The Message Behind the Man: How Ogilvy Achieved Success
The Message Behind the Man: How Ogilvy Achieved Success
Creativity: There was nothing Ogilvy valued over the ability to think creatively. It didn’t matter where the ideas came from, be it from researchers, executives, or copy-writers, so long as they came. Indeed, after thirty years in the industry, Ogilvy had come to one conclusion: “The top man has one principle responsibility – to provide an atmosphere in which creative mavericks can do useful work.”
Results: For all his talk about creativity, Ogilvy had one sole priority and that was to create advertisements that could sell. “Ninety-nine percent of advertising doesn’t sell much of anything,” he claimed. Ogilvy wanted to be different. It was in focusing on practical and profitable ads that Ogilvy achieved the success that he did.
Integrity: “The pursuit of excellence is less profitable than the pursuit of bigness,” wrote Ogilvy, “but it can be more satisfying.” From his advertising campaigns to his treatment of others, Ogilvy prided himself on the integrity and professionalism of his actions. In doing so, Ogilvy was able to gain the respect of his staff, clients, and consumers alike.
Study: “Advertising people who ignore research are as dangerous as generals who ignore decodes of enemy signals,” said Ogilvy. While indeed his creative instinct was the driving force behind the success of his agency, Ogilvy was a practical man, and was not one to profess the virtues of simply listening to one’s instinct. He turned to testing and research to give him direction for his creations. Consumers were always given the final word, since, in the end, it was they who would determine the fate of the ad.
Workforce: “Set exorbitant standards, and give your people hell when they don't live up to them,” said Ogilvy. “There is nothing so demoralizing as a boss who tolerates second rate work.” Ogilvy was a great man to work for, if you were willing to work, and work hard. He espoused independence, creativity and effort, and by giving his workers the freedom to do their best, so too was his agency allowed to do its best.
Despite only launching his advertising career in his late 30s, he loved what he did, once remarking, “The psychiatrists say that everybody should have a hobby. The hobby I recommend is advertising.” Ogilvy passed away in 1999, but not before completely reshaping the advertising industry and leaving behind a legacy of integrity and astounding creativity.
The Message Behind the Man How Ogilvy Achieved Success
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Thirty-three years after he first began his own advertising agency, Ogilvy wrote a memo to his staff entitled “Will Any Agency Hire This Man?” In it, he wrote, “He is 38, and unemployed. He dropped out of college. He has been a cook, a salesman, a diplomatist and a farmer. He knows nothing about marketing and has never written any copy. He professes to be interested in advertising as a career (at the age of 38!) and is ready to go to work for $5,000 a year.” Fortunately, a London firm did hire him, and there was no looking back for Ogilvy. How he did someone with no advertising experience end up shaping the entire industry?
Creativity: There was nothing Ogilvy valued over the ability to think creatively. It didn’t matter where the ideas came from, be it from researchers, executives, or copy-writers, so long as they came. Indeed, after thirty years in the industry, Ogilvy had come to one conclusion: “The top man has one principle responsibility – to provide an atmosphere in which creative mavericks can do useful work.”
Results: For all his talk about creativity, Ogilvy had one sole priority and that was to create advertisements that could sell. “Ninety-nine percent of advertising doesn’t sell much of anything,” he claimed. Ogilvy wanted to be different. It was in focusing on practical and profitable ads that Ogilvy achieved the success that he did.
Integrity: “The pursuit of excellence is less profitable than the pursuit of bigness,” wrote Ogilvy, “but it can be more satisfying.” From his advertising campaigns to his treatment of others, Ogilvy prided himself on the integrity and professionalism of his actions. In doing so, Ogilvy was able to gain the respect of his staff, clients, and consumers alike.
Study: “Advertising people who ignore research are as dangerous as generals who ignore decodes of enemy signals,” said Ogilvy. While indeed his creative instinct was the driving force behind the success of his agency, Ogilvy was a practical man, and was not one to profess the virtues of simply listening to one’s instinct. He turned to testing and research to give him direction for his creations. Consumers were always given the final word, since, in the end, it was they who would determine the fate of the ad.
Workforce: “Set exorbitant standards, and give your people hell when they don't live up to them,” said Ogilvy. “There is nothing so demoralizing as a boss who tolerates second rate work.” Ogilvy was a great man to work for, if you were willing to work, and work hard. He espoused independence, creativity and effort, and by giving his workers the freedom to do their best, so too was his agency allowed to do its best.
Despite only launching his advertising career in his late 30s, he loved what he did, once remarking, “The psychiatrists say that everybody should have a hobby. The hobby I recommend is advertising.” Ogilvy passed away in 1999, but not before completely reshaping the advertising industry and leaving behind a legacy of integrity and astounding creativity.
The Message Behind the Man How Ogilvy Achieved Success
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Dianne CramptonDianne Crampton is an executive leadership coach, team culture consultant, author and president of TIGERS Success Series, Inc. Dianne has been helping CEO's and Executives connect their employees to their core values and goals for over 20 years using the trademarked TIGERS team culture process, which stands for trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. To download a free white paper on behaviors that build strong teams and behaviors that will predictably tear them down go here. Dianne's contribution to the 2010 Pfeiffer Consulting Journal (an imprint of John Wiley and Sons Publishers) entitled TIGERS Hearted Teams is available in November 2009. Her new book TIGERS Among Us: 5 Winning Business Team Cultures And Why, Three Creeks Publishing will release in March 2010. To receive publishing discounts, subscribe to the free TigerTracks Newsletter here. - Visit Dianne Crampton's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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