Famous for his colorful personality and formidable intellect, David Ogilvy
left an indelible mark on the advertising world, transforming it from a disreputable
business into a dynamic industry full of passionate, creative individuals. This biography
is based on a wealth of material from the author’s decades of working alongside the
advertising giant, including a large collection of photos, memos, recordings, notes, and
extensive archives of Ogilvy’s personal papers.
This biography is based on a wealth of material from decades of working
alongside the advertising giant, including a large collection of photos, memos,
recordings, notes, and extensive archives of Ogilvy’s personal papers. The book
describes the creation of some of history's most famous advertising campaigns, such as:
* "The man in the Hathaway shirt" with his aristocratic eye patch
* "The man from Schweppes is here" with Commander Whitehead, the elegant bearded
Brit, introducing tonic water (and “Schweppervesence”) to the U.S.
* Perhaps the most famous automobile headline of all time--“At 60 miles an hour the
loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock.”
* “Pablo Casals is coming home--to Puerto Rico.” Ogilvy said this campaign, which
helped change the image of a country, was his proudest achievement.
* And his greatest (if less recognized) sales success--“DOVE creams your skin while you
wash.”
Fifty years later, still on his original proposition that it doesn’t dry your skin,
Dove has become the largest selling cleansing brand in the world.
Roman also carries Ogilvy's message into the present day, showing the
contemporary relevance of the bottom-line focus for which his business ventures are
remembered, and how this approach is still key for professionals in the modern advertising
world.
Kenneth Roman worked directly with David Ogilvy at Ogilvy & Mather for 26
years, beginning as an account executive and rising up to eventually become Chairman and
CEO. He is the co-author of several books, including the bestselling business classics How
to Advertise and Writing that Works, both of which are in their third editions. He lives
in New York City.
Table of Contents
Author's Note: Me and David
Introduction: The King of Madison Avenue
An Eccentric Celtic Mixture
'I Failed Every Exam'
The Making of a Salesman
Who was Mather?
Lucre in America
The Farmer and the Spy
Big Idea
The Philosopher Kings
The True Church
The King in his Castle
Megamergers and Megalomaniacs
A Disease called Entertainment
The Burr of Singularity
Afterword: (More) Unpublished David Ogilvy
Source Notes
Bibliography
Acknowledgments
Index
304 pages, Paperback