David Ogilvy was an advertising genius. At the age of 37, he founded the New York-based agency that later merged to form the international company known as Ogilvy & Mather. Regarded as the father of modern advertising, Ogilvy was responsible for some of the most memorable advertising campaigns ever created. Confessions of an Advertising Man is the distillation of all the Ogilvy concepts, tactics, and techniques that made this international best-seller a blueprint for sound business practice. If you aspire to be a good manager in any business, this seminal work is a must-read.
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Editorial Reviews
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"Ogilvy is the creative force of modern advertising." —New York Times
From the Publisher
David Ogilvy was an advertising genius. At the age of 37, he founded the New York–based agency that later merged to form the international company known as Ogilvy & Mather. Regarded as the father of modern advertising, Ogilvy was responsible for some of the most memorable advertising campaigns ever created. Confessions of an Advertising Man is the distillation of all the Ogilvy concepts, tactics, and techniques that made this international best–seller a blueprint for sound business practice. If you aspire to be a good manager in any business, this seminal work is a must–read.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
113 of 120 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I first read "Confessions" in 1967 when I was a law student who had figured out he didn't want to be a lawyer. After reading it, I decided that I belonged on Madison Avenue... and that I HAD to work at Ogilvy & Mather. I somehow talked my way into a job there... as a mailboy... and by the time I left a decade and a half later, I was one of the agency's top creative people. I recently retired... after a 38-year career in advertising at five different agencies. "Confessions" remains the best guide ever about how to run an agency, and how to hire one. And David Ogilvy was, without a doubt, the best boss I ever had.
35 of 36 people found the following review helpful
By James Sadler
Format:Paperback
While not as detailed or colorfully illustrated as his later work "Ogilvy on Advertsing," this is still a classic fillld with great information. The book is clearly a precursor to "Ogilvy on Advertising," as many of the same elements can be found in it.
Ogilvy has a wonderfully casual, yet occassionally pompous, style to his writing, but he clearly knows and understands advertising. He manages that rare combination of managing to teach while entertaining. Sometimes his ego and pride come across too strongly, but given the man's accomplishments, I'll cut him slack. And you may wonder why he starts off discussing his days as a chef in Paris, but he does a great job of analogizing that experience to his experiences with running an ad agency.
Highly recommended for anyone involved in advertising, particularly copywriters. Ogilvy was a copywriter and he clearly has a special admiration for those who write copy for a living. He also has great advice to share for anyone in advertising.
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
While in Uptown on the Northside of Chicago I found this amazing book at a used book store. What David shares with his listening audience is very inspirational. Besides giving you an amazing foundation David teaches you the following:
How to manage an advertising agency (admire people who work hard)
How to get clients
How to keep clients
How to be a good client
How to Build great campaigns
How to write potent copy
How to illustrate advertisements and posters
How to make good television commercials
How to make good campaigns for food products, Tourist destinations and proprietary medicines
How to rise to the top of the tree--advise to the young
Well these are only a few of the very powerful items that David Ogilvy shares. If you would like to know more just remember you will when you buy this book. It's just a wonderful resource that's well put together. When you read it you will agree. This book needs one more very important person....YOU.
These are a few main key concepts that attracted me to this book.
How to manage an advertising agency (admire people who work hard)
How to get clients
How to keep clients
How to be a good client
How to Build great campaigns
How to write potent copy
How to illustrate advertisements and posters
How to make good television commercials
How to make good campaigns for food products, Tourist destinations and proprietary medicines
How to rise to the top of the tree--advise to the young
Well these are only a few of the very powerful items that David Ogilvy shares. If you would like to know more just remember you will when you buy this book. It's just a wonderful resource that's well put together. When you read it you will agree. This book needs one more very important person....YOU.
These are a few main key concepts that attracted me to this book.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By "slynnes"
Format:Paperback
I am a freshmen marketing mojor at Johnson & Wales University and let me just say that this book is outstanding. There are concepts in this book that no marketing professor will ever teach you! David Ogilvy is an advertising genius! If your looking for a great book that will give you a tremendous leap forward in the marketing/advertising industry, this is the book to pick up. I checked this book out at the local library, but i loved it so much that i am planning on picking up my own copy of the book!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Ogilvy might have made his mark starting over 40 years ago, but his approach is timeless. It is often helpful to harken back to the sage advise of the kings of business from an earlier and more genteel time to try to identify the things we have forgotten -- and are worse for having done so. Ogilvy reflects class, an ethos of hard work, and an appreciation for what it takes to be competitive. This book is not about advertising per se -- it's about how to start and run a business that will capture and hold clients for decades, and at the same time make the founder proud of his or her achievements. You'll be proud to place it next to your Benjamin Graham tomes on your bookshelf.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
CONFESSIONS OF AN ADVERTISING MAN makes two important
contributions to students and young business
people. First this book provides a treasure trove of
highly valued best practices, applicable to all
professions. Second, through its longevity, CONFESSIONS
has transformed into an impartial looking glass focused
on the predjudices and sexisim so easily accepted by
industrial society during the late fifties and early
sixties. For those born
into a more accepting society, CONFESSIONS will provide
non-judgemental insight into many common additudes of that era.
The social relevance of CONFESSIONS results
from its original 1963 publishing date. This same age bolsters the importance of the books business message.
After all, few non-fiction books age like fine wine. Most
turn to vinegar within weeks or months.
contributions to students and young business
people. First this book provides a treasure trove of
highly valued best practices, applicable to all
professions. Second, through its longevity, CONFESSIONS
has transformed into an impartial looking glass focused
on the predjudices and sexisim so easily accepted by
industrial society during the late fifties and early
sixties. For those born
into a more accepting society, CONFESSIONS will provide
non-judgemental insight into many common additudes of that era.
The social relevance of CONFESSIONS results
from its original 1963 publishing date. This same age bolsters the importance of the books business message.
After all, few non-fiction books age like fine wine. Most
turn to vinegar within weeks or months.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This book is a "must read" for anyone considering going into advertising, as Ogilvy personally invented the industry as we know it today. However, if you want to know how to conduct yourself in the world of business, how to write, how to communicate with people, this is also the book for you. Even though the edition I read is more than 30 years old, advice such as "when giving a presentation with boards, don't deviate from your written presentation by even a single word...assault your audience's ear
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Staple.
I've read through the book once, and I can tell it's going to be a book I come back to regularly.
Published 4 months ago by Donovan
5.0 out of 5 stars
CLASSIC on advertising.
pillarstone on how to do things in the advertising marketing world.
looking forward to rereading this classic. Read more
looking forward to rereading this classic. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Ebbe
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic Read
I am a college student, searching for a bit of direction. I was assigned this book for a class and found myself with my head buried in it for about two days. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Annalee Mason
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book
I loved this book. Fully awesome read. From a business perspective or a advertising perspective, or a general read. Very good.
Published 7 months ago by Luis Philip
4.0 out of 5 stars
An effective primer for understanding advertising
Many good tips in this book to improve your sales and marketing acumen. A quick read and contains such statements as "The headline is the most important element in most... Read more
Published 10 months ago by J. Ilog
5.0 out of 5 stars
Refined Smartassery in 192 Pages.
David Ogilvy's witty charm and retro cool oozes from everything he writes, and it's nowhere near as evident than in the pages of "Confessions. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Airplane Shots!
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a classic and it's incredibly interesting to read
I've had this book on my reading list for years and I've finally got around to reading this classic. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Robert Kirk
4.0 out of 5 stars
Perhaps the most famous book on advertising ever written. But is it...
Reviewing this book is sort of like reviewing Mt. Rushmore, or the battle of Gettysburg or George Washington. Because it's monumental. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Them
5.0 out of 5 stars
What a great book
If you need to learn about what works in advertising this book is a great introduction from one of the masters of our time who set up the goals for his advertising business before... Read more
Published 15 months ago by seadogs11
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring Read, No Matter Your Profession
After reading the first chapter, I was ready to change my life.
Written by a man who believed he was a genius, and is now regarded as one. Read more
Written by a man who believed he was a genius, and is now regarded as one. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Joseph G. Hayes
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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