This is your brain in print!

Here's an interesting study from across the pond. The United Kingdom's Royal Mail Service wanted to understand the differences between how readers process direct mail messages  versus ads viewed on a screen. They asked the firm of Millward-Brown to look into this issue. Working with Bangor University Millward-Brown conducted a rigorous study of the issue using fMRI technology.

Their study found that readers presented with information in card format (physical ad) were much more engaged with the message than readers presented the material in a digital (virtual) format. They found that the physical were more engaging both intellectually and emotionally. This lead them to surmise that the brain would be better able to recall the printed ad over a similar digital one.

Here is a link to a brief synopsis of the study in PDF form:

e-studies/MillwardBrown_CaseStudy_Neuroscience.pdf

This study is a good justification for print advertising as well as for direct mail.

Thanks for reading.

Jim Busch

David Ogilvy's vision of a good leader

Thirty years ago when I got into advertising sales, I wanted to educate myself about my new industry. I hit the library and discovered "Confessions of an Advertising Man" by David Ogilvy. Since that time, Ogilvy has been one of my heroes. He was that rare person who excelled in all aspects of the business. He was an incredibly creative copywriter, a great sales person and an excellent manager/leader. His thoughts are as valuable today as they were back in the "Mad Man" era when he helped shape modern advertising. Here are his thoughts on what it takes to be a leader from the book : The Unpublished Ogilvy :

The qualifications I (David Ogilvy) look for in our leaders are these:

1. High standards of personal ethics.
2. Big people, without pettiness. 
3. Guts under pressure, resilience in defeat.
4. Brilliant brains--not safe plodders.
5. A capacity for hard work and midnight oil.
6. Charisma--charm and persuasiveness.
7. A streak of unorthodoxy--creative innovators.
8. The courage to make tough decisions.
9. Inspiring enthusiasts--with thrust and gusto.
10. A sense of humor

Not a bad list to look for or aspire to.

Thanks for reading!

Jim Busch