A to Z of Marketing - H is for History

This one is for all of the aspiring Marketing Geniuses out there who are looking for a way to stand out in a crowded business.

What do the following words mean to you?

“Lemon.”
“When you’re only Number 2, you try harder. Or else.”
“1984.”

The answer is that they are classic advertisements, still regarded as among the best in the field.

“Lemon” is the infamous Volkswagen ad that successfully launched the company in the United States.

“When you’re only Number 2, you try harder” is the campaign that, in the words of advertising legend David Ogilvy, “made life miserable for Hertz, who was Number 1.”

“1984” is the futuristic, game-changing television spot for Apple Computers.

Why is this important?

Because if you want to compete at the highest levels of this industry (or any industry for that matter), you have to understand its history. In other words, you have to know where the business has been to make sense of where it’s going. In fact, I strongly believe that this knowledge drills down to the heart of who is passionate about their profession and who is not.

To get started, check out ad bibles such as David Ogilvy’s Ogilvy on Advertising and Claude Hopkins’ Scientific Advertising. For more of a beach-read history, try Mary Wells Lawrence’s A Big Life in Advertising. There are plenty more to choose from of course…. the point is that you become the best by learning from the best.