Ogilvy on Advertising

• Amazon: Link

• Score: 7/10

• Skills Category: Copywriting

• Mental Models: Attentional Bias, First Conclusion Bias, Incentives, Mise-en-Place, System 1 vs System 2 Thinking, Trust, Vividness Bias

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Mental Models from the book:

'Ogilvy on Advertising' can be summarised into 7 mental models:

1. Attentional Bias

• 5 x times more people read the headline vs the copy
  

• Use the following features in headlines: Promises/ News/ Long/ Specifics/ information/ flag/ quotes

2. First Conclusion Bias

• Headlines that offer a benefit are remembered by 4x more people.

3. Incentives

• Ads that offer no benefit do not sell
  

4. MisE-en-Place

• Finding the most effective promise is the best use of research. Show people a number of promises and say they are for different products. Ask them to rate for importance and uniqueness.

5. System 1 vs System 2 Thinking

• Big ideas come from your subconscious. Stuff your mind with knowledge and then walk/relax.
  

6. Trust

• Tell clients about your weaknesses before they are noticed. It will make you more trustworthy and your strong points more believable.
  

7. Vividness Bias

• People read/view an ad in the following order (so put them in this order):

  1. Illustration

  2. Headline

  3. Copy

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Mental Model Mind Maps

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