THE MASTERS · OGILVY
Ogilvy on Advertising: what it covers and who should read it
Research. A clear promise. Facts.
Ogilvy on Advertising (1983) is David Ogilvy’s practical book on how to produce advertising that sells. This page covers what is in it, who should read it and where it shows its age.
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the book
What Ogilvy on Advertising is
Ogilvy on Advertising is a book by David Ogilvy, published in 1983. It is organized by subject, so a reader can open it at the chapter they need.
It carries the same belief as his other work: advertising should sell, and the way to sell is to learn about the buyer, make a clear promise and back it with facts. Its main subjects are listed below.
what it covers
What the book covers
| Subject | The idea | What to do with it |
|---|---|---|
| Research | Find out who buys and why before you write. | Interview customers and read reviews first. |
| The big idea | One idea strong enough to carry a campaign. | Pick one promise and keep saying it. |
| Headlines and copy | How to stop the reader and keep them reading. | Write many headlines and test two. |
| Facts and detail | Specific claims persuade more than praise. | Use a number or a named detail. |
| Television and print | Notes on how each medium works. | Read for the thinking, then check the channel. |
| Direct marketing | Why a measurable ad teaches you more. | Count the response and keep the better version. |
who should read it
Who should read it, and when
- Beginners who want a broad, readable view of how advertising works.
- Writers who have read Hopkins and want a more modern voice.
- Marketers who work with agencies and want to know what good work looks like.
For a reading order, see best copywriting books.
the limits
Where the book is dated
- It was written in 1983, before the web, search and social media.
- Much of the advice assumes a large budget and a long campaign.
- Some of its figures come from Ogilvy’s own agency. Test them in your market.
the full method
Ogilvy is one of eight masters
In the playbook his page covers the core idea, what to borrow today and the limit to respect. His line is research before decoration.
the playbook
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before you go
Common questions
Who wrote Ogilvy on Advertising?
David Ogilvy, who founded the agency that became Ogilvy & Mather. The book was published in 1983.
What is Ogilvy on Advertising about?
How to produce advertising that sells. It covers research, the big idea, headlines, body copy, pictures, television and direct marketing.
How is it different from Confessions of an Advertising Man?
Confessions came first, in 1963, and mixes Ogilvy’s rules with stories from building his agency. Ogilvy on Advertising is the later book and is organized by subject.
Is Ogilvy on Advertising still worth reading?
For the thinking, yes: research, a clear promise, facts and testing hold up. The channel advice comes from print and television, so check it against today’s media.
Is Ogilvy on Advertising about direct response?
Partly. It has a section on direct marketing, which Ogilvy called his first love, but most of the book is about advertising in general.
Where does Ink & Signal cover Ogilvy?
He is one of the eight masters, with the line research before decoration. The playbook gives the core idea, what to borrow today and the limit to respect.
keep reading
Related
David Ogilvy
Who he was and six ideas worth keeping.
Best copywriting books
The books behind the eight masters, in a reading order.
Scientific advertising
Claude Hopkins on testing every claim.