Quotes from David Ogilvy

Hard work never killed a man. Men die of boredom, psychological conflict, and disease. They do not die of hard work.

Where people aren't having any fun, they seldom produce good work.

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

As a private person, I have a passion for landscape, and I have never seen one improved by a billboard. Where every prospect pleases, man is at his vilest when he erects a billboard. When I retire from Madison Avenue, I am going to start a secret society of masked vigilantes who will travel around the world on silent motor bicycles, chopping down posters at the dark of the moon. How many juries will convict us when we are caught in these acts of beneficent citizenship?

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.

Tell your prospective client what your weak points are, before he notices them. This will make you more credible when you boast about your strong points.

It isn't the whiskey they choose, it's the image.

Sound an alarm! Advertising, not deals, builds brands.

On average, helpful information is read by 75 per cent more people than copy which deals only with the product. This ad told how Rinso gets out stains. It was read and remembered

Consumers still buy products whose advertising promises them value for money, beauty, nutrition, relief from suffering, social status and so on.

Don't bunt. Aim out of the ballpark.

A consumer is not a moron. She's your wife. Don't insult her intelligence, and don't shock her.