David Ogilvy’s Greatest Flaw and an Abbreviated Evolution of Copy
Chapter 2:
How to Produce Advertising that Sells
Part I
“Everyone involved has a vested interest in prolonging the myth that all advertising increases sales to some degree. It doesn’t.”
This portion of Ogilvy On Advertising emphasizes how to create advertising that actually does what it is supposed to do — sell things.
While I find Ogilvy’s thoughts and advice long-lasting and deeply rooted in modern advertising more often than not, there is one particular aspect of his ads that I have trouble understanding. My inability to comprehend this aspect is most definitely a reflection of my age and generation rather than a flaw in Ogilvy’s style, but throughout this chapter I couldn’t help but be distracted by the extensive copy contained within each ad.
As proof of his own mastery, Ogilvy discusses his below famed Rolls-Royce print ad.
To complete this ad, Ogilvy boasts how he spent three weeks studying the product “which ultimately led to 607 words of factual copy.” This last claim is my issue. Ogilvy is proud of his 607 words. Truth be told, in his day of advertising, this copy is something to be proud of, but today there is a different lesson to be learned, other than the importance of research.
I would argue that Ogilvy’s resulting “607 words of factual copy” that he proudly states to prove his point, is dated to the point of irrelevancy. In modern advertising, the consumer should not be able to see the amount of research that went into the advertisement at first glance. The consumer should ideally look at the ad and immediately understand the product and the promise.
To illustrate, here is a recent Rolls-Royce print ad:
Perhaps the first thing you will notice is the relative lack of extensive copy. I believe this disparity to be the primary distinction present in advertising from its birth through today. While much of the industry remains traditional despite advances in television, radio, and digital, the one thing that has altered across the board is that we now live in a visually-oriented culture. The cause of this phenomenon is long-debated and can stem from a number of factors.
Putting the influence of social media on advertising aside(more on that later!), I believe this visual-heavy twist stems from the two following reasons. The first is that we are surrounded by screens at all times and it is straining for the eye to read so many words off a screen — this has accustomed greater society to prefer visual information over textual information. The second cause stems from a more innate human trait that is triggered by the influence of television and the internet which has primed us for instant understanding through images — reminiscent of ancient hieroglyphics. The fact of the matter remains that in today’s age, visuals rule all.
Ogilvy may have boasted about his ability to write “607 words of factual copy,” but if he were around today, he’d better fit those 607 words into 140 characters because otherwise I don’t have the time or the patience — I am not reading it.
