“What is a good advertisement?
There are three schools of thought. The cynics hold that a good
advertisement is an advertisement with a client’s OK on it. Another
school accepts Raymond Rubicam’s
definition, ‘The best identification of a great advertisement is that
its public is not only strongly sold by it, but that both the public
and the advertising world remember it for a long time as an admirable piece of work
… ‘ I have produced my share of advertisements which have been
remembered by the advertising world as “admirable pieces of work,” but
I belong to the third school, which holds that a good advertisement is
one which sells the product without drawing attention to itself.
It should rivet the reader’s attention on the product. Instead of
saying, ‘What a clever advertisement,” the reader says, ‘I never knew that before. I must try this product.’
- David Ogilvy in Confessions of an Advertising Man
Sponsored By: Brand Aid
An interesting issue, with our clients we sometimes define a good advertisement by the "Did it sell more widgets?" test. Admittedly, a somewhat short term view. But one that does bring clarity of purpose to your branding.
Posted by: Peter Thomson | March 02, 2009 at 05:46 PM
A provocative topic and one I ponder each time I develop an ad or marketing program for my clients. At the end of the day, if we don't execute marketing that sells our clients products, then we aren't doing our job.
Posted by: Phill Barufkin | March 11, 2009 at 05:53 PM
If you are looking for an ad agency to advertise your products or services, would you look for one with a lot of creative awards, OR seek recommendation from other companies on one that helps to build revenue and profit?
Posted by: Hoo See Kong | March 12, 2009 at 12:17 AM