Customer Reviews

Confessions of an Advertising Man

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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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

This is a great book. It's a must for any one who is going to want to work in advertising agency AND for anyone who is going to run ANY KIND of a business. David Ogilvy, is giving ideas on everything. This book was very easy to read.

Dubbed "the King of advertising" by Advertising Age, David Ogilvy shared his thoughts and stories on being successful in the adverting industry in this book. His ideas are often overflowing with self-confidence, but for a man who reached his level of success, he's definitely earned the right.

Originally published in 1963, in part as promotion of himself and his agency, this book is broken down into ten "How to" chapters plus an opening and closing commentary on the state of advertising. No example ads or illustrations in this book, just straightforward advice and colorful anecdotes on topics ranging from managing an agency to writing potent copy.

The stories are enjoyable, and Ogilvy's advice is enlightening. David Ogilvy led an amazing life, and his insights on advertising, business and human behavior are timeless. Overall, this is an inspiring book that I recommend to anyone involved in advertising.

Ogilvy's clear concise writing makes it a quick easy read. In fact, parts of the book itself sound like an advertisement for the advertising industry. His bulleted set of mantras are for the most part, intuitive. It is very interesting especially for a person in the 21st century reading the advertising zeitgeist in 1960s.

The last chapter "Should Advertising be Abolished?" is a must-read. The author seems to be feel guilty enough to admit that the industry needs to be "reformed" and stricter controls and regimens need to be adopted.

I wish the book had lot more concrete examples of ads and copies that have run in the papers, so Ogilvy's observations can be more credible. Nevertheless the author's writing is quite compeling.