After just a few months in advertising, Ogilvy took the discipline in a whole new direction. A man walked into Ogilvy’s London agency wanting to advertise the opening of his hotel. Since he had just $500 he was turned to the novice, David Ogilvy. Ogilvy bought $500 worth of postcards and sent invitations to everybody he found in the local telephone directory. The hotel opened with a full house. “I had tasted blood”, says Ogilvy in his Confessions.

This is also the incident leading him to understanding the importance of direct advertising, his “Secret Weapon” as he says in Ogilvy on Advertising.

His book Ogilvy on Advertising is a general commentary on advertising and not all the ads shown in the book are his. In early 2004, Adweek magazine asked people in the business “Which individuals – alive or dead – made you consider pursuing a career in advertising?” and Ogilvy topped the list. The same result came when students of advertising were surveyed. His best-selling book Confessions of an Advertising Man (ISBN 1-904915-01-9) is one of the most popular and famous books on advertising.

Ogilvy’s advertising mantra followed these four basic principles,

• Research: coming, as he did, from a background in research, he never underestimated its importance in advertising. In fact, in 1952, when he opened his own agency, he billed himself as research director.
• Professional discipline: “I prefer the discipline of knowledge to the anarchy of ignorance.” He codified knowledge into slide and film presentations he called Magic Lanterns. He also instituted several training programs for young advertising professionals.
• Creative brilliance: had a strong emphasis on the “BIG IDEA.”
• Results for clients: “In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create.”

It’s fascinating to note Ogilvy’s letter below, written in 1955 to a Mr. Ray Calt. This letter offers an opportunity to learn of his routine when producing the very ads that made his name. I believe it to be an invaluable opportunity. Enjoy…

April 19, 1955

Dear Mr. Calt:

On March 22nd you wrote to me asking for some notes on my work habits as a copywriter. They are appalling, as you are about to see:

1. I have never written an advertisement in the office. Too many interruptions. I do all my writing at home.

2. I spend a long time studying the precedents. I look at every advertisement which has appeared for competing products during the past 20 years.

3. I am helpless without research material—and the more “motivational” the better.

4. I write out a definition of the problem and a statement of the purpose which I wish the campaign to achieve. Then I go no further until the statement and its principles have been accepted by the client.

5. Before actually writing the copy, I write down every concievable fact and selling idea. Then I get them organized and relate them to research and the copy platform.

6. Then I write the headline. As a matter of fact I try to write 20 alternative headlines for every advertisement. And I never select the final headline without asking the opinion of other people in the agency. In some cases I seek the help of the research department and get them to do a split-run on a battery of headlines.

7. At this point I can no longer postpone the actual copy. So I go home and sit down at my desk. I find myself entirely without ideas. I get bad-tempered. If my wife comes into the room I growl at her. (This has gotten worse since I gave up smoking.)

8. I am terrified of producing a lousy advertisement. This causes me to throw away the first 20 attempts.

9. If all else fails, I drink half a bottle of rum and play a Handel oratorio on the gramophone. This generally produces an uncontrollable gush of copy.

10. The next morning I get up early and edit the gush.

11. Then I take the train to New York and my secretary types a draft. (I cannot type, which is very inconvenient.)

12. I am a lousy copywriter, but I am a good editor. So I go to work editing my own draft. After four or five editings, it looks good enough to show to the client. If the client changes the copy, I get angry—because I took a lot of trouble writing it, and what I wrote I wrote on purpose.

Altogether it is a slow and laborious business. I understand that some copywriters have much greater facility.

Yours sincerely,

D.O.

Wasn’t that utterly grand?!

christopher copywriter brand communications, bringing you  informed knowledge and skills from the world of marketing communications.

The brand new design seems to focus more on making it easier for the user to see the information which matters most to you. Twitter’s “fly” website for the new redesigns launch explains,”Immediately access your favorite features from the left-hand side. Photos, videos and conversations are embedded directly in Tweets so you can see the whole story at a glance. And now everything in “Home” will appear consistently across computers, iPhones, and Android mobile phones.”

Twitter explains,

Simplicity meets serendipity

Discover lets you tap into a stream of useful and entertaining information, customized just for you.

When you use Discover, you’ll see results reflecting your interests—based on your current location, what you follow and what’s happening in the world. As you use Twitter more, Discover gets even better at serving up more content just for you.

Whatever you’re curious about, Discover will help you find out more.

by use of twitter’s genius easy access, all available conversational and share search facility the #. The # is such a simple device which opens users to the universe of information on a subject as easily as a tweet search!

At the same time, Twitter has launched its first branding pages in attempt to steal some of Facebook’s thunder with advertisers. It’s possible this whole launch is a little bit more facebooky in design.

Twitter is seemingly borrowing conceptual design elements which are more favorable in facebook, rather than trying to recreate the wheel from scratch. It’s a smart move because social media on the internet is rapidly shaping up to be a content publishing media full of images, textual soundbites and videos created from a plethora of different sources – which is the main focus of this new twitter. Great and constant content will continue to be king online.

With the moves today, Twitter is making it clear that it wants users’ experiences to be the same, regardless of where they access “Home.” That means that users should be able to see all the same information, via Home, on their computer or their mobile device -iPhone or Android. Twitter said that it will be rolling out the changes to its Web site over “the next few weeks,” although it appears some users are already seeing them, but that users of its new mobile apps will see the redesign immediately.

Here’s the Twitter video marketing the redesign: Twitter: Yours to discover

It’s looking just like quite a few social media redesigns and launches we’ve seen over the past couple of years. It’s certainly a shame that twitter can’t find special inspiration from themselves as opposed to being led by the competition it sits underneath. It’s very difficult to beat your competition this way. A business needs to re-invent the wheel so to speak to move ahead of rivals. We hope twitter can catch onto this fast in the future – as we all need to!

But.. even more disastrous is the number of people who have actually viewed the promo video for twitter’s redesign launch. At the time of writing, despite being 48 hours old, only 301 people had ever seen the video. It’s a disastrously small number of views online these days. Compared to Lady Gaga’s Marry The Night (Official Video) which had 12 million views on You Tube in the first 48 hours. This is more hits than many television shows receive on opening night – especially if looking at these stats from an Australian media content audience perspective.

These low viewing rates and especially low media coverage globally is a marketing boo boo by twitter. It seriously makes me wonder who’s brain is behind the outfit these days and simply what are they thinking?! Twitter is an easy story to publish – it has a special kind of esoteric technology and internet story value, a new media and communications angle, if not a human interest angle as well to offer publishers among a few other angles I can think of..

There is many reasons to write valid and interesting stories about twitter, but it hasn’t happened here and there can be NO GOOD REASON for this. People will just have to find the changes for themselves and make up their own mind or as I suspect the launch will creep up a little slower as media outlets catch on to these changes and in their search for content of their own write something up. An internet company of their size would do very well to have a much more cohesive design and media communications strategy in place. Sure things change, everything’s changing – but I’ve managed to map out a comprehensive little campaign and future design strategy for twitter and it wasn’t really all that difficult?!!

I’ll be very surprised if, at time of publication of this blog article, “Twitter’s redesign launch goes almost completely unnoticed by the global media,” christopher copywriter‘s blog if any Australian publication has caught onto twitter’s changes and I’ll be watching carefully as the worlds media realises the story sitting on hold right within their cute little tweeting hands. I love publishing firsts sooo….

Twitter is cool and it has very real value. It’s here to stay but there is loads of snazzy little marketing communications and publicity tricks they are missing out on. They don’t need to use costly advertising online or otherwise – but they do need to be clever!! I hope they’ll read this an give us a prompt call. I’m always on hand to help out interesting projects. We might even contact them! We probably should, just to clarify some of the issues in this blog story.

Anyway, if you’re not on twitter yet – definitely look into it!! It can redefine your thinking and media consumption habits! It’s a veritable greenhouse of informed and trending information, which is so easily accessible and far greater in detail and scope than the mainstream media’s across the world. If you are already there, please follow us @chriscopywriter

Catch ya soon..

cc communications xs

Sadly, the underlying drive, meaning and purpose, sometimes remains as true today as when it was made back then. We at christopher copywriter, thank your happy heavens, choose to see the satire contained within as shedding some bright light on what not to do.

Please ENJOY this little film.

WARNING: christopher copywriter holds no responsibility if you shat your pants laughing, watching this. All apologies are ours, but the truth must be told.

Much love, happy advertising campaigns and great client sales – your friendly neighbourhood, Sydney advertising copywriter, christopher copywriter.

>>;-P  xs …have a great weekend!! enjoy.

Simply think of – Microsoft, Apple, Hummer, Nike, IKEA, Virgin, Steven Spielberg movies, Radiohead music, Google and facebook and the repeatedly timelessly high performing Coke-Cola and McDonald’s advertising campaigns and company practices for similar reasons; and to name only a few solid examples.

Brilliant creative, creates a brilliant company. It doesn’t need to be seen as brilliant – it simply needs to be done. Reward it and recognise it if you come across it. Remember, we don’t know, what we don’t know.. If you know what I mean… Please enjoy and appreciate this article published last year…

For CEOs, creativity is now the most important leadership quality for success in business, outweighing even integrity and global thinking, according to a new study by IBM. The study is the largest known sample of one-on-one CEO interviews, with over 1,500 corporate heads and public sector leaders across 60 nations and 33 industries polled on what drives them in managing their companies in today’s world.

Fast Company‘s annual list of the 100 Most Creative People in Business just took on a whole new depth. And this year’s list will be revealed later this month.

Steven Tomasco, a manager at IBM Global Business Services, expressed surprise at this key finding, saying that it is “very interesting that coming off the worst economic conditions they’d ever seen, [CEOs] didn’t fall back on management discipline, existing best practices, rigor, or operations. In fact, they [did] just the opposite.”

About 60% of CEOs polled cited creativity as the most important leadership quality, compared with 52% for integrity and 35% for global thinking. Creative leaders are also more prepared to break with the status quo of industry, enterprise and revenue models, and they are 81% more likely to rate innovation as a “crucial capability.”

Other key findings showed a large disparity between views of North American CEOs and those from other territories.

For example, in North America, 65% of CEOs think integrity is a top quality for tomorrow’s leaders, whereas only 29-48% of CEOs in other territories view it as such.

Ironically, while company leaders in North America will bring more integrity to the job, they also expect far more regulation than foreign heads — both presumably reactions to negative public perception and heavy government intervention following the recession. A full 87% anticipate greater government oversight and regulation over the next five years — only 70% of CEOs in Europe hold this opinion, and 50% and 53% in Japan and China, respectively. Meanwhile, nearly double the amount of CEOs in China view global thinking as a top leadership quality, compared with Europe and North America.

The area of focus the regions can all agree on is customer focus: 88% of all CEOs, and an astounding 95% of standout leaders, believe getting closer to the customer is the top business strategy over the next five years.

What do you think of the findings? Is creativity the most important leadership quality today? Let our readers know what your thoughts and experiences are…

Written By: Austin Carr for fastcompany first published on Tue May 18, 2010.

christopher copywriter – bringing you the finest in innovative business practices globally.

HOT!! OR is it? – HOOOOOOT!! Just because this clip and the whole communications campaign behind it Rocks some hardcore interactive, internet content sharing and creating, brand association, high-octane fast rev action life fun and just getting it on and doing it!!

ALL GOOD!!

This cross-platform internet ad for NIKE CHOSEN JUST DO IT campaign launched late last month, features some sexy, sassy night action footage, edited to a gorgeous REMIX of CNS Engineering’s Hanni El-Khatib’s I GOT A THING.

WHAT’S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT?

SIMPLE. You’re invited to enter your best action footage to win some friggin’ fabulous prizes.. Get into it.. No ShItE!!

From the Nike Chosen website:

Take the stage and own the spot light. We’re looking for crews pushing the boundaries of style and creativity. Because the further you go, the further we all go.

Check THIS out NOW!!

christopher copywriter

Bringing you the absolute best in marketing communications from around the globe.

This is really exciting!!

No doubt you know it’s a competitive world for most of us. Many industry leaders are working and thinking hard, placing valuable resources purposefully into development and creative thinking to create new moves to supply greater, faster, better, cheaper products for the needy and keen market place. Yet again, Google astounds and innovates our computer usage.. Changing our world for the better, one pixel at a time..

INTRODUCING Gmail Motion: a BETA Product from google.

Using our computer’s webcam, google has developed a system which allows us to control actions within Gmail with our body movements!

A clearly readable set system of specific movements allows us to work hands free while using the Gmail network. All the user needs to do is learn the simple gestures..

FROM GOOGLE:

How it works

Gmail Motion uses your computer’s built-in webcam and Google’s patented spatial tracking technology to detect your movements and translate them into meaningful characters and commands. Movements designed for simple and intuitive control for people of all skill levels.

Safety precautions

Using Gmail Motion is not only safe but also healthy and fun. As with any physical activity, certain precautions are recommended. First, make sure to clear the area around you. Second, try to take short breaks every 30-40 minutes, just as you would if you were typing. And finally, take time to stretch after each session to give the muscles you’ll be using some relief.

Have a play and experience this demonstration of the NEW google motion product RELEASED TODAY for yourself and perhaps watch this google video -

christopher copywriter – keeping on top of innovation.

With the internet going rapidly social before our very clicks, search engine giant google has consistently brought out new internet based products which aim to rival and capitalise on this fresh and exciting focus of all things web.

First there was google Buzz, followed by google wave, then came along google video chat in Gmail, then google monster launched google realtime, and right now here’s the latest exciting offering from google – released hot off the press earlier today -

Introducing to you, for your internet pleasure, the  Google+1 button.

It will be very interesting watching how long it takes to catch on and spread. It’s not dissimilar to facebook share and all the other social book marking tools like digg, delicious and StumbleUpon. It allows you to let your friends and contacts know what you find interesting and worth reading from across the internet. It’s a pretty happening tool and concept.

Google believe duplicating the Facebook “like” button can help make their search results more relevant. Matt Cutts, a Google principal search engineer said, “The “+1” button could even influence the ranking of some search results – if the volume of endorsements is high enough.”

If we’ve got you as excited as thousands of cold, patient second generation iPad buyers lining up around the world recently and you simply cannot wait to start recommending search results – you can sign up to receive the Google +1 Button now at http://www.google.com/experimental

Give it a whirrrl!!

In order to +1 things, you’ll first need a public Google profile. Go on, go get your own and check out google’s own promo video for the Google +1 Button below.

See you back here soon at christopher copywriter’s blog for more innovative releases from the best of the worlds freshest marketing communications practices.

christopher copywriter keeping you informed of the latest innovations and trends by presenting the Google +1 Button .

This Adidas event is another fantastic example of where art combines with marketing to lift a brand into a whole new dimension!

Sit back. Relax. Press the FULL SCREEN button and really enjoy this video presentation by The Cool Hunter. Share it with friends below!!

Now here’s an Australian Real Estate Advertisement pushing hard against the ceiling of creative and clever marketing. With 75, 000 quality hits in a little over two weeks these guys at neo property are on a real winner!!

It’s about time someone’s had the smarts to inject this type of creative vibe into property marketing – it’s good for everybody.. The copywriting in this real estate advertisement hits the nail right on the head of blokey-ness – girls – guns – action – suspense – swat teams and a fabulous water front property with an awesome Jacuzzi and a red-hot Ferrari in the driveway!

If you want to make a hot sale having the balls and smarts to employ this type of hype is going to launch strides for your business in the right direction!

We’ll let you know how the sale goes. The property at 15 Queen Anne Court is attracting interest from all around the world. This campaign is in no way limited to the Australian market.

Ask yourself the value of this for your sales; whatever the product is?!

Well done boys, christopher copywriter loves and commends your work!

Made for www.neoproperty.com.au

Here’s a fabulous little video illustration comparing two brand kingdoms, their behaviour and eventual outcomes. It has solid implications for the use of social media to listen to your brand feedback or using other means with which to stay in touch with your clients and consumer market.

One way of explaining the meaning of Brands in business is that it’s the personality that identifies a product, service or company (symbol, name, term, sign, or design, or combination of them – reading the companies semiotics) and how it relates to key constituencies: Customers, Staff, Partners, Investors etc.

Some people distinguish the psychological aspect, brand associations like thoughts, feelings, perceptions, images, experiences, beliefs, attitudes, and so on that become linked to the brand, of a brand from the experiential aspect.

Brand experience is the experiential aspect of branding with consists of the sum of all points of contact with the brand. Brand image, is the psychological aspect of company branding as a symbolic construct created within the minds of people. It consists of all the expectations and information associated with a product, service or the company(ies) providing them.

As people engaged in branding, at christopher copywriter we seek to develop or align the expectations behind the brand experience, creating the impression that a brand associated with a product or service has certain qualities or characteristics that make it special or unique.

A company brand, producing it, growing it, understanding it, is one of the most valuable elements in an advertising theme, as it demonstrates what the brand owner is able to offer in the marketplace.

The art of creating and maintaining a brand is called brand management.

E-Branding of business

Branding is also widely being done via to promote the business’s product or services. Business owners use multiple facilities already available on the web to sensitise and promote their business. For example:

• Blog: Promotion of the product or service can be done by posting positive comments in blogs as well as reacting to customers queries on topics dealing with the product or service. Blogs, like this one, can hence be used for brand awareness or strengthen the brand.
• Social media: Besides performing checks on possible damaging infractions, the business owner can make use of the same social media to attract new customers. In fact, this is a great place to spread out word on the product, thereby building the brand.

Another important aspect to consider when e-branding is the use of search engines to help customers easily locate the website. By applying proper search engine marketing or SEO, the website massive traffic to your company. As such, the internet is a means used to strengthen the creation a successful brand.

Orientation of the whole organization towards its brand is named brand orientation, but this could easily be a whole new blog entry.