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There is one catagory of advertising which is totally uncontrolled and flagrantly dishonest: the television commercials for candidates in Presidential elections.
David Ogilvy
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Television commercials for presidential candidates can often be misleading and unregulated.

David Ogilvy highlights the lack of accountability in television advertising during presidential elections, suggesting that such commercials frequently resort to dishonesty without any oversight. This underscores the notion that political advertisements can be designed to manipulate public perception rather than inform it truthfully.

Themes

AdvertisingPoliticsDishonestyElectionsMedia

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about media ethics, you might reference Ogilvy's quote to emphasize the importance of truth in political advertising.

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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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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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