Shugart on Advertising

The legendary Stan Freberg had an ability to inject humor into advertising in a way that was always fresh, funny and effective. His TV commercials remain original to this day. I’m still surprised that nobody ever tried to copy his style. It’s a tribute to the strength of his unique talent.

I’ve always had great respect for Madison Avenue mogul David Oglivy. He had a straightforward no-nonsense approach that never lost sight of the purpose of advertising. Though "old school" by today's standards, the fundamentals he established remain true even in today's contemporary media culture.

Al Ries and Jack Trout revolutionized the concept of market positioning, that vital prerequisite to product branding. Their common sense approach addressed the simplicity of consumer behavior: If you understand people, you understand advertising.