Interestingly much of what Ogilvy talks about, and knew before research was done born out, interestingly, in current research: "Give people a taste of Old Crow, and tell them it's Old Crow. Then give them another taste of Old Crow, but tell them its Jack Daniel's. Ask them which they prefer. They'll think the two drinks are quite different. They are tasting images." Recently, the New York Times supported this contention with science, regarding wine connoisseurs: "The researchers scanned the brains of 21 volunteer wine novices as they administered tiny tastes of wine, measuring sensations in the medial orbitofrontal cortex, the part of the brain where flavor responses apparently register. The subjects were told only the price of the wines. Without their knowledge, they tasted one wine twice, and were given two different prices for that wine. Invariably they preferred the one they thought was more expensive" (Asimov 2008, p.1).
However, advertising copy should not be empty. Ogilvy does not patronize the consumer. Facts and figures create attention, not fancy words or creating an atmospheric advertisement (listen up, 'conceptual' advertisers, especially those who created those famous advertisements for start-ups with clever concepts, but without detailing what the product delivered.)...
Ogilvy believes that an agency should be about creating a brand itself, and establish relationships that are long-term with customers. Internal competition can also stifle the sharing of ideas and cause the agency to self-destruct. His philosophy is one of building a brand for an agency, as well as for other companies, and nurturing talent. Although the title of the book suggests some of the anxieties consumers have about advertising -- as a 'confessional' it sounds as if it is full of dirty little secrets, ultimately Ogilvy strikes the reader as unusually open and candid about his work, and committed to creating a good working environment.
Works Cited
Asimov, Eric. "Wine's Pleasures: Are they all in your head?"
The New York Times. 7 May 2008. 8 May 2008. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/07/dining/07pour.html?_r=1&ref=dining&oref=slogin
