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
If you have all the research, all the ground rules, all the directives, all the data - it doesn't mean the ad is written. Then you've got to close the door and write something - that is the moment of truth which we all try to postpone as long as possible.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Research and preparation are important, but the actual writing is a critical and often procrastinated step in the creative process.
In this quote, David Ogilvy emphasizes that while collecting data, setting rules, and preparing thoroughly are essential parts of any creative endeavor, the real challenge lies in the act of writing itself. It is often easy to get lost in preparation, but true progress requires overcoming the fear of putting words on the page, which is a moment of truth that many creators tend to delay.
Themes
WritingCreativityProcrastinationPreparationData
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a creative writing workshop to inspire participants to start writing sooner.
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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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