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
Why should a manufacturer bet his money, perhaps the future of his company, on your instinct?
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of data and evidence over intuition in business decision-making.
David Ogilvy highlights the necessity for manufacturers and business leaders to rely on solid evidence and data rather than mere instinct when making critical financial decisions. The statement reflects a fundamental principle in the business world: reliance on instincts can be risky, especially when the future of a company is at stake, and thus, decisions should be backed by research and proven insights.
Themes
BusinessDataEvidenceDecision-MakingRisk
In practice
Example use cases
In a business presentation discussing the importance of analytics, you could quote this to stress the need for data-driven decisions.
More from David Ogilvy
All quotes βOur business is infested with idiots who try to impress by using pretentious jargon.
David OgilvyRead
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.
David OgilvyRead
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.
David OgilvyRead
The best ideas come as jokes. Make your thinking as funny as possible.
David OgilvyRead
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.
David OgilvyRead
Similar quotes
If your customer base is aging with you, then eventually you are going to become obsolete or irrelevant. You need to be constantly figuring out who are your new customers and what are you doing to stay forever young.
Jeff BezosRead
Accounting is the language of business.
Warren BuffettRead
At first, we couldn't be establishment, because we didn't have any money. We were guerrilla marketers, and we still are, a little bit. But, as we became No. 1 in our industry, we've had to modify our culture and become a bit more planned.
Phil KnightRead
In a period of economic downturn, the overwhelming instinct is to pare back, cut costs, and lay off. If you do that, do so with your strategy in mind. The worst mistake is to cut across the board. Instead, reconnect and recommit to a clear strategy that will distinguish yourself from others.
Michael PorterRead
If you don't drive your business, you will be driven out of business.
B. C. ForbesRead
When we launched a new company, I reviewed the ads and marketing materials and asked those presenting the campaign to read everything aloud to test the phrasing and concept. If I could grasp it quickly, then it passed with muster. We would get our message across only if it was understandable at first glance.
Richard BransonRead