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  • 8-MAY-2024 | Gems from the late great David Ogilvy

8-MAY-2024 | Gems from the late great David Ogilvy

Author

Dan Bogachek
May 08, 2024

Gems from the late great David Ogilvy

If you didn’t already know: Don Draper from Mad Men is based on the real-life legend, David Ogilvy.

  1. “Consumer isn’t a moron. She is your wife.”

  2. “KISS.” (Keep It Simple, Stupid)

  3. “The best ideas come as jokes. Make your thinking as funny as possible.”

  4. “Our business is infested with idiots who try to impress by using pretentious jargon.”

  5. “Unless your advertising has a big idea, it will pass like a ship in the night.”

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

Let’s try a bit of copy now.

David Ogilvy left a sizeable inheritance behind. It is yours if you want it.

It’s not money. It’s not a Rolls Royce either. And no, it’s not a chateau tucked away amidst tall chestnut trees on the banks of River Vienne in France. It is something a lot more precious. It’s a lifetime of the man’s infinite wisdom. Valuable then. Invaluable now. Here are a few pearls you could claim.

“Consumer isn’t a moron. She is your wife.”

When we create communication, we think people will buy anything we sell. Wrong. They need convincing, just like an uncompromising spouse. Control the urge to fire up an argument. Step into their shoes instead, even if they are a pair of uncomfortable stilettos. And walk. The journey will be a lot less painful than you thought it would be.