In this article, a summary of the key points in creating effective advertisements is written by Oglivi
There is probably no one in the world of advertising who has not heard the name of David Eglivi. How did he record the history of business communication and what is his contribution to the world of advertising?
David Ogilvy is considered one of the pioneers of modern advertising and after working for Gallup for some time, he decided to found his own advertising company.
His revolutionary approach was based on the philosophy that advertising should be based on scientific and psychological principles. Although he did not have the analytical tools used by today’s marketers, he liked to observe the behavior of the target group to identify their problems and then offer them a solution in the form of a product. This is a technique that we commonly use in marketing today and it is completely applicable
A few tips from his language in the field of effective advertising:
- Play with emotions
Focusing on the customer’s emotions helped Egilvy reach people not only logically, but also on an emotional level. This gave his ads a more personal style and made them more memorable to viewers. David Egilvy also believed that you don’t sell a product, but you sell a feeling
An example of that is his Rolls-Royce advertisement, which presents a powerful message in a simple way and shows the Rolls-Royce Phantom with the following text:
“At 60 mph, the loudest sound in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock.” The slogan aims to highlight the car’s incredibly smooth engine, which is one of the Rolls-Royce Phantom’s most prominent features. This advertising approach has become iconic and has shown how a simple but powerful message in advertising can lead to success
This famous Rolls-Royce campaign showed that customers are not only buying the product, but also the prestige and feeling of luxury.
The idea came from research that led Ogilvy to discover that engineers developing car engines monitor their volume with a stethoscope, and he immediately knew how to make the most of this information.
- be funny
David Ogilvy believed that the best ideas are first introduced as a joke. He encouraged his collaborators and creators to be as funny as they could be in their campaigns. Humor was also associated with his desire to create innovative and creative campaigns.
- Engage customers.
The father of advertising believed that instead of trying to appeal to the masses, it is better to talk to the customer one-on-one. Not only did he always try to understand and listen to his target group, but through the campaign he gave the impression that he was speaking to them individually and in a language they understood and spoke.
David Mackenzie Egilvy published Confessions of an advertising man in 1963.
This book describes one man’s amazing journey from an unknown tobacco farmer in Pennsylvania to the head of a successful advertising agency with significant achievements. Also, this man’s strategic approach in building the agency and targeting prestigious clients such as General Foods, Bristol-Myers, Campbell Soup Company, Lever Brothers and Shell have played an important role in the agency’s success.
The main idea of this book is that advertising should not be based on speculation, but should be based on observation and facts.
In this book, he devoted an entire chapter to TV commercials called How to Make Good TV Commercials. In this section, he explains the basic rules that Ogilvy uses in his TV campaigns, as well as special tips for creators.
He points to the vital impact of the visual aspect of advertising and its attractiveness to the audience and the importance of portraying the most central advantages and features of the product.
He says that what you show is more important than what you say. Advertisements should work and sell even with the sound off.
Ogilvy used to rely more on words, as he mainly did radio and print advertising. However, as I am told, he understood the importance of the visual aspect when creating television commercials and that it is very vital in advertising.
Tell what your product can do and turn the product into a hero with a strong story and content
A simple advertising example in the 1980s was a TV ad for Dove soap that touted a major competitive advantage (Dove soap won’t dry out your skin). It targeted their desire to have soft and moist skin.