Quotes and anectdotes from the wise to the foolish, and the courageous to the drunk

David Ogilvy Copywriter

  • Gender: Male
  • Citizenship: United States
  • Born: Jun 23, 1911
  • Died: Jul 21, 1999

David Mackenzie Ogilvy, CBE, was an advertising executive who was widely hailed as "The Father of Advertising". In 1962, Time called him "the most sought-after wizard in today's advertising industry."

The advertisers who believe in the selling power of jingles have never had to sell anything. power

The best ideas come as jokes. Make your thinking as funny as possible. best & funny

Leaders grasp nettles. leadership

Advertising reflects the mores of society, but it does not influence them. society

I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form, but as a medium of information. art

Our business is infested with idiots who try to impress by using pretentious jargon. business

In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create. business

The consumer isn't a moron she is your wife. business

Never write an advertisement which you wouldn't want your family to read. You wouldn't tell lies to your own wife. Don't tell them to mine. family

Good copy can't be written with tongue in cheek, written just for a living. You've got to believe in the product. good

The secret of long life is double careers. One to about age sixty, then another for the next thirty years. age