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Like a midwife, I make my living bringing new babies into the world, except that mine are new advertising campaigns.
David Ogilvy
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote compares the creation of advertising campaigns to the birth of a baby, highlighting the creativity and care involved in both processes.

David Ogilvy, a renowned advertising executive, uses this metaphor to express the intricate and nurturing process of developing advertising campaigns. Just as a midwife plays a crucial role in the birth of a new life, an advertising professional brings new ideas to fruition, emphasizing the creativity and effort involved in creating effective advertisements that resonate with the audience.

Themes

AdvertisingCreativityCampaignsBirthInnovation

In practice

Example use cases

During a presentation about the importance of creativity in marketing, this quote can illustrate the nurturing aspect of campaign development.

More from David Ogilvy

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.
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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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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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