--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As a private person, I have a passion for…" description: "\"As a private person, I have a passion for landscape, and I have never seen one improved by a billboard. Where every prospect pleases, man is at his vil..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d1/david-ogilvy-1326_around-the-world_as-a-private-person-i-have-a-passion-for_1511566.png" --- # As a private person, I have a passion for landscape, and I… ![“As a private person, I have a passion for landscape, and I have never seen one improved by a billboard. Where every prospect pleases, man is at his vilest when he erects a billboard. When I retire from Madison Avenue, I am going to start a secret society of masked vigilantes who will travel around…” quote by David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d1/david-ogilvy-1326_around-the-world_as-a-private-person-i-have-a-passion-for_1511566.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d1/david-ogilvy-1326_around-the-world_as-a-private-person-i-have-a-passion-for_1511566.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d1/david-ogilvy-1326_around-the-world_as-a-private-person-i-have-a-passion-for_1511566.png) > “As a private person, I have a passion for landscape, and I have never seen one improved by a billboard. Where every prospect pleases, man is at his vilest when he erects a billboard. When I retire from Madison Avenue, I am going to start a secret society of masked vigilantes who will travel around the world on silent motor bicycles, chopping down posters at the dark of the moon. How many juries will convict us when we are caught in these acts of beneficent citizenship?” [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote criticizes billboard advertising for ruining natural landscapes and vows secret anti‑billboard activism, questioning legal consequences. **In simple terms:** Billboards harm scenery; the speaker wants to fight them covertly. Key Takeaway Consider protecting visual environments. Themes environment activism advertising ethics civil disobedience Mood defiant reflective critical Type advice philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - urban planning - community activism - environmental preservation - legal risk - media criticism Key Concepts Aesthetic degradation public space private versus public interest Questions to Reflect On - What alternative methods could protect landscapes without illegal actions? - How do we balance commercial needs with environmental aesthetics? A Different Perspective Billboards also fund free media and can be regulated rather than destroyed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Bicycle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bicycle/) [Billboards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/billboards/) [Citizenship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizenship/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Landscape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/landscape/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Private person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-person/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Secret society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret-society/) [Vigilante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vigilante/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [There is no privacy that cannot be penetrated. No secret can be kept in the civilized world. Society is a masked ball where everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/there-is-no-privacy-that-cannot-be-penetrated-no-secret-can-be-kept/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Society is a masked ball, where every one hides his real character, and reveals it by hiding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/society-is-a-masked-ball-where-every-one-hides-his-real-character-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Madison Avenue is full of masochists who unconsciously provoke rejection by their clients. I know brilliant men who have lost every account they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/madison-avenue-is-full-of-masochists-who-unconsciously-provoke/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [“Sometimes justice is better served by those who have experienced the pain”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-w-boyer/sometimes-justice-is-better-served-by-those-who-have-experienced-the/) [Mark W Boyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-w-boyer/) > [So, Americans, then. Self-appointed vigilante defenders of the world, kind of like Superman, if Superman was retarded and only fought crime when he felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yahtzee-croshaw/so-americans-then-self-appointed-vigilante-defenders-of-the-world/) [Yahtzee Croshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yahtzee-croshaw/) > [A dollar vigilante is a free market individual who protests the government monopoly and financial policies, such as fractional reserve banking and unbacked fiat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-berwick/a-dollar-vigilante-is-a-free-market-individual-who-protests-the/) [Jeff Berwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-berwick/) > [“Some may call me a vigilante. I think i've got problems to fix.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-hilton/some-may-call-me-a-vigilante-i-think-i-ve-got-problems-to-fix/) Matt Hilton > [“Gone was the insignificant, defective girl. I was some kind of f\*\*king comic book vigilante & it felt amazing! ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ripley-patton/gone-was-the-insignificant-defective-girl-i-was-some-kind-of-f-king/) [Ripley Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ripley-patton/) > [I always believe, with any kind of hero, that you want to believe that their decision-making is right. That ultimately, I can trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorenzo-di-bonaventura/i-always-believe-with-any-kind-of-hero-that-you-want-to-believe-that/) [Lorenzo di Bonaventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorenzo-di-bonaventura/) > [“part of being a vigilante rebel is letting your enemies know what you are about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/part-of-being-a-vigilante-rebel-is-letting-your-enemies-know-what-you/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“I had lost my connection with the universal energy and gained in its place precognition, visions, and a healing gift I could not control.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-blake/i-had-lost-my-connection-with-the-universal-energy-and-gained-in-its/) [Deborah Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-blake/) > [Don't underestimate the power of the vigilante consumer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-roddick/don-t-underestimate-the-power-of-the-vigilante-consumer/) [Anita Roddick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-roddick/) > [That's what we should do, Hazel Grace: We should team up and be this disabled vigilante duo roaring through the world, righting wrongs, defending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/that-s-what-we-should-do-hazel-grace-we-should-team-up-and-be-this/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I remember I had scenes with Melinda McGraw in "Ides Of March" that I didn't have in "Video Vigilante," but I can't quite picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-mccormack/i-remember-i-had-scenes-with-melinda-mcgraw-in-ides-of-march-that-i/) [Eric McCormack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-mccormack/) > [It would be flattering to call it a modern Dirty Harry, but I think this film deals more with the loss of his wife…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-diesel/it-would-be-flattering-to-call-it-a-modern-dirty-harry-but-i-think/) [Vin Diesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-diesel/) ## More by David Ogilvy > [I figure that my staff will be less reluctant to work overtime if I work longer hours than they do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/i-figure-that-my-staff-will-be-less-reluctant-to-work-overtime-if-i/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [In most agencies, account executives outnumber the copywriters two to one. If you were a dairy farmer, would you employ twice as many milkers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/in-most-agencies-account-executives-outnumber-the-copywriters-two-to/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [“Your alcoholics may include some of your brightest stars. The problem is to identify them, protected as they always are by their secretaries and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/your-alcoholics-may-include-some-of-your-brightest-stars-the-problem/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [It takes a big idea to attract the attention of consumers and get them to buy your product. Unless your advertising contains a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/it-takes-a-big-idea-to-attract-the-attention-of-consumers-and-get/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Many manufacturers secretly question whether advertising really sells their product, but are vaguely afraid that their competitors might steal a march on them if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/many-manufacturers-secretly-question-whether-advertising-really-sells/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Once upon a time I was riding on the top of a First Avenue bus, when I heard a mythical housewife say to another,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/once-upon-a-time-i-was-riding-on-the-top-of-a-first-avenue-bus-when-i/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [You can't save souls in an empty church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/you-can-t-save-souls-in-an-empty-church/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/in-the-modern-world-of-business-it-is-useless-to-be-a-creative/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Consumers don't think how they feel. They don't say what they think and they don't do what they say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/consumers-don-t-think-how-they-feel-they-don-t-say-what-they-think/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Compete with the immortals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/compete-with-the-immortals/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [You will never win fame and fortune unless you invent big ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/you-will-never-win-fame-and-fortune-unless-you-invent-big-ideas/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [The worst fault a salesman can commit is to be a bore. Foster any attempt to talk about other things; the longer you stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/the-worst-fault-a-salesman-can-commit-is-to-be-a-bore-foster-any/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [I don't believe in tricky advertising, I don't believe in cute advertising, I don't believe in comic advertising. The people who perpetrate that kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/i-don-t-believe-in-tricky-advertising-i-don-t-believe-in-cute/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [I never assign a product to a writer unless I know that he is personally interested in it. Every time I have written a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/i-never-assign-a-product-to-a-writer-unless-i-know-that-he-is/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Talent, I believe, is most likely to be found among nonconformists, dissenters, and rebels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/talent-i-believe-is-most-likely-to-be-found-among-nonconformists/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) [Explore all 255 David Ogilvy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) ## More Around the world quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/) [Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/) > [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [It's difficult to believe in yourself because the idea of self is an artificial construction. You are, in fact, part of the glorious oneness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-brand/it-s-difficult-to-believe-in-yourself-because-the-idea-of-self-is-an/) [Russell Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-brand/) > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [Since 'coming out,' I've marched in gay pride parades all around the world, I've filled my home full of rainbow tat and I've become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/since-coming-out-i-ve-marched-in-gay-pride-parades-all-around-the/) [Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/) > [Once, as an experiment, I travelled around the world with a single suit. Before I left, I went to a tailor in Savile Row…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hamilton/once-as-an-experiment-i-travelled-around-the-world-with-a-single-suit/) [George Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hamilton/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) > [I look at what's happening around the world and I see Iran four years closer to a bomb. 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It's a way for people to connect all around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/i-believe-there-definitely-are-good-things-about-social-networking-it/) [Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/) > [“Isn’t everyone on the planet or at least everyone on the planet called me stuck between the two impulses of wanting to walk away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-lacey/isn-t-everyone-on-the-planet-or-at-least-everyone-on-the-planet/) [Catherine Lacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-lacey/) > [You always can improve and I think that's the beauty of international cricket, particularly test cricket, is playing all around the world against different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kane-williamson/you-always-can-improve-and-i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-international/) [Kane Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kane-williamson/) > [Trump is reviled around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-reid/trump-is-reviled-around-the-world/) [Joy Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-reid/) [Browse all 3,349 Around the world quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As a private person, I have a passion for landscape, and I have never seen one improved by a billboard. 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