David Ogilvy on Advertising

Do you own a small business?  Have you figured out how to make it successful?  Did a person, Web site, seminar, book or course help you?  Did your brother-in-law help you?  Chances are you didn't have the luxury of striking it rich in one brilliant move.  You had to build your business through hard work, grit, determination and the ability to filter every Tom, Dick and Harry's opinion as to how you should run your business.  You did say your brother-in-law's name is Dick, didn't you?

Perhaps today you might consider the opinion of David, an advertising man.  He helped a few companies sell their products and become successful.  You might be familiar with some of them; Campbell Soup Company, Rolls Royce, General Foods, Shell, IBM, Merrill Lynch, etc.  In the world of advertising, David Ogilvy was an icon.  David passed away in 1999, but his legend lives on along with his words.  You need to pick up his book Ogilvy on Advertising. It isn't a textbook, it is a conversation.  I've read the book twice now and I feel as if David and I are sitting in a cherry wood paneled library in two big plush leather chairs looking out over a snow-filled meadow while a fire roars in the fireplace.  He talks to me about advertising and selling products while knocking the residual tobacco from his pipe.

"Wait a minute Dave, the companies that David worked with are all really big companies.  Mine isn't."

Ok, let me guess.  Your brother-in-law knows a printer.  He got you a good deal on printing out a flier.  You mailed a few out.  Or you recently bought Advertising for Dummies.  You are trying to follow it step by step.  Or you know that you should be advertising, so you ask Joe who owns the pool cleaning company.  Joe tells you.  But you're not sure if he understands the difference between pool filters and pepperoni pizza.  Or you listen blindly to the girl who sells ad space for the Neighborhood Newspaper cause you'd like to date her.  By the way, just how much business are you getting out of that ad?

The point is your advertising isn't working.  You either have to do it yourself or hire a company that works with small businesses. Ultimately you should hire the company.  Either way, David will guide you through the process.  But there is a catch.  This book isn't for every small business owner.  It is only for those with an open enough mind to carry on a conversation with a dead ad guy...albeit a charming and wise dead ad guy.  You see, David isn't only going to enlighten you about advertising, if you're open enough, he'll help you build the very core of your business.

"Dave, I ran over to Amazon and ordered up a copy.  It came yesterday.  Dude, this book is written for advertising people."

Well, yes it is.  Here, take this can of WD-40 and shoot a couple drops on the hinges of your mind.  Now, shake each leg a bit and straighten out your underwear.  Good.  Listen up.  Yes David's book was targeted for the field of advertising.  Published in 1983, he writes about getting a job in the business, running an agency, how to advertise for foreign travel and how to make TV commercials.  He also writes about how to produce advertising that sells, direct mail, how to get clients, research, competing with Proctor and Gamble, and six legends who went before him in the industry.  It is mostly in the last group where the treasure for small business owners can be found.  But you will only hear David's sage bits of wisdom if you pretend he is trying to help you run your business.

I know, I know, you're too busy trying to run your business to play pretend.  But if you made it this far here today, try this out...

You hire someone local to do your advertising.  It could be the girl who sells ad space for the neighborhood paper or someone who will design your ad or an agency geared for small business.  Now, listen to what David has to say about his internal operation:

"I never assign a product to a writer unless I know that he is personally interested in it."

As an Advertising Director, he never assigns a product to a writer unless he knows that the writer is personally interested in the product.  Now here's where you have to pretend.  David to you:

"Carol, does Bob the guy who is writing copy for your print advertisement, know anything about you or your products?  Matter of fact, does he use your products?"

See what I mean?

Ok, click on the link here, buy a copy of Ogilvy on Advertising and get ready to help market your business!

Comments

[Steve Sherlock]

Dave, great posting. The advice from the master is well worth reading. I ahve added this book to my "to be read listing".

BTW - Have a most happy birthday today!

[dave]

Thanks Steve! It really is a most excellent book!

[Brad Shorr]

Dave, I think I can confirm your thesis. I'm a freelancer who works with small and midsize companies. I try to use Ogilvy's principles as best I can, because ... they work. Simple things like positioning of headlines and images on a web page or an ad can make a difference between a positive response and no response. You think story telling in marketing is the latest fad? Nope. Ogilvy told stories decades ago. He believed one of his most famous campaigns, the Man in the Hathaway Shirt achieved success because he put an eye patch on the guy. He turned a guy in a shirt into a mystery, a story. So when I work with a client, I always look for their eye patch.