Ogilvy On Advertising
David Ogilvy
Non-Fiction
How to Produce Advertising that Sells
Recognize a big idea by asking yourself 5 questions 1. Did it make me gasp when I first saw it? 2. Do I wish I had thought of it myself? 3. Is it unique? 4. Does it fit the strategy to perfection? 5. Could it be used for 30 years?
How to Run an Advertising Agency
St Augustine had this to say about pressure: To be under pressure is inescapable. Pressure takes place through all the world: war, siege, the worries of state. We all know men who grumble under these pressures, and complain. They are cowards. They lack splendor. But there is another sort of man who I sunder the same pressure, but does not complain. For it is the friction which polishes him. It is pressure which refines and makes him noble.
How to Run an Advertising Agency
Tips: 1. Never allow two people to do a job which one could do. 2. Never summon people to your office; it frightens them. Instead, go to see them in their offices, unannounced. A boss who never wanders about his agency becomes an invisible hermit. 3. If you want to get action communicate verbally. If you want the voting to go your way at meetings, go to the meeting.
Print Advertising
Tips for great print advertisement: - Copy has priority over illustration - The copy is set in serif type - Three columns of type, 35-45 characters wide - Every photograph has a caption - The copy starts with drop-initials - The type is set black on white
Competing with P&G
Notes: First, P&G is disciplines. Their guiding philosophy is to plan thoroughly, minimize risk, and stick to their proven principles. They never enter small categories unless they expect them to grow. They set out to dominate every category they enter. They would rather be right than first. All of their advertisements show a "moment of confirmation" i.e. when the product works for its intended purpose and is reinforced verbally.
Chicago Advertising
"Unlike New York, however, which was a mythical place, Chicago was real. Everyone had an Uncle Charlie or Aunt Mabel living here, in Glen Ellyn, or somewhere. Whether people approved of Chicago or not, it was "family", rather like a son who had gone off and made good in an impressive but controversial way. So my little town had a proprietary feeling about Chicago, and when we rubes came flocking in from all quarters of the corn belt, we recognized each other and knew we were home. I guess what I'm getting at is that Chicago is the Midwest-the heart, soul, brains, and bowels of it. Its ad-making ranks are filled with folks who heads are stocked with prairie-town views and values. Now I don't intend to argue that Chicago is in any way a worthier city than, say, New York. But I am suggesting that our sod-busting delivery, our loose-limbed stand, and our wide-eyed perspective make it easier for us to create ads that talk turkey to the majority of Americans - that's all." - Leo Burnett
Financial Intelligence
Karen Berman & Joe Knight
Non-Fiction
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
Walter Isaacson
Biography
Franklin created what he described as the "Dojo" to bring together upwardly mobile tradesman who could support each other in business and Serve as sounding boards for ideas. For him it was very much an "iron sharpens iron" approach.
He liked to attribute ideas to other people since he found that attributing them elsewhere, and saying so, led to their adoption and enthusiasm far faster than anything that could be perceived as personal gain.
Washington: A Life
Ron Chernow
History
Washington was a member of the Sons of Cincinnatus, originally formed to support soldiers and their widows following the Revolutionary War. However, Washington was cautious of creating a new aristocratic class. He begged out of many events and constantly attempted to thread the needle between supporting their mission without endorsing the Sons of Cincinnatus as societies' new elite.
Washington created the American Mule and spent much of his time away from Mount Vernon thinking about his home. He wrote highly detailed letters back home almost daily, asking about almost inane details. Clearly, it stood out in his mind as a retreat from the world that he was never able to return to.