A short course in developing your advertising instincts.
For anyone that has anything to do do with marketing and has a TV and a couch.
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Very few people are born marketers. For most it's acquired taste.
If you have innate instincts you know a great ad when you see one.
If you don't trust your gut you're not alone. After reading this little book you'll how to tell a kick-ass ad from one that you kick-yourself for approving.
Its simple guidelines that will have your colleagues saying, "Amazing! I wish I had his/her insights."
And the creatives saying, "God bless you."
1. GOODAD BADAD
A short course in developing your advertising instincts.
From a talk given at an American Marketing Association Conference
by Allen Kay, Former CEO, Korey Kay & Partners
2. Dedicated to Wally Olesen, Advertising Director of Xerox during
their halcyon years. A person who was born knowing more about advertising
than most people learn in a lifetime. And inventor of...
4. Knowing great advertising is more of an art than a science. If research
had it nailed, Procter and Gamble would never have a failure as
everything they introduce tests well. The art is being able to react to advertising
you see in the office the same way you do at home----before your tie
or top button starts to choke off your sense of human. Seeing advertising as a
consumer, not a computer, is what the following is all about.
8. Don’t suckermein.Get myattention.
“Bring the ones with no asses
to County.”
Anncr: Comedy Central. You’ll laugh
your ass off.
Virgin Atlantic Airways. Take us for
all we’ve got.
Anncr: A message from
Members Only.
Cop (VO): My partner’s been shot.
My partner’s been shot...
Anncr: If Winston Churchill were alive
today, which airline would he fly..?
9. It’sthewhole30seconds. Not thefirst3.
“...I’ll probably wind up working in the
broadcast booth...”
Anncr: Perry Ellis.Official outfitter of the
Goodwill Games’ commentators.
Virgin Atlantic Airways. Take us for
all we’ve got.
Anncr: NYCE cash machines. Money all
over the place.
Son: Forget the bike dad, how about
a car?
Anncr: One’s got to wonder, are they
using our seats?
Take us for all we’ve got.
16. Edge is good. Justdon’t bitethehand
that feeds.
Anncr: Remember that kid you went to
high school with?
We send him to your house to set it up.
Anncr:Everyone want to feel important.
at Wilmington Trust you are.
The automatic typewriter that’s twice as
fast is made by Xerox.
Anncr: You are watching two automatic
typewriters in action.
Man: I’ve called. I’ve written. I’ve sent
seven fazes.
20. TalkEnglish.
Proxicom. E-business. Our only business“I was up all night reading about the heart, and I think I
have a handle on it.”
“Ah-choo!”
Quarterback: Ready, hut, hut... (Crowd roars.)
Anncr: Next time get a
Haworth furniture system. They’re built.
NotJargonese.
22. Hitontheirself-interest. Not yours.
THERE ARE NO BAD PEOPLE, JUST TIGHT SHOES.
FABULOUS SHOES FOR ALL OCCASIONS AND FEET
WIDTHS: AAAA-C. SIZES UP TO 12. MADISON AT 59TH. 212.750.2555
24. Hitontheirself-interest.
“They sent a chauffeured limo
right to my door.”
Anncr: Virgin Atlantic Airways. Take us
for all we’ve got.
Anncr: Everyone wants to feel important.
At Wilmington Trust you are.
Anncr: Honda. The car that sells itself.“...the last thing I need is a husband with
a -- confidence -- problem.”
“Look at me. I’m on my knees.”
Not yours.
29. Makea point.
Anncr: Honda. The car that sells itself.
Anncr: Ever since people started recording
information there’s been a need to duplicate it.
“It’s a miracle!”
Anncr: Everyone wants to feel important.
At Wilmington Trust you are.
“Those Hondas must be very good cars.”
“Tell me, where did my account go?”
Notajoke.
30. Thecouchtest.
Ask yourself,did it...
catch my attention?
hold my interest?
pierce my armor?
talk English?
center on“me”?
make a point?
If so, congratulations! You’ve got
yourself a good ad.
31. Special credit to Tony Angotti, Lester Colodny, Lois Korey, Neil Leinwohl,
Milda Misevicius, and Bill Bernbach—who started it all.
Additional credit to David Cantor, Kevin McKeon, Jim McDonnough,
Cyd Rangell and Justin Rohrlich.
32. A lot of good work is being done by a many talented people at a handful
of creative agencies.The examples of good advertising that I’ve cited were
written or art directed by me or created at Korey Kay & Partners—because the
material was at hand, the principles apply, and it is my presentation.
I didn’t feel it would be polite to point a thumb at specific bad ads. Those you
can spot on your own.
33. The son of an ad man, Allen began
studying art at the Museum of Modern
Art in New York City when he was
only six years old. Later, he spent sum-
mer vacations working at his father’s
agency, graduated with honors from Art
Center College in Los Angeles in 1967
and, two days after receiving his
degree, joined McCann Erickson in
New York as an Art Director/Writer.
He went on to become one of the
most honored Creative Directors in
advertising, winning eighteen Clios,
fourteen Andys, seven Effies, five Gold
and four Silver One Club Pencils, the
Lion D’Or at the Cannes Film Festival
and six Fortune Magazine “Best Read
Advertising” awards over a seven year
period.
In 1969, Allen was drafted by Jack
Tinker & Partners to head up Nelson
Rockefeller’s gubernatorial campaign.
During his eleven years at
Needham, Harper & Steers/New York
(1971--1982) he rose to Senior Vice
President, Creative Director and was
elected a member of their NY board.
Allen Kay
Former Chairman
Director of Strategic Planning
Korey Kay & Partners
While there, Allen used his marketing
and positioning skills to craft such
notable campaigns as the Clio Hall
of Fame classic Xerox “Monk” series,
the “America is Getting into Training”
program for Amtrak, and the Frigidaire
“Here Today, Here Tomorrow”
campaign.
On February 1, 1982 Allen left his
position at Needham, Harper & Steers
to form Korey Kay & Partners. Since
then, Allen has spent 28 hours a day
concentrating on helping Korey Kay
clients like Virgin Atlantic, the MTA,
Royal Olympic Cruises and Wilmington
Trust grow their business.
Allen is also active in industry
associations. He’s a charter member
of the Value of Advertising Committee
of the American Association of
Advertising Agencies and Chairman
of AAAA New York Board of
Governors for which he created the
annual “Unthinkable Ideas” new media
conference.
Active in community service, Allen
sits on the Campaigns Review Committee
of the Advertising Council, is on the
steering committee of ABNY (the
Association for a Better New York), is on
the advisory board of PENCIL and a
Director of Y.E.S. Inc. (Youth Education
through Sports).
He’s a life member of The Art Students
League of New York, a member of the
Director’s Guild, and is a consultant to
the Marketing Board of the NewYork
Philharmonic.
Update: Allen is now working as an
independent, handling select branding,
strategic and creative projects.
If you have any questions or a quest,
please feel free to e me:
allen@allenSkay.com
or call:
917-699-2602
allen@allenSkay.com
I look forward to hearing from you.
1982–2015