Ogilvy Business Wisdom

David Ogilvy

Known as the 'Father of Advertising,' David Ogilvy (1911-1999) founded an advertising agency in 1948 that eventually became the Ogilvy & Mather we know today. 


Ogilvy was not shy about opining on what he believed to be the foundational principles and thoughts of strong business practices.


I've parsed out a few of my favorites which are posted in my office and continue to shape my traditional and emerging efforts in Mar/Comm across my decade in the business:


On staffing:

• "If you hire people who are bigger than you are, we shall become a company of giants." 

On mindset:

• "The best ideas come as jokes.  Make your thinking as funny as possible."

On excellence:

• "The pursuit of excellence is less profitable then the pursuit of bigness, but it can be more satisfying."

On brand persona: 

• "You know you have to decide what 'image' you want for your brand.  Products, like people, have personalities, and they can make or break them in the marketplace."

On content:

• "What really decides consumers to buy or not buy is the content of your advertising, not its form."

On advertising:

• "It takes a big idea to attract the attention of consumers and get them to buy your product.  Unless your advertising contains a big idea, it will pass like a ship in the night."
• "Every advertisement is part of the long-term investment in the personality of the brand."
• "Never stop testing, and your advertising will never stop improving."

On the consumer:

• "On average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy.  When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar." 
• "The consumer isn't a moron.  She is your wife."

I don't believe Mr. Ogilvy's thoughts require much explanation from me, as they're tried, true and timeless.  They stand on their own merits.  They are worth your time and application.  

I challenge you to build a running list or active journal of thoughts/quotes that motivate and inspire you.  Maybe they're not the thoughts of David Ogilvy, but somewhere someone is saying and/or sharing quotables that are food for your thought.

A Culture of Thanksgiving

Tomorrow is a long standing tradition of family, food and American football. What's not to love? Thanksgiving provides a reason to share a languid day of feasting and celebrating, till our hearts are content, with those we cherish most.

Don't take this opportunity for granted, and for pete's sake consider making it a daily (or as often as you can) experience. Gather your family around the dinner table, spend time reveling and sharing in each other's company! The pace our society has adopted as a "normal" rate of living life often leaves little room for slowing down to appreciate the moments that can be all too fleeting.

What's to stop us from creating a culture of Thanksgiving in our homes, in workplaces, or in the most fundamental of places, our own hearts? The content of our heart is where our character stems from, it's the source of the words we chose to impart, the attitudes we hold and our perceptions of the world around us.

I'd challenge you (and me too!) to reflect tomorrow (and every day) upon what's important to you, what drives you, what you're thankful for, and what's at your core. The culture of your life, begins with you. Consider marking it a culture of Thanksgiving.

To you and yours, I wish you a blessed and happy Thanksgiving.