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Quotes By David Ogilvy

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 Ogilvy
Abstract Paintings Reader

Remove advertising, disable a person or firm from proclaiming its wares and their merits, and the whole of society and of the economy is transformed. The enemies of advertising are the enemies of freedom.

David Ogilvy
FreedomSocietyEnemy

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

David Ogilvy
Except Living Mine

Ninety-nine percent of advertising doesn’t sell much of anything.

David Ogilvy
Percent Sell

It is flagrantly dishonest for an advertising agent to urge consumers to buy a product which he would not allow his own wife to buy.

David Ogilvy
Allow Buy Wife

Does advertising corrupt editors? Yes it does, but fewer editors than you may suppose… the vast majority of editors are incorruptible.

David Ogilvy
Majority Suppose Yes

What you say in advertising is more important than how you say it.

David Ogilvy

Advertising reflects the mores of society, but it does not influence them.

David Ogilvy
SocietyInfluence Reflects

Advertising is only evil when it advertises evil things.

David Ogilvy
Advertises Evil

Many manufacturers secretly question whether advertising really sells their product, but are vaguely afraid that their competitors might steal a march on them if they stopped.

David Ogilvy
Might Question Whether

It strikes me as bad manners for a magazine to accept one of my advertisements and then attack it editorially – like inviting a man to dinner then spitting in his eye.

David Ogilvy
Accept Dinner Eye

The most important word in the vocabulary of advertising is TEST. If you pretest your product with consumers, and pretest your advertising, you will do well in the marketplace.

David Ogilvy
Product Test Word

There are very few men of genius in advertising agencies. But we need all we can find. Almost without exception they are disagreeable. Don’t destroy them. They lay golden eggs.

David Ogilvy
MenAlmost Few

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 Ogilvy
Product Readers Use

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 Ogilvy
Create Television Today
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