David Ogilvy: father of modern advertising

As a young, enthusiastic advertising professional (I was still a jack-of-all-trades, headed for a couple of solid years writing copy and producing spots) I was influenced by the writing of some of the greats of so-called "modern advertising." These would eventually include Jerry Della Femina, Jay Chiat and - when I joined management, and eventually was named president of an ad agency and then proprietor of my own ad venture - Tom Peters. And, of course Howard Gossage, who some argue, is the first of the post-modern ad minds (followed by Riney, Goodby, et al).

Each of these, in different ways. helped me to understand the world of advertising but the first one I read was David Ogilvy.

Fortune editor at large Patricia Sellers reminds us today, with a "Postcard from the Pinnacles of Power," how wise Ogilvy was about the business of advertising - and about the life of the people who work in it.

Here's David Ogilvy in action (you might want to save this for sometime when you have some time - it's 55 minutes, but worth it):