir mission in life is !o manage and adminis!er ra!her !han !o do s'ecialis! work. I! esca'es !heir a!!en!ion !ha! !he heads of !he si* )igges! agencies in !he world were all s'ecialis!s )efore !hey reached !he !o'. /our of !hem were co'ywri!ers$ one was in media and one in research. 9o! one of !hem had ever )een an accoun! e*ecu!ive. I! is much more difficul! !o make your mark as an accoun! e*" ecu!ive !han as a s'ecialis!$ )ecause i! is rare for an accoun! e*ecu" !ive !o have an o''or!uni!y !o cover himself wi!h glory8 almos! all !he s'ec!acular !rium'hs are 'erformed )y !he s'ecialis!s. I would

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

!herefore advise my own son !o s'eciali<e;in media$ research or co'y. He would find !he com'e!i!ion less formida)le in !hese de" 'ar!men!s$ he would find more fre7uen! o''or!uni!ies !o rise a)ove rou!ine main!enance work$ and he would ac7uire an e*'er!ise which gives a man securi!y;'sychological and financial. erha's some young men are a!!rac!ed )y !he !ravel and en!er" !ainmen! which a!!ach !o !he work of an accoun! e*ecu!ive. +hey will 7uickly find !ha! lunching in good res!auran!s is no fun if you have !o e*'lain a declining share"of"marke! while ea!ing !he souffle 8 and riding !he circui! of !es! marke!s can )e a nigh!mare if one of your children is in !he hos'i!al. If my son ignored my advice and )ecame an accoun! e*ecu!ive$ I would offer him !his advice= E,F &ooner or la!er$ a clien! will )lack)all you;ei!her )ecause he dislikes you$ or )ecause you have failed him$ or )ecause he a!" !ri)u!es !o you wha! is really !he failure of some service de'a r!men! in your agency. #hen !his ha''ens !o you$ don! )e downhear!ed4 I know !he head of an agency who survived )eing )lack)alled )y !hree clien!s in one year. ECF 3ou can 'ro)a)ly ge! )y if you never func!ion as more !han a mere channel of communica!ion )e!ween your clien! and your ser" vice de'ar!men!s$ like a wai!er who shu!!les )e!ween !he chefs in !he ki!chen and !he cus!omers in !he dining room. &uch accoun! e*ecu" !ives are )e!!er called 0con!ac! men.5 9o dou)! you will 'erform !his necessary func!ion wi!h a'lom)$ )u! I ho'e you will see your 1o) in larger !erms. Good accoun! e*ecu!ives ac7uire !he mos! com'lica!ed e*'er!ise of all= !hey )ecome marketers . E.F However hard you work$ and however knowledgea)le you )ecome$ you will )e una)le !o re'resen! your agency a! !he clien!s 'olicy levels un!il you are a! leas! !hir!y"five. One of my 'ar!ners owes !he ra'idi!y of his ascen! !o !he fac! !ha! he wen! )ald when he was !hir!y$ and ano!her had !he good for!une !o )ecome whi!e" headed a! for!y. (e 'a!ien!. EJF 3ou will never )ecome a senior accoun! e*ecu!ive unless you learn !o make good 'resen!a!ions. Mos! of your clien!s will )e large cor'ora!ions$ and you mus! )e a)le !o sell 'lans and cam'aigns !o !heir commi!!ees. Good 'resen!a!ions mus! )e well wri!!en$ and well delivered. 3ou can learn !o wri!e !hem well )y s!udying !he work of your mas!ers$ and )y !aking 'ains. 3ou can learn !o deliver !hem well )y o)serving !he !echni7ues of !he 'rofessionals;no!a)ly !he 9ielsen 'resen!ers. EKF Do no! make !he common mis!ake of regarding your clien!s as hos!ile )oo)s. Make friends wi!h !hem. (ehave as if you were on !heir !eam. (uy shares in !heir com'any. +ry no! !o )ecome en!an" gled in !heir 'oli!ics8 i! would )e a 'i!y !o lose an accoun! )ecause you )acked !he wrong horse. 6mula!e +alleyrand$ who served /rance !hrough seven regimes$ and !he Bicar of (ray;0#ha!soever king shall reign$ I will )e !he Bicar of (ray$ sir45 EAF In your day"!o"day nego!ia!ions wi!h clien!s and colleagues$ figh! for !he kings$ 7ueens and )isho's$ )u! !hrow away !he 'awns. A ha)i! of graceful surrender on !rivial issues will make you difficul! !o resis! on !hose rare occasions when you mus! s!and and figh! on a ma1or issue. EGF Don! discuss your clien!s )usiness in eleva!ors$ and kee' !heir secre! 'a'ers under lock and key. A re'u!a!ion for leaking may ruin you. ELF #hen you wan! !o 'lan! an idea in !he mind of a co'ywri!er or research direc!or$ do i! 'riva!ely and !ac!fully. +he 'oacher is no! 'o'ular on Madison Avenue. E-F If you are )rave a)ou! admi!!ing your mis!akes !o your cli" en!s and your colleagues$ you will earn !heir res'ec!. Candor$ o)1ec"

!ivi!y and in!ellec!ual hones!y are a sine 7ua 2 2 for !he adver!ising careeris!. E,@F Learn !o wri!e lucid in!eroffice memoranda. %emem)er !ha! !he senior 'eo'le !o whom !hey are addressed have more on !heir 'la!es;and in !heir )rief cases;!han you do8 !he longer your memos$ !he less likely !hey are !o )e read )y men who have !he 'ower !o ac! on !hem. In ,-J, #ins!on Churchill sen! !he following memo !o !he /irs! Lord of !he Admiral!y= ray s!a!e !his day$ on one side of a shee! of 'a'er$ how !he %oyal 9avy is )eing ada'!ed !o mee! !he condi!ions of modern war" fare. WI!alics mine.X 9ever forge! !ha! you are 'aid more !han your con!em'oraries in o!her )usinesses and 'rofessions. +here are !hree reasons for !his. /irs!$ !he demand for a)le adver!ising men is grea!er !han !he su''ly. &econd$ !he fringe )enefi!s$ while su)s!an!ial$ are less !han you would receive in !he Army or many manufac!uring cor'ora!ions. +hird$ !here is less securi!y of !enure in adver!ising !han in mos! o!her 1o)s. +ry your damnedes! !o kee' your e*'endi!ure )elow your income$ so !ha! you can survive a 'eriod of unem'loymen!. +ake u' !he o'!ions you are given !o )uy s!ock in your agency. And inves! in o!her direc!ions. &ocial &ecuri!y is migh!y shor! commons for an ad" ver!ising agen! of si*!y"five. I have come !o !hink !ha! one of !he mos! revealing signs of a young mans ca'aci!y is !he use he makes of his vaca!ions. &ome fri!!er away !hose 'recious !hree weeks$ while some ge! more ou! of !hem !han all !he res! of !he year 'u! !oge!her. I offer !his reci'e for refreshing vaca!ions= Don! s!ay a! home and 'u!!er around !he house. 3ou need a change of scene. +ake your wife$ )u! leave !he children wi!h a neigh)or. &mall fry are a 'ain in !he neck on a vaca!ion. &hu! yourself off from e*'o" sure !o adver!ising. +ake a slee'ing 'ill every nigh! for !he firs! !hree nigh!s. Ge! 'len!y of fresh air and e*ercise. %ead a )ook every day;!wen!y"one )ooks in !hree weeks. EI assume !ha! you have already !aken !he (ook"of"!he"Mon!h Clu)s ra'id reading course$ and !ha! you can do ,$@@@ words a minu!e.F (roaden your hori<ons )y going a)road$ even if you have !o !ravel s!eerage. (u! don! !ravel so much !ha! you come )ack cross and e*haus!ed. +he 'sychia!ris!s say !ha! every)ody should have a ho))y. +he ho))y I recommend is adver!ising. ick a su)1ec! a)ou! which your agency knows !oo li!!le$ and make yourself an au!hori!y on i!. lan !o wri!e one good ar!icle every year$ and 'lace i! in !he Harvard (usi" ness %eview. %ewarding su)1ec!s= !he 'sychology of re!ail 'ricing$ new ways !o es!a)lish !he o'!imum adver!ising )udge!$ !he use of adver!ising )y 'oli!icians$ o)s!acles which 'reven! in!erna!ional ad" ver!isers using !he same cam'aigns all over !he world$ !he conflic! )e!ween reach and fre7uency in media 'lanning. Once you )ecome !he acknowledged au!hori!y on any of !hese !rou)lesome su)1ec!s$ you will )e a)le !o wri!e your own !icke!. In shor!$ 'u! your shoulder !o !he wheel$ )u! )e careful !o 'ick !he righ! wheel. &ays &o'hie +ucker$ 0Ive )een rich and Ive )een 'oor. (elieve me$ honey$ rich is )es!.5

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-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

*I
3/ould Advertising Be A4olis/ed5

9O+ long ago Lady Hendy$ my &ocialis! elder sis!er$ invi!ed me !o agree wi!h her !ha! adver!ising should )e a)olished. I found i! difficul! !o deal wi!h !his menacing sugges!ion$ )ecause I am nei!her an economis! nor a 'hiloso'her. (u! a! leas! I was a)le !o 'oin! ou! !ha! o'inion is divided on !he 7ues!ion. +he la!e Aneurin (evan !hough! !ha! adver!ising was 0an evil service.5 Arnold +oyn)ee Eof #inches!er and (alliolF 0canno! !hink of any circums!ances in which adver!ising would no! )e an evil.5 rofessor Gal)rai!h EHarvardF holds !ha! adver!ising !em'!s 'eo'le !o s7uander money on 0unneeded5 'ossessions when !hey ough! !o )e s'ending i! on 'u)lic works. (u! i! would )e a mis!ake !o assume !ha! every li)eral shares !he (evan"+oyn)ee"Gal)rai!h view of adver!ising. residen! /ranklin %oosevel! saw i! in a differen! ligh!= If I were s!ar!ing life over again$ I am inclined !o !hink !ha! I would go in!o !he adver!ising )usiness in 'reference !o almos! any o!her. . . . +he general raising of !he s!andards of modern civili<a!ion among all grou's of 'eo'le during !he 'as! half cen!ury would have )een im'ossi)le wi!hou! !he s'reading of !he knowledge of higher s!andards )y means of adver!ising. &ir #ins!on Churchill agrees wi!h Mr. %oosevel!= Adver!ising nourishes !he consuming 'ower of men. I! se!s u' )efore a man !he goal of a )e!!er home$ )e!!er clo!hing$ )e!!er food for himself and his family. I! s'urs individual e*er!ion and grea!er 'roduc!ion. Almos! all serious economis!s$ of wha!ever 'oli!ical color$ agree !ha! adver!ising serves a useful 'ur'ose when i! is used !o give in" forma!ion a)ou! new 'roduc!s. +hus Anas!as L. Mikoyan$ !he %us" sian= +he !ask of our &ovie! adver!ising is !o give 'eo'le e*ac! infor" ma!ion a)ou! !he goods !ha! are on sale$ !o hel' !o crea!e new de" mands$ !o cul!iva!e new !as!es and re7uiremen!s$ !o 'romo!e !he sale of new kinds of goods and !o e*'lain !heir uses !o !he consumer. +he 'rimary !ask of &ovie! adver!ising is !o give a !ru!hful$ e*ac!$ a'! and s!riking descri'!ion of !he na!ure$ 7uali!y and 'ro'er!ies of !he goods adver!ised. +he Bic!orian economis! Alfred Marshall also a''roved of 0in" forma!ive5 adver!ising for new 'roduc!s$ )u! condemned wha! he called 0com)a!ive5 adver!ising as a was!e. #al!er +a'lin of !he Lon" don &chool of 6conomics 'oin!s ou! !ha! Marshalls analysis of ad" ver!ising 0shows indica!ions of !hose 're1udices and emo!ional a!!i"

!udes !o adver!ising from which no)ody seems !o )e com'le!ely free$ no! even classical economis!s.5 +here was$ indeed$ a s!reak of 'rissi" ness in Marshall8 his mos! illus!rious s!uden!$ Maynard :eynes$ once descri)ed him as 0an u!!erly a)surd 'erson.5 #ha! Marshall wro!e a)ou! adver!ising has )een cri))ed )y many la!er economis!s$ and i! has )ecome or!hodo* doc!rine !o hold !ha! 0com)a!ive5;or 0'er" suasive5;adver!ising is economic was!e. Is i!2 My own clinical e*'erience would sugges! !ha! !he kind of in" forma!ive fac!ual adver!ising which !he dons endorse is more effec" !ive$ in !erms of sales resul!s$ !han !he 0com)a!ive5 or 0'ersuasive5 adver!ising which !hey condemn. Commercial self"in!eres! and aca" demic vir!ue march !oge!her. If all adver!isers would give u' fla!ulen! 'uffery$ and !urn !o !he kind of fac!ual$ informa!ive adver!ising which I have 'rovided for %olls"%oyce$ :LM %oyal Du!ch Airlines$ and &hell$ !hey would no! only increase !heir sales$ )u! !hey would also 'lace !hemselves on !he side of !he angels. +he more informa!ive your adver!ising$ !he more 'ersuasive i! will )e. In a recen! 'oll conduc!ed among !hough!"leaders$ Hill I :nowl!on asked$ 0&hould adver!isers give !he fac!s and only !he fac!s25 +he vo!e in favor of !his aus!ere 'ro'osi!ion was s!rikingly affirma!ive= 36& %eligious leaders GAY 6di!ors of high)row 'u)lica!ions GJ High school adminis!ra!ors GJ 6conomis!s G. &ociologis!s AC Governmen! officials JK Deans of colleges .. (usiness leaders C. +hus we see !ha! fac!ual adver!ising is very widely regarded as a Good +hing. (u! when i! comes !o 0'ersuasive5 adver!ising for one old )rand agains! ano!her$ !he ma1ori!y of economis!s follow Mar" shall in condemning i!. %e*ford +ugwell$ who earned my undying admira!ion for ins'iring !he economic renaissance of uer!o %ico$ condemns !he 0enormous was!e involved in !he effor! !o !urn !rade from one firm !o ano!her.5 +he same dogma comes from &!uar! Chase= Adver!ising makes 'eo'le s!o' )uying Moggs soa'$ and s!ar! )uying (oggs soa'. . . . 9ine"!en!hs and more of adver!ising is .-

-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

largely com'e!i!ive wrangling as !o !he rela!ive meri!s of !wo undis" !inguished and of!en undis!inguisha)le com'ounds. . . . igou$ (rai!hwai!e$ (as!er$ #arne$ /airchild$ Morgan$ (oul" ding$ and o!her economis!s say essen!ially !he same !hing$ many of !hem in almos! !he same words$ e*ce'! !ha! !hey leave Mogg I (ogg !o &!uar! Chase$ su)s!i!u!ing 6ureka I 6*celsior$ +weedledum I +weedledee$ (um'o I (ango. %ead one of !hem$ and you have read !hem all. I will le! !hese dons in on a curious secre!. +he com)a!ive" 'ersuasive kind of adver!ising which !hey condemn is no! nearly as 'rofi!a)le as !he informa!ive kind of adver!ising which !hey a''rove. My e*'erience has )een !ha! i! is rela!ively easy for adver!ising !o 'ersuade consumers !o !ry a new 'roduc!. (u! !hey grow madden" ingly deaf !o !he adver!ising of 'roduc!s which have )een around for a long !ime. +hus we adver!ising agen!s ge! more mileage ou! of adver!ising new 'roduc!s !han old ones. Once again$ academic vir!ue and com" mercial self"in!eres! march !oge!her. Does ad ertising raise prices" +here has )een !oo much slo''y argumen! on )o!h sides of !his in!rica!e 7ues!ion. /ew serious s!udies have )een made of !he effec! of adver!ising on 'rices. However$ ro" fessor 9eil (orden of Harvard has e*amined hundreds of case his!o" ries. #i!h !he aid of an advisory commi!!ee of five o!her formida)le 'rofessors$ he reached conclusions which should )e more widely s!udied )y o!her dons )efore !hey 'o' off on !he economics of adver" !ising. /or e*am'le$ 0In many indus!ries !he large scale of o'era!ions made 'ossi)le in 'ar! !hrough adver!ising has resul!ed in reduc!ions in manufac!uring cos!s.5 And$ 0!he )uilding of !he marke! )y means of adver!ising and o!her 'romo!ional devices no! only makes 'rice reduc!ions a!!rac!ive or 'ossi)le for large firms$ i! also crea!es an o'" 'or!uni!y !o develo' 'riva!e )rands$ which generally are offered a! lower 'rices.5 Indeed !hey are8 when I am dead and o'ened$ you shall find no! 0Calais5 lying in my hear!$ as Mary +udor 'ro'hesied would )e found in hers$ )u! 0 riva!e (rands.5 +hey are !he na!ural enemies of us adver!ising agen!s. +wen!y 'er cen! of !o!al grocery sales are now 'riva!e )rands$ owned )y re!ailers and no! adver!ised. (loody 'arasi!es. rofessor (orden and his advisers reached !he conclusion !ha! adver!ising$ 0!hough cer!ainly no! free from cri!icism$ is an economic asse! and no! a lia)ili!y.5 H +hus did !hey agree wi!h Churchill and %oosevel!. However$ !hey did no! su''or! all !he shi))ole!hs of Madison Avenue. +hey found$ for e*am'le$ !ha! adver!ising does no! give consumers sufficien! informa!ion. My e*'erience a! !he work" ing level le ads me !o agree. I! is wor!h lis!ening !o wha! !he men who 'ay ou! huge sums of !heir s!ockholders money for adver!ising say a)ou! i!s effec! on 'rices. Here is Lord Heywor!h$ !he former head of Mnilever= Adver!ising . . . )rings savings in i!s wake. On !he dis!ri)u!ion side i! s'eeds u' !he !urnover of s!ock and !hus makes lower re!ail margins 'ossi)le$ wi!hou! reducing !he sho'kee'ers income. On !he manufac!uring side i! is one of !he fac!ors !ha! make large scale 'ro" duc!ion 'ossi)le and who would deny !ha! large scale 'roduc!ion leads !o lower cos!s2 6ssen!ially !he same !hing has recen!ly )een said )y Howard Morgens$ !he residen! of roc!er I Gam)le=
H +he

+ime and again in our com'any$ we have seen !he s!ar! of ad" ver!ising on a new !y'e of 'roduc! resul! in savings !ha! are consid" era)ly grea!er !han !he en!ire adver!ising cos!. . . . +he use of adver" !ising clearly resul!s in lower 'rices !o !he 'u)lic. In mos! indus!ries !he cos! of adver!ising re'resen!s less !han . 'er cen! of !he 'rice consumers 'ay a! re!ail. (u! if adver!ising were a)olished$ you would lose on !he swings much of wha! you saved on !he rounda)ou!s. /or e*am'le$ you would have !o 'ay a for!une for !he &unday 9ew 3ork +imes if i! carried no adver!ising. And 1us! !hink how dull i! would )e. ?efferson read only one news'a'er$ 0and !ha! more for i!s adver!isemen!s !han i!s news.5 Mos! housewives would say !he same. Does ad ertising encourage monopoly" rofessor (orden found !ha! 0in some indus!ries adver!ising has con!ri)u!ed !o concen!ra!ion of demand and hence has )een a fac!or in )ringing a)ou! concen!ra" !ion of su''ly in !he hands of a few dominan! firms.5 (u! he con" cluded !ha! adver!ising is no! a )asic cause of mono'oly. O!her economis!s have 'roclaimed !ha! adver!ising con!ri)u!es !o mono'" oly. I agree wi!h !hem. I! is )ecoming 'rogressively more difficul! for small com'anies !o launch new )rands. +he en!rance fee$ in !erms of adver!ising$ is now so large !ha! only !he en!renched gian!s$ wi!h !heir vas! war ches!s$ can afford i!. If you don! )elieve me$ !ry launching a new )rand of de!ergen! wi!h a war ches! of less !han N,@$@@@$@@@. /ur!hermore$ !he gian! adver!isers are a)le !o )uy s'ace and rime far more chea'ly !han !heir li!!le com'e!i!ors$ )ecause !he me" dia owners cosse! !hem wi!h 7uan!i!y discoun!s. +hese discoun!s en" courage )ig adver!isers !o )uy u' li!!le ones8 !hey can do !he same adver!ising a! CK"'er"cen! less cos!$ and 'ocke! !he saving. Does adver!ising corru'! edi!ors2 3es i! does$ )u! fewer edi!ors !han you may su''ose. +he 'u)lisher of a maga<ine once com" 'lained !o me$ in righ!eous indigna!ion$ !ha! he had given one of my clien!s five 'ages of edi!orial and had received in re!urn only !wo 'ages of adver!ising. (u! !he vas! ma1ori!y of edi!ors are incorru'!i" )le. Harold %oss resen!ed adver!ising$ and once sugges!ed !o his 'u)lisher !ha! all adver!isemen!s in 2he <ew 3orker should )e 'u! on one 'age. His successor e*hi)i!s !he same sor! of !own"and"gown sno))ery$ and loses no o''or!uni!y !o )eli!!le wha! he calls 0ad" men.5 9o! long ago he 'u)lished a face!ious a!!ack on !wo of my cam'aigns$ su)limely indifferen! !o !he fac! I have filled ,$,G. 'ages of his maga<ine wi!h uncommonly ornamen!al adver!isemen!s. I! s!rikes me as )ad manners for a maga<ine !o acce'! one of my adver" !isemen!s and !hen a!!ack i! edi!orially; like invi!ing a man !o din" ner and !hen s'i!!ing in his eye. I have of!en )een !em'!ed !o 'unish edi!ors who insul! my cli" en!s. #hen one of our adver!isemen!s for !he (ri!ish Indus!ries /air a''eared in an issue of !he Chicago +ri)une which 'rin!ed one of Colonel McCormicks ugly dia!ri)es agains! (ri!ain$ I i!ched !o 'ull !he cam'aign ou! of his 'a'er. (u! !o do so would have )lown a ga'" ing hole in our coverage of !he Middle #es!$ and migh! well have !riggered a )rouhaha a)ou! adver!ising 'ressure on edi!ors. &an ad ertising foist an inferior product on the consumer" (i!" !er e*'erience has !augh! me !ha! i! canno!. On !hose rare occasions when I have adver!ised 'roduc!s which consumer !es!s found inferior !o o!her 'roduc!s in !he same field$ !he resul!s have )een disas!rous. If I !ry hard enough$ I can wri!e an adver!isemen! which will 'er" suade consumers !o )uy an inferior 'roduc!$ )u! only once;and mos! of my clien!s de'end on re'ea! 'urchases for !heir 'rofi!. hi"

6conomics of Adver!ising$ %ichard D. Irwin EChicago$

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Confessions of an Advertising Man

neas +. (arnum was !he firs! !o o)serve !ha! 0you may adver!ise a s'urious ar!icle and induce many 'eo'le !o )uy i! once$ )u! !hey will gradually denounce you as an im'os!or.5 Alfred oli!< and Howard Morgens )elieve !ha! adver!ising can ac!ually accelera!e !he demise of an inferior 'roduc!. &ays Morgens$ 0+he 7uickes! way !o kill a )rand !ha! is off in 7uali!y is !o 'romo!e i! aggressively. eo'le find ou! a)ou! i!s 'oor 7uali!y 1us! !ha! much more 7uickly.5 He goes on !o 'oin! ou! !ha! adver!ising has come !o 'lay a sig" nifican! 'ar! in 'roduc! im'rovemen!= %esearch 'eo'le$ of course$ are cons!an!ly searching for ways !o im'rove !he !hings we )uy. (u! )elieve me$ a grea! deal of 'rodding and 'ushing and sugges!ions for !hose im'rovemen!s also comes from !he adver!ising end of !he )usiness. +ha!s )ound !o )e$ )ecause !he success of a com'anys adver!ising is closely !ied u' wi!h !he success of i!s 'roduc! develo'men! ac!ivi!ies. . . . Adver!ising and scien!ific research have come !o work hand"in"glove on a vas! and ama<ingly 'roduc!ive scale. +he direc! )eneficiary is !he consumer$ who en1oys an ever"widening selec!ion of )e!!er 'roduc!s and services. On more !han one occasion I have )een ins!rumen!al in 'ersuad" ing clien!s no! !o launch a new 'roduc! un!il !hey could develo' one which would )e demons!ra)ly su'erior !o !hose already on !he mar" ke!. Adver!ising is also a force for sus!aining s!andards of 7uali!y and service. #ri!es &ir /rederic Hoo'er of &chwe''es= Adver!ising is a guaran!ee of 7uali!y. A firm which has s'en! a su)s!an!ial sum advoca!ing !he meri!s of a 'roduc! and accus!oming !he consumer !o e*'ec! a s!andard !ha! is )o!h high and uniform$ dare no! la!er reduce !he 7uali!y of i!s goods. &ome!imes !he 'u)lic is gul" li)le$ )u! no! !o !he e*!en! of con!inuing !o )uy a 'a!en!ly inferior ar" !icle. #hen we s!ar!ed adver!ising :LM %oyal Du!ch Airlines as 0'unc!ual5 and 0relia)le$5 !heir !o' managemen! sen! ou! an encycli" cal$ reminding !heir o'era!ions s!aff !o live u' !o !he 'romise of our adver!ising. I! may )e said !ha! a good adver!ising agency re'resen!s !he consumers in!eres! in !he councils of indus!ry. 4s ad ertising a pack of lies" 9o longer. /ear of )ecoming em" )roiled wi!h !he /ederal +rade Commission$ which !ries i!s cases in !he news'a'ers$ is now so grea! !ha! one of our clien!s recen!ly warned me !ha! if any of our commercials were ever ci!ed )y !he /+C for dishones!y$ he would immedia!ely move his accoun! !o an" o!her agency. +he lawyer a! General /oods ac!ually re7uired !ha! our co'ywri!ers 'rove !ha! O'en" i! (ar)ecue &auce has an 0old" fashioned flavor5 )efore he would allow us !o make !his innocuous claim in adver!isemen!s. +he consumer is )e!!er 'ro!ec!ed !han she knows. I canno! always kee' 'ace wi!h !he changing rules laid down )y !he various )odies !ha! regula!e adver!ising. +he Canadian Govern" men!$ for e*am'le$ a''lies one se! of rules !o 'a!en! medicine adver" !ising$ and !he Mni!ed &!a!es Governmen! a !o!ally differen! se!. &ome American s!a!es 'rohi)i! !he men!ion of 'rice in whiskey ad" ver!isemen!s$ while o!hers insis! u'on i!8 wha! is for)idden in one s!a!e is o)liga!ory in ano!her. I can only !ake refuge in !he rule which has always governed my own ou!'u!= never wri!e an adver!isemen! which you wouldn! wan! your own family !o see.

Doro!hy &ayers$ who wro!e adver!isemen!s )efore she wro!e whoduni!s and Anglo"Ca!holic !rac!s$ says= 0 lain lies are danger" ous. +he only wea'ons lef! are !he suggestio falsi and !he suppressio eri .5 I 'lead guil!y !o one ac! of suggestio falsi ; wha! we on Madi" son Avenue call a 0weasel.5 However$ !wo years la!er a chemis! res" cued my conscience )y discovering !ha! wha! I had falsely sugges!ed was ac!ually !rue. (u! I mus! confess !ha! I am con!inuously guil!y of suppressio eri . &urely i! is asking !oo much !o e*'ec! !he adver!iser !o descri)e !he shor!comings of his 'roduc!2 One mus! )e forgiven for 'u!!ing ones )es! foo! forward. Does ad ertising make people want to buy products they don(t need" If you don! !hink 'eo'le need deodoran!s$ you are a! li)er!y !o cri!ici<e adver!ising for having 'ersuaded LG 'er cen! of American women and AA 'er cen! of American men !o use !hem. If you don! !hink 'eo'le need )eer$ you are righ! !o cri!ici<e adver!ising for hav" ing 'ersuaded KL 'er cen! of !he adul! 'o'ula!ion !o drink i!. If you disa''rove of social mo)ili!y$ crea!ure comfor!s$ and foreign !ravel$ you are righ! !o )lame adver!ising for encouraging such wickedness. If you dislike affluen! socie!y$ you are righ! !o )lame adver!ising for inci!ing !he masses !o 'ursue i!. If you are !his kind of uri!an$ I canno! reason wi!h you. I can only call you a 'sychic masochis!. Like Arch)isho' Leigh!on$ I 'ray$ 0Deliver me$ Lord$ from !he errors of wise men$ yea$ and of good men.5 Dear old ?ohn (urns$ !he fa!her of !he La)or movemen! in 6ng" land$ used !o say !ha! !he !ragedy of !he working class was !he 'ov" er!y of !heir desires. I make no a'ology for inci!ing !he working class !o desire less &'ar!an lives. $hould ad ertising be used in politics" I !hink no!. In recen! years i! has )ecome fashiona)le for 'oli!ical 'ar!ies !o em'loy adver" !ising agencies. In ,-KC my old friend %osser %eeves adver!ised General 6isenhower as if he were a !u)e of !oo!h'as!e. He crea!ed fif!y commercials in which !he General was made !o read ou! hand" le!!ered answers !o a series of 'hony 7ues!ions from imaginary ci!i" <ens. Like !his= Ci!i<en= Mr. 6isenhower$ wha! a)ou! !he high cos! of living2 General= My wife Mamie worries a)ou! !he same !hing. I !ell her i!s our 1o) !o change !ha! on 9ovem)er J!h. (e!ween !akes !he General was heard !o say$ 0+o !hink !ha! an old soldier should come !o !his.5 #henever my agency is asked !o adver!ise a 'oli!ician or a 'o" li!ical 'ar!y$ we refuse !he invi!a!ion$ for !hese reasons= ,iF +he use of adver!ising !o sell s!a!esmen is !he ul!ima!e vul" gari!y. ECF If we were !o adver!ise a Democra!$ we would )e unfair !o !he %e'u)licans on our s!aff8 and vice versa. However$ I encourage my colleagues !o do !heir 'oli!ical du!y )y working for one of !he 'ar!ies;as individuals. If a 'ar!y or a candida!e re7uires !echnical adver!ising services$ such as !he )uying of ne!work !ime !o )roadcas! 'oli!ical rallies$ he can em'loy e*'er! volun!eers$ )anded !oge!her in an ad hoc consor!ium. &hould adver!ising )e used in good causes of a non'oli!ical na" !ure2 #e adver!ising agen!s derive modes! sa!isfac!ion from !he #ork we do for good causes. ?us! as surgeons devo!e much of !heir !ime !o o'era!ing on 'au'ers wi!hou! remunera!ion$ so we devo!e much of our !ime !o crea!ing cam'aigns for chari!y 'a!ien!s. /or e*"

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-avid 6gilvy 7

Confessions of an Advertising Man

am'le$ my agency crea!ed !he firs! cam'aign for %adio /ree 6uro'e$ and in recen! years we have crea!ed cam'aigns for !he American Cancer &ocie!y$ !he Mni!ed &!a!es Commi!!ee for !he Mni!ed 9a!ions$ !he Ci!i<ens Commi!!ee +o :ee' 9ew 3ork Ci!y Clean$ and Lincoln Cen!er for !he erforming Ar!s. +he 'rofessional services we have dona!ed !o !hese causes have cos! us a)ou! NCK@$@@@$ which is e7uivalen! !o our 'rofi! on N,C$@@@$@@@ of )illing. In ,-K- ?ohn D. %ockefeller III and Clarence /rancis asked me !o increase 'u)lic awareness of Lincoln Cen!er$ which was !hen in !he 'lanning s!age. A survey revealed !ha! only CK 'er cen! of !he adul! 'o'ula!ion of 9ew 3ork had heard of Lincoln Cen!er. #hen our cam'aign was concluded$ one year la!er$ AG 'er cen! had heard of Lincoln Cen!er. #hen I 'resen!ed !he 'lans for !his cam'aign$ I said= +he men who conceived Lincoln Cen!er$ and 'ar!icularly !he )ig founda!ions which have con!ri)u!ed !o i!$ would )e dismayed if !he 'eo'le of 9ew 3ork came !o !hink of Lincoln Cen!er as !he 're" serve of !he u''er crus!. ... I! is$ !herefore$ im'or!an! !o crea!e !he righ! image= Lincoln Cen!er is for all !he 'eo'le. A survey conduc!ed a! !he conclusion of !he cam'aign showed !ha! !his democra!ic o)1ec!ive had )een fulfilled. +hose in!erviewed were 'resen!ed wi!h s!a!emen!s$ and asked which !hey agreed wi!h. Here are !heir vo!es= ;robably most people li ing in <ew 3ork and its suburbs will isit 9incoln &enter at one time or another 9incoln &enter is only for wealthier people GAY

JY

Mos! cam'aigns for good causes are con!ri)u!ed )y one volun" !eer agency$ )u! in !he case of Lincoln Cen!er$ ((DO$ 3oung I %u" )icam$ and (en!on I (owles volun!eered !o work in harness wi!h us;a remarka)le and harmonious 7uar!e!. +he !elevision commer" cials were made )y ((DO$ and 9ew 3ork s!a!ions dona!ed NA@@$@@@ wor!h of rime !o running !hem. +he radio commercials were made )y (en!on I (owles$ and !he radio s!a!ions dona!ed N,@@$@@@ wor!h of !ime !o running !hem. +he 'rin!ed adver!isemen!s were made )y 3oung I %u)icam and ourselves8 %eaders Diges!$ +he 9ew 3orker$ 9ewsweek$ and Cue ran !hem free. #hen we volun!eered !o !ake over !he cam'aign !o :ee' 9ew 3ork Ci!y Clean$ !he num)er of s!ree!s ra!ed clean had already in" creased from KA 'er cen! !o LK 'er cen!. I concluded !ha! !hose s!ill li!!ering mus! form a hard core of irres'onsi)le )ar)arians who could no! )e reformed )y amia)le slogans like !he 'revious agencys 0Cas! 3our (allo! Here for a Cleaner 9ew 3ork.5 A 'oll revealed !ha! !he ma1ori!y of 9ew 3orkers were no! aware !ha! !hey could )e fined !wen!y"five dollars for li!!ering. #e !herefore develo'ed a !ough cam'aign$ warning li!!er)ugs !ha! !hey would )e hauled in!o cour!. A! !he same !ime we 'ersuaded !he 9ew

3ock &ani!a!ion De'ar!men! !o recrui! a flying s7uad of uniformed men !o 'a!rol !he s!ree!s on mo!or scoo!ers$ in search of offenders. +he news'a'ers and maga<ines dona!ed an un'receden!ed amoun! of free s'ace !o running our adver!isemen!s$ and in !he firs! !hree mon!hs !he 9ew 3ork !elevision and radio s!a!ions gave us ,$,@K. free commercials. Af!er four mon!hs$ .-$@@J summonses had, )een handed ou!$ and !he magis!ra!es did !heir du!y. Is adver!ising a vulgar )ore2 C. A. %. Crosland !hunders in +he 9ew &!a!esman !ha! adver!ising 0is of!en vulgar$ s!riden! and offen" sive. And i! induces a defini!e cynicism and corru'!ion in )o!h 'rac" !i!ioners and audience owing !o !he cons!an! in!ermingling of !ru!h and lies.5 +his$ I !hink$ is now !he gravamen of !he charge agains! adver" !ising among educa!ed 'eo'le. Ludwig von Mises descri)es adver!is" ing as 0shrill$ noisy$ coarse$ 'uffing.5 He )lames !he 'u)lic$ as no! reac!ing !o dignified adver!ising8 I am more inclined !o )lame !he adver!isers and !he agencies;including myself. I mus! confess !ha! I am a 'oor 1udge of wha! will shock !he 'u)lic. +wice I have 'ro" duced adver!isemen!s which seemed 'erfec!ly innocen! !o me$ only !o )e e*coria!ed for indecency. One was an adver!isemen! for Lady Ha!haway shir!s$ which showed a )eau!iful woman in velve! !rou" sers$ si!!ing as!ride a chair and smoking a long cigar. My o!her !rans" gression was a !elevision commercial in which we rolled (an de" odoran! in!o !he arm'i! of a Greek s!a!ue. In )o!h cases !he sym)ol" ism$ which had esca'ed me$ inflamed more 'rurien! souls. I am less offended )y o)sceni!y !han )y !as!eless !y'ogra'hy$ )anal 'ho!ogra'hs$ clumsy co'y$ and chea' 1ingles. I! is easy !o ski' !hese horrors when !hey a''ear in maga<ines and news'a'ers$ )u! i! is im'ossi)le !o esca'e !hem on !elevision. I am angered !o !he 'oin! of violence )y !he commercial in!erru'!ion of 'rograms. Are !he men who own !he !elevision s!a!ions so greedy !ha! !hey canno! resis! such in!rusive affron!s !o !he digni!y of man2 +hey even in!erru'! !he inaugura!ion of residen!s and !he corona!ion of monarchs. As a 'rac!i!ioner$ I know !ha! !elevision is !he mos! 'o!en! ad" ver!ising medium ever devised$ and I make mos! of my living from i!. (u!$ as a 'riva!e 'erson$ I would gladly 'ay for !he 'rivilege of wa!ching i! wi!hou! commercial in!erru'!ions. Morally$ I find myself )e!ween !he rock and !he hard 'lace. I! is !elevision adver!ising which has made Madison Avenue !he arch"sym)ol of !as!eless ma!erialism. If governmen!s do no! soon se! u' machinery for !he regula!ion of !elevision$ I fear !ha! !he ma1ori!y of !hough!ful men will come !o agree wi!h +oyn)ee !ha! 0!he des!iny of our #es!ern civili<a!ion !urns on !he issue of our s!ruggle wi!h all !ha! Madison Avenue s!ands for.5 I have a ves!ed in!eres! in !he sur" vival of Madison Avenue$ and I dou)! whe!her i! can survive wi!hou! dras!ic reform. Hill I :nowl!on re'or! !ha! !he vas! ma1ori!y of !hough!"leaders now )elieve !ha! adver!ising 'romo!es values !ha! are !oo ma!erialis" !ic. +he danger !o my )read"and")u!!er arises ou! of !he fac! !ha! wha! !hough!"leaders !hink !oday$ !he ma1ori!y of vo!ers are likely !o !hink !omorrow. 9o$ my darling sis!er$ adver!ising should no! )e a)olished. (u! i! mus! )e reformed.

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