The headline is the 'ticket on the meat.' Use it to flag down readers who are prospects for the kind of product you are advertising.
David OgilvyRead
Our business is infested with idiots who try to impress by using pretentious jargon.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote criticizes those who use complex language to appear smarter, rather than communicating clearly.
David Ogilvy expresses frustration with individuals in the business world who rely on pretentious jargon to impress others. He highlights that such behavior often obscures communication and makes it difficult to understand their true message, emphasizing the importance of clarity over complexity in professional settings.
Themes
BusinessCommunicationJargonClaritySimplicity
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a business presentation to emphasize the need for clear communication.
More from David Ogilvy
All quotes βSome manufacturers illustrate their advertisements with abstract paintings. I would only do this if I wished to conceal from the reader what I was advertising.
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Much of the messy advertising you see on television today is the product of committees. Committees can criticize advertisements, but they should never be allowed to create them.
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The best ideas come as jokes. Make your thinking as funny as possible.
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Experience has taught me that advertisers get the best results when they pay their agency a flat fee. It is unrealistic to expect your agency to be impartial when its vested interest lies wholly in the direction of increasing your commissionable advertising.
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The creative process requires more than reason. Most original thinking isn't even verbal. It requires 'a groping experimentation with ideas, governed by intuitive hunches and inspired by the unconscious.' The majority of business men are incapable of original thinking because they are unable to escape from the tyranny of reason. Their imaginations are blocked.
David OgilvyRead
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