David Ogilvy and The New Information Age of Advertising
David Ogilvy, often hailed as the "Father of Advertising," revolutionized the advertising industry with his innovative–and effective–ad campaigns. Way back in the 1950’s. But by today’s standards many might consider Ogilvy and his ads relics. Not “catchy” enough.
In most of today’s ads you see a lot of meandering stories. Sometimes they tie in with the brand or product really well, but many times the reader or viewer’s attention is drawn to the story–not so much the product. It’s rare to see an ad today that isn’t trying really hard to entertain. It is also rare to see an ad today that prioritizes valuable information. The worst kind (T-Mobile comes to mind) are those ads that try to do both.
Most of today’s ads would make David Ogilvy turn in his grave. All you have to do is read a few of his well-known quotes for proof:
“I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form, but as a medium of information. When I write an advertisement, I don’t want you to tell me that you find it ‘creative.’ I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product.”
“The consumer isn't a moron; she is your wife. You insult her intelligence if you assume that a mere slogan and a few vapid adjectives will persuade her to buy anything. She wants all the information you can give her.”
“What you say in advertising is more important than how you say it.”
What is most interesting about David Ogilvy’s ads is how they disseminated information. Take a look at one of his most famous ones. Pay attention to how this ad achieves a very difficult goal: Conveying a significant amount of information while delivering the essential essence of the brand. (Article continues below.)
"At 60 miles an hour, the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock."
Ogilvy's campaign for Rolls-Royce emphasized the luxury and quality of the brand by highlighting the car's silent engine. It’s an amazing feat–selling an entire brand initially through one very specific facet of its product. Then, the entirety of its product, through 429 elegantly written, informative words. It’s a stunning amount of information. And the information is… entertaining while focusing on the product, not a story.
If you read the ad, you’ll notice three very important aspects of its structure:
The headline is “catchy”—and a story with a sales proposition in itself—but it also compels the reader to keep reading. To discover.
The body copy dives deep into the tangible benefits of the product.
The entire ad, word for word, emphasizes luxury–the most important value proposition of the Rolls-Royce brand.
Ogilvy’s Rolls-Royce campaign and many of his other notable campaigns not only captured the attention of consumers but also drove sales and built brands. This is a very difficult thing to achieve. And it’s exactly what every brand and advertiser wants to achieve. He did it through information.
As a content marketer I find David Ogilvy’s approach extremely compelling. The consumer is smarter than they are often given credit for. Their time is valuable. They want information. And as Ogilvy’s Rolls-Royce ad proves, information can be very compelling, even entertaining. So why not give it to them?
I think we should build the information age of advertising. And I don’t think I’m alone. Demand Metric indicates that 90% of marketers are incorporating content into their marketing strategies in 2024 (via Forbes). Some of the most popular methods? Short-from video (often 'how-to's' and product demos), short-form articles, long-form articles, case studies, white papers and email newsletters all make the list. All information channels. The trick is making the information compelling, maybe even entertaining. And this is where I have a slight difference of opinion with Mr. Ogivly. I believe that, today, information is an art form. A valuable and necessary craft.
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(By the way, the Rolls-Royce ad drove a 50% increase in sales.)