Monday, 14 May 2012
Ogilvy gets it right
On September 7th, 1982, Ogilvy sent the following internal memo to all agency employees, titled “How to Write”. I think there's some great advice in here, as relevant now as it was 30 years ago:
The better you write, the higher you go in Ogilvy & Mather. People who think well, write well.
Woolly minded people write woolly memos, woolly letters and woolly speeches.
Good writing is not a natural gift. You have to learn to write well. Here are 10 hints:
1. Read the Roman-Raphaelson book on writing. Read it three times.
2. Write the way you talk. Naturally.
3. Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs.
4. Never use jargon words like reconceptualize,demassification, attitudinally, judgmentally. They are hallmarks of a pretentious ass.
5. Never write more than two pages on any subject.
6. Check your quotations.
7. Never send a letter or a memo on the day you write it. Read it aloud the next morning — and then edit it.
8. If it is something important, get a colleague to improve it.
9. Before you send your letter or your memo, make sure it is crystal clear what you want the recipient to do.
10. If you want ACTION, don’t write. Go and tell the guy what you want.
David
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Totally agree but I'd say perhaps even more relevant today - given the explosion in media channels and the amount of communication we are all subjected to. Combine that with the reduction in attention spans and the amount of simultaneous, multi-media surfing that goes on and it makes it all the more important that writing hits the spot first time, every time.
ReplyDeleteNot convinced I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I admire Ogilvy from afar, I think point 2 is the most significant, since it argues with the other 9!
If you write using these top ten hints, then everybody and every message will be the same.
I love the individuality of different writers and style, the varying forms of diction and rhythm.