When Agencies Advertised:
N.W. Ayer and Ogilvy
Anything written by Marshall McLuhan, the mad professor of media, should be read and reread. Published in 1964, McLuhan’s book Understanding Media: The Extension of Man is full of original and thought-provoking ideas about media consumption and its cultural, social and political implications, focusing on the medium rather than the content. His most famous quote is, “The medium is the message”.
The professor’s head would probably explode in this time. Or perhaps not given many believe that he foresaw the internet and social media. In 1962, McLuhan predicted that technology would simplify the distribution of information worldwide. He believed this interconnectedness through technology would create a ‘global village’. I appreciate his insight, “All advertising advertises advertising”.
If advertising is so effective, why don’t ad agencies advertise?
Throughout my career, people have asked, if advertising is so effective, why don’t ad agencies advertise? Well, they do and have. One of my all-time favorite agencies is N.W. Ayer. It was the oldest in America, had an amazing run, and was absorbed by Publicis and disappeared as a brand in 2002. In its time, N.W. Ayer coined some of the most memorable slogans. Having looked under the hood of each of these, the strategy work done to get to these one-liners are masterclasses in positioning and persuasion. If interested, read Why Marketing Works, for the amazing De Beers case.
When it rains it pours. (Morton Salt 1912)
I’d walk a mile for a Camel. (R.J. Reynolds Tobacco 1921)
A diamond is forever. (De Beers 1947 by Mary Frances Gerety)
Reach out and touch someone. (AT&T 1979)
Be all you can be. (U.S. Army 1981)
N.W. Ayer was also advertising itself as early as 1912. In 1937, one such ad shared, “When all is said and done, the business of Advertising is not only to sell the product, but to portray the personality of a business.”
David Ogilvy can be described as prolific. He loved how a word could sway and was not against sharing his agency’s secret sauce. He did this through books and several ad campaigns. The How-To Series is longform and resembles a blog but ran as newspaper and magazine ads. They came out while the agency was still called Ogilvy & Mather. It all began with the full pager, How to Create Advertising that Sells.
It must have worked because the agency pumped out, How to advertise travel, How to create financial advertising that sells, How to create food advertising that sells, and How to make successful television commercials. The series has some key lessons; do the research, entice with news that is actionable, compel with a distinct voice, and the big one, focus on benefits not features.
N.W. Ayer and Ogilvy went long in copy. It was the times but seems refreshing given this age of short video, texts, and tweets. Both agencies did not give up on their campaigns, today marketers are too quick to clip a campaign which does not help build a brand over time.
Agencies still advertise but they tend to spend their budgets on award shows, tactical communications in the form of press releases, and appear at industry conferences. In my opinion and from having been responsible for Interbrand’s and Doyle Dane Bernbach’s marketing for nearly twelve years, agencies have confused PR with brand-building.
It’s ironic and kind of sad but agency brands struggle to differentiate against their competitors. All sound and look the same. An agency’s own brand should be a best practice that prospects and clients admire.
