Diamond In The Rough
Before writing his first ad, David Ogilvy lived colourfully. He was a cook, a salesman, a researcher, a diplomat, and a tobacco farmer among the Amish.
As a cook, Ogilvy was fascinated by the head chef, Monsieur Pitard. Pitard’s ability to command respect and undying motivation from his crew, left a lasting impression on Ogilvy.
Monsieur Pitard was known to be tough but fair. And stingy with compliments. Ogilvy toiled in the hot kitchen 68 hours a week.
An incident Ogilvy would never forget: Pitard entered the kitchen and did his rounds. He stopped to watch David Ogilvy, as he prepared frog legs. Then, Pitard summoned all the cooks to watch him prepare frog legs. Ogilvy was convinced he’d be given the death sentence.
The French chef said slowly “That’s how to do it”.
Ogilvy was elated and remarked “I was his slave for life.”
David Ogilvy moved on to become a door-to-door salesman for AGA. He’d chat with housewives along his route, for at least 30 minutes about the AGA stove. Selling as many as he possibly can.
Ogilvy became such a formidable salesman that AGA commissioned him to write a sales training manual. The same manual landed him a job with Mather & Crowther, an ad agency.
After some convincing, the agency sent him to the US on a trip to gather knowledge and experience. Ogilvy managed to land a job with Gallup Research Institute as a researcher.
There, he learned the importance of measuring consumer response. He submitted to the effectiveness of research and strict adherence to reality. This later shaped his approach to writing copy and crafting advertisements.
Unfortunately, WW2 happened. His days at Gallup were put on hold. Ogilvy joined the British Intelligence and worked in the Department of Espionage & Wartime Propaganda. He spent his days crafting wartime propaganda targeted at businesses supporting the Nazis.
After the war ended, David Ogilvy tried to live a quiet life as a tobacco farmer among the Amish. He got on for several years. He then surrendered to the fact he wasn’t a particularly good farmer.
This was the time he returned to advertising. With the help of his brother and former employers at Mather & Crowther, he founded his agency.
The Hottest Agency in Madison Avenue
Ogilvy believed in good advertising. He was convinced, no other tactic would win clients. And so he went to work. His first ad was called “The Guinness Guide to Oysters.”
He then wrote the famous Rolls Royce ads. And caused a storm when he unveiled his agency’s trade secrets and advertised them in the papers.
For his efforts, Ogilvy won assignments from Lever Brothers, General Foods and American Express in the first 20 years. The Rolls Royce ad won over Shell. They gave him their entire account in North America. Sears hired him for their first national advertising campaign.
“They made Ogilvy & Mather so hot that getting clients was like shooting fish in a barrel.” – David Ogilvy on the response he got from producing good advertising.
The Ad That Ran Four Years
Four years. That’s how long this ad ran on major publications in the US. I wonder if any agency could produce similar today.
Before 1958, Rolls Royce ads were brief and focused on boasting. “Best car in the world” is the tagline they’d repeat over and over.
After winning the account, Ogilvy spent 3 weeks reading about Rolls Royce.
The client was kind enough to send over a couple of materials, including an engineer’s manual. In that manual was the inspiration for Ogilvy’s famous headline.
“At 60 miles an hour, the loudest noise in this new Rolls Royce comes from the electric clock.”
The hook was gold. But an ad isn’t only about the hook. Ogilvy had an expectation to meet in the next sentence. He included RR’s tagline, framing it as a question. Anticipating a likely objection from readers.
Then, he wrote 13 paragraphs of facts not widely known to car buyers. Facts, that addressed why RR is the best car in the world.
The ad ran in 1958, sales rose to 50% compared to the previous year. Then, the ad ran for another 3 years.
Other Legendary Ad Campaigns
Closing thoughts
My approach to advertising is heavily inspired by David Ogilvy. His logic, stance, and method are timeless. And still profitable today.
Although adland has lost its head, there are many practitioners in the industry outside the limelight that carry the torch of sanity.
You would rarely find these admen in award shows or high-brow magazines. They are in the trenches. Solving real business problems that directly or indirectly impact people’s livelihood.
I can tell you, being in the trenches has landed me in hot water a number of times. It is far too easy to step on some toes, or expose frauds, when you know your business deeply.
But it is a noble pursuit. Under the school of Ogilvy, no consumer shall be cheated, no client shall be ripped off, and no copywriter shall be deprived of ideas.
