Question Regarding Ogilvy on Advertising

On Apr 13, 2013, at 8:34 PM, D C wrote:

Hi John,

On P.83 "...it's seldom possible for manufacturers to do this(pricing) in their advertisements, because they cannot dictate prices to retailers. This reduces the selling power of their ads. I don't think it matters with package goods, but it matters a lot with products which cost real money, like cars and refrigerators."

I'd like to know what you think about this...

Hey DC,

In about 2007 the USSupreme Court changed the rules, USManufacturers could again set prices at retail (this was outlawed in 1910 or so...) so Ogilvy was talking about something that has now changed...  

But regardless... ads make news.  If you are a conservator and compete on price, your news is lower price for the same thing, or more benefit for the same price.  So I agree, the price should be there for conservators in their ads.  Back in Ogilvy's day the conservator could offer ad allowance dollars and dictate some conditions in an ad, like mentioning price.

AS to innovators, the news in their ad is new benefit.  Their target audience is not shy about asking how much.  The inquire regarding more info about the benefit.  if they like the benefit, they then ask the price.  So for innovators that price is not so important, in fact I'd leave the price out of the ad.

What is the specific application you are thinking of?

***

For those of you listening in the book to which we refer is the classic and fundamental work of Ogilvy that should be in every library, more so today with the internet than even in the 1960s..




Feel free to forward this by email to three of your friends.

Bookmark this post --- Email this post