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
Don’t just create content to get credit for being clever — create content that will be helpful, insightful, or interesting for your target audience.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Focus on creating valuable content rather than seeking attention for its cleverness.
David Ogilvy emphasizes the importance of creating content with the intent to provide value to the audience rather than simply seeking recognition for cleverness. This approach fosters deeper connections and delivers meaningful insights that can genuinely impact the target audience, making it more rewarding for both the creator and the consumer.
Themes
ContentValueAudienceInsightCreativity
In practice
Example use cases
In a workshop on effective marketing strategies, this quote could be used to inspire participants to rethink their content creation approach.
More from David Ogilvy
All quotes →Our business is infested with idiots who try to impress by using pretentious jargon.
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Some 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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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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