5 min read ⌚ 

Advice and techniques for building advertising empires from the era of Mad Men

What stops you from reaching the sky?

If your ad didn’t work, you might need a change of plan and pace.

In this book summary, we briefly outline the key aspects of the ad-creation process.

Who Should Read “Confessions Of An Advertising Man”? And Why?

“Confessions Of An Advertising Man” is fitting for various profiles of people. However, our top picks are marketers in the making and those sturdy enough to put their know-how to the test.

If you decide to go on a full-scale adventure, make sure that you have all the necessary tools at your disposal.

About David Ogilvy

David Ogilvy is nothing shorter than a pure genius when it comes to handling clients and concluding deals. According to his staff, David possesses all the necessary traits to be hailed as the perfect boss.

“Confessions Of An Advertising Man Summary”

Potential and existing clients are the core of the business, so choosing them is crucial. Likewise, you have to be smart and open to forging profitable relationships. Assemble a team of experts and design a strategy that will bring you results.

Companies, now more than ever, seek professional assistance, but no marketing agency can satisfy your needs if you don’t grasp the concept of good advertising.

Second, it’s only logical that your clients expect cooperation that is mutually beneficial. Nurture the relationships with them, and stay on the track.

Seeking ways to improve your business is a must. Protecting the company’s interests to ensure that all employees are satisfied is also vital. Maintaining such position can give you the edge to pursue new clients and increase profits.

In general, many entrepreneurs take this pursuit way too seriously, and they are unintentionally damaging their internal processes. It’s acceptable that you raise the bar a bit higher, but staying put is not a sign of weakness.

David Ogilvy surely wasn’t wasting any time, not even a minute. On the second day, he underlined top-notch companies, brands such as Shell as the agency’s potential clients. In a matter of months, all of these became closely linked to the agency he represented.

How many times have you encountered the value of differentiation? Being a real linchpin in the business world can lift you up, or if you go for averageness pull you down. Being irreplaceable acts as a defensive mechanism from both external and internal factors. On gatherings let the clients do the talking, you observe their habits and reactions, absorb the meaning of the discussion and win their hearts.  

When it comes to advertising, not even for a single second, don’t assume that your consumers are idiots and you can trick them. Outline the facts, and leave your opinions to yourself. Don’t insult their intelligence by thinking that you can control their judgemental nature.

If you can think of a slogan that actually sells, your work is done! Put yourself in their shoes, all you want is information, no extra activities nor intrusive marketing. Applying such marketing techniques can give you the upper hand in the overly-competitive market supported by the effects of globalization.

In no time, you will increase your sales, boost your productivity and generate satisfaction within the organization. Forcing quick decisions due to minimal available time based on little research is not something you should endorse.

What’s the best profile for an employee?

Seek sincere, ethical and hardworking people whose creativity is pointed at implementing the company’s vision. These individuals don’t seem reluctant when important matters are discussed. They’re prepared to argue even with their superiors and defend their outlooks.

Don’t abandon these respectful and crafty workers, enjoy their presence by knowing that they will never do anything behind your back.

Don’t rest until you assemble a group of real winners and always be on the lookout for such personalities.

Sometimes, the tensions within the organization reach a boiling point, and real leaders must react. First, to avoid such situation set some ground rules for boosting the team’s performance. As an illustration, David portrays one head chef in Paris, as a real motivator because of his habit to literally examine every single dish before he is assured that the kitchen is left in a perfect condition.

On numerous occasions, many conquerors and philosophers implied that leading without an example is like swimming in a dry river bed. Real enthusiasts will hear your call and answer with affection and factual determination.

Go for strong, but an easily-digestible message that can trap the mind of your customers by speaking their language.

In general, advertising is all about promoting the modern and rejecting the old-fashioned. However, many marketers are not aware that their short-term miracle is not sufficient for ensuring growth. People with the suitable know-how are targeting markets and utilizing techniques that will most likely aid them in building a loyal customer base.

Key Lessons from “Confessions Of An Advertising Man”

1.      Sales come first
2.      Show appreciation and support
3.      No boundaries exist

Sales come first

Just take a moment to at least consider leaving your copywriting ideas and turn to a selling copy.

Carefully designed ads turn heads and attract attention without emphasizing the ad itself. To calculate its impact, you must rely on the sales these advertisements generate.

Show appreciation and support

Inspire dedication, sacrifice and expect nothing in return.

Spark the collective creativity, and praise your employees’ contribution by giving compliments and public recognition.

No boundaries exist

If something the digital age has no shortages of, is information.

Despite the scarcity of resources, many smaller companies with a lower budget can turn to guerilla marketing, and still, attract customers.

The over-crowded markets request ingenuity to place your ad in a better position.

Like this summary? We’d Like to invite you to download our free 12 min app, for more amazing summaries and audiobooks.

“Confessions Of An Advertising Man” Quotes

Our Critical Review

From the minute we started inquiring, we felt triggered and uplifted.

The book is not bounded to marketing because it covers life topics and David sure knows how to share his views.

Emir Zecovic

Emir is the Head of Marketing at 12min. In his spare time, he loves to meditate and play soccer.