It is the professional duty of the advertising agent to conceal his artifice. When Aeschines spoke, they said, “How well he speaks.” But when Demosth… - David Ogilvy

Suppose you’ve got an acute appendicitis. You’ve got to be operated on tonight. Would you like to have a surgeon who's read some books of anatomy and knows how to do that operation – or would you prefer to have a surgeon who refused to read all books about anatomy and relied on his own instinct? Why should a manufacturer bet his money – perhaps the future of his company – on your instinct?

I frequently hear the Magic Lanterns described as rules. They are not rules. They are reports. Reports on how consumers react to different stimuli. If it were possible to create great advertising merely by studying the Lanterns, any damn fool could do it. More is required: innovative genius. The Lanterns only light the way for genius, indicating the most fruitful path to explore.

Research has shown that commercials which open with a dramatic visual hold their audience better than commercials which don’t. If you are advertising a fire extinguisher, open with the fire.