Intro
In this episode of the “Founders” podcast, the focus is on David Ogilvy, the advertising legend behind Ogilvy & Mather. Ogilvy’s agency was an immediate success in New York, despite initial skepticism. His book, “Confessions of an Advertising Man,” was not only a means to attract new clients but also to condition the market for a public offering and increase his visibility in the business world. This podcast explores the valuable advice and principles Ogilvy shared in his book, which have led to dramatic improvements in sales for many who have followed them.
Main Takeaways
Lessons from David Ogilvy
- Ogilvy’s advertising agency was an immediate success in New York despite skepticism.
- Ogilvy wrote “Confessions of an Advertising Man” to attract new clients, condition the market for a public offering, and increase his visibility in the business world.
- Ogilvy’s colleagues at Ogilvy & Mather have largely followed his ideas and have sold a lot of products.
- Confessions of an Advertising Man contains valuable advice that has led to dramatic improvements in sales for many who have followed it.
- Some of Ogilvy’s maxims include “we sell or else”, “you cannot bore people into buying your product”, and “the consumer is not a moron. She is your wife. Don’t insult her intelligence”.
- Ogilvy believed in the individual capacity for greatness and encouraged pursuing knowledge and hiring intelligent individuals.
- Ogilvy believed in paying agencies fairly to attract intelligent individuals.
Creating Successful Advertising
- Study the experience and great work that came before you to avoid repeating mistakes.
- Creating successful advertising is a craft that requires inspiration, know-how, and hard work.
- The goal of advertising is to sell products for customers, not win awards.
- The difference between one advertisement and another can be as much as 19 to one in terms of sales.
- One editorial is worth a thousand advertisements.
- Editors of magazines are better communicators than advertising people.
- Most campaigns are too complicated and achieve nothing.
- Consumers can barely handle one great new idea when selling something new.
- Good campaigns can run for many years without losing their selling power.
Leadership and Company Culture
- Corporate culture is important, and Ogilvy & Mather is the only agency in the world with a real corporate culture.
- Good leadership involves inspiring and motivating employees to perform at their best.
- Incompetent amateurs can demoralize professionals and should not be tolerated.
- Exorbitant standards of service should be upheld, always honor what is promised on the menu.
- Strive for supreme excellence, being better than every other person in your craft.
- The founder’s principal responsibility is to provide an atmosphere for creative mavericks to do useful work.
- Founder’s expectations for behavior: work hard, have first-class brains combined with intellectual honesty, work with gusto, don’t suck up to bosses, hire subordinates who are good enough to succeed them, build up subordinates, have gentle manners and treat others as human beings.
- Importance of company culture: founder would gather employees once a year to discuss behavior expectations.
Talent and Recruitment
- Talent is most likely to be found among non-conformist dissenters and rebels.
- Give your brain a rest to receive a constant stream of telegrams from your unconscious.
- No creative organization will produce great work unless led by a formidable individual with an ungovernable curiosity and hard work ethic.
- Successful agencies are led by “trumpeter swans” who inspire and judge campaigns for various products.
- Real recognizes real – other successful agencies tried to buy out Ogilvy’s agency, recognizing his talent.
- Teamwork is important, but no team can write an advertisement – individual excellence is necessary.
- Hold your team to high standards, provide clear feedback, and pour on the praise when they succeed.
Summary
David Ogilvy’s Advertising Principles and Success
David Ogilvy’s advertising agency achieved immediate success in New York, defying initial skepticism. To attract new clients and increase his visibility, Ogilvy wrote “Confessions of an Advertising Man,” which contains valuable advice that has led to dramatic improvements in sales for many who have followed it. His colleagues at Ogilvy & Mather have largely followed his ideas and sold numerous products. Ogilvy believed in the individual capacity for greatness, paying agencies fairly, and creating a corporate culture that inspires creative mavericks. He emphasized the importance of creating successful advertising that sells products, avoiding complexity, and focusing on one great idea. Ogilvy also highlighted the significance of leadership, talent recruitment, and individual excellence in producing remarkable campaigns. His success story from an obscure tobacco farmer to presiding over one of the best advertising agencies in the US serves as inspiration for aspiring founders.
Conclusion
David Ogilvy’s “Confessions of an Advertising Man” provides invaluable insights into the world of advertising and marketing. By following Ogilvy’s principles, founders can learn to create successful campaigns, build a strong company culture, and recruit talented individuals. Ogilvy’s emphasis on excellence, knowledge pursuit, and individual greatness serves as a guiding light for those looking to make a mark in the advertising industry.
