--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Good copy can't be written with tongue in…" description: "\"Good copy can't be written with tongue in cheek, written just for a living. You've got to believe in the product.\" — David Ogilvy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69d/david-ogilvy-1326_believe_good-copy-can-t-be-written-with-tongue-i_1005088.png" --- # Good copy can't be written with tongue in cheek, written… ![“Good copy can't be written with tongue in cheek, written just for a living. You've got to believe in the product.” quote by David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69d/david-ogilvy-1326_believe_good-copy-can-t-be-written-with-tongue-i_1005088.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69d/david-ogilvy-1326_believe_good-copy-can-t-be-written-with-tongue-i_1005088.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69d/david-ogilvy-1326_believe_good-copy-can-t-be-written-with-tongue-i_1005088.png) > “Good copy can't be written with tongue in cheek, written just for a living. You've got to believe in the product.” [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. Effective advertising requires genuine belief in the product, not superficial humor. **In simple terms:** Good copy must be sincere, not just witty. Key Takeaway Believe in what you sell. Themes advertising authenticity copywriting product belief Mood pragmatic inspirational Type instructional professional When to use this quote - product launch - brand storytelling - sales pitches Key Concepts marketing psychology brand trust creative strategy Questions to Reflect On - When does humor enhance credibility? - How can sincerity be maintained under tight deadlines? A Different Perspective Humor can be effective when paired with authenticity, not a replacement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Tongue in cheek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tongue-in-cheek/) ## Related quotes > [I've always avoided publicity. I've never been good copy at any stage of my life. I don't strive for it, because I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-noll/i-ve-always-avoided-publicity-i-ve-never-been-good-copy-at-any-stage/) [Chuck Noll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-noll/) > [“It is good, to copy in the name of Babaji, when you do not know what you are talking about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petra-hermans/it-is-good-to-copy-in-the-name-of-babaji-when-you-do-not-know-what/) [Petra Hermans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/petra-hermans/) > [Copy is not written. If anyone tells you ‘you write copy’, sneer at them. Copy is not written. Copy is assembled. You do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-schwartz/copy-is-not-written-if-anyone-tells-you-you-write-copy-sneer-at-them/) [Eugene Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-schwartz/) > [As a public figure, I'm always interested in being part of brands that I actually enjoy. So, I would never do something with somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-dicky/as-a-public-figure-i-m-always-interested-in-being-part-of-brands-that/) [Lil Dicky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-dicky/) > [I believe that one-product wonders come and go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-that-one-product-wonders-come-and-go/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm happy to do some endorsements if I believe in the product. You're only in this game a short time, and you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-aikman/i-m-happy-to-do-some-endorsements-if-i-believe-in-the-product-you-re/) [Troy Aikman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-aikman/) > [I'll give anything for a good copy now, be it true or false, so it be news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/i-ll-give-anything-for-a-good-copy-now-be-it-true-or-false-so-it-be/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [If you want to write good copy, you must be where the things are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-to-write-good-copy-you-must-be-where-the-things-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If someone doesn't believe enough in your product to put money in to it, then you should rethink how good the product is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-schwimmer/if-someone-doesn-t-believe-enough-in-your-product-to-put-money-in-to/) [David Schwimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-schwimmer/) > [I can't promote makeup on Instagram if I don't believe in the product.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huda-kattan/i-can-t-promote-makeup-on-instagram-if-i-don-t-believe-in-the-product/) [Huda Kattan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huda-kattan/) > [It is a must to believe in one's product.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-mateschitz/it-is-a-must-to-believe-in-one-s-product/) [Dietrich Mateschitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-mateschitz/) > [When I really young yet feeling very old, I offered up a lot of myself to the press; I knew it was good copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-lane/when-i-really-young-yet-feeling-very-old-i-offered-up-a-lot-of-myself/) [Diane Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-lane/) > [“as a copy she was not a very good copy. There were differences. She was not one of His best efforts. There is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-morgan/as-a-copy-she-was-not-a-very-good-copy-there-were-differences-she-was/) [Elaine Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-morgan/) > [It's a very good time for horror. This business certainly has changed, but there's still room for serious horror films. Look at 28 Days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carpenter/it-s-a-very-good-time-for-horror-this-business-certainly-has-changed/) [John Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carpenter/) > [“Merkin had used only one drop of the “just soap.” Two drops would have made her Master walk slightly awkwardly. Three drops would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-suciu/merkin-had-used-only-one-drop-of-the-just-soap-two-drops-would-have/) [Sorin Suciu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-suciu/) ## 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 Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Good copy can't be written with tongue in cheek, written just for a living. 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