--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the modern world of business, it is…" description: "\"In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create.\" — David Ogilvy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1a/david-ogilvy-1326_business_in-the-modern-world-of-business-it-is-us_88694.png" --- # In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a… ![“In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create.” quote by David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1a/david-ogilvy-1326_business_in-the-modern-world-of-business-it-is-us_88694.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1a/david-ogilvy-1326_business_in-the-modern-world-of-business-it-is-us_88694.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1a/david-ogilvy-1326_business_in-the-modern-world-of-business-it-is-us_88694.png) > “In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create.” [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. Creativity alone is insufficient; commercial viability is essential for ideas to have impact. **In simple terms:** Ideas need marketability. Key Takeaway Sell to succeed. Themes creativity marketing business innovation value Mood pragmatic motivational Type business advice motivational When to use this quote - pitching a product - launching a startup Key Concepts entrepreneurship communication Practical Applications - branding strategy - sales training Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance originality with market demand? - What metrics define a 'sellable' idea? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Modern world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative original thinker unless you can also sell what you create. Management…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/in-the-modern-world-of-business-it-is-useless-to-be-a-creative-2/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Create something, sell it, make it better, sell it some more and then create something that obsoletes what you used to make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-kawasaki/create-something-sell-it-make-it-better-sell-it-some-more-and-then/) [Guy Kawasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-kawasaki/) > [ICON is Independently Creative Original Nature of human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj-somany/icon-is-independently-creative-original-nature-of-human/) [Anuj Somany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj-somany/) > [Always think that in any area of the arts, you get maybe ten percent of people who are creative, original... and the rest are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-hopper/always-think-that-in-any-area-of-the-arts-you-get-maybe-ten-percent/) [Hugh Hopper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-hopper/) > [When I am in the process of conceiving a story, I make sure it can be told with words and pictures. The story has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/when-i-am-in-the-process-of-conceiving-a-story-i-make-sure-it-can-be/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [ICON is Independently Creative Original Nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj-somany/icon-is-independently-creative-original-nature/) [Anuj Somany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj-somany/) > [I'm not a fashionista - I adore creative and original people with their own style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriella-wilde/i-m-not-a-fashionista-i-adore-creative-and-original-people-with-their/) [Gabriella Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriella-wilde/) > [Hip-hop is definitely not what it used to be, which was creative, original music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hip-hop-is-definitely-not-what-it-used-to-be-which-was-creative/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am not an original thinker-but I am an original listener.)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/i-am-not-an-original-thinker-but-i-am-an-original-listener/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [“Only the human mind, unspoiled by the officially structured education and the authority opinions on different subjects, can produce an original thinker. Hail to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-zubry/only-the-human-mind-unspoiled-by-the-officially-structured-education/) [Boris Zubry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-zubry/) > [A teenager is a original thinker who is positive that their parents were never teenagers!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vvn/a-teenager-is-a-original-thinker-who-is-positive-that-their-parents/) VVN > [I wouldn't say I'm a very original thinker, but if I have a good experience with something, I'll want to take it further or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/i-wouldn-t-say-i-m-a-very-original-thinker-but-if-i-have-a-good/) [Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/) > [Many a man fails as an original thinker simply because his memory is too good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/many-a-man-fails-as-an-original-thinker-simply-because-his-memory-is/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [No woman has been a significant original thinker in any of the world's great philosophical traditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-murray/no-woman-has-been-a-significant-original-thinker-in-any-of-the-world/) [Charles Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-murray/) > [There is a wide difference between the original thinker and the merely learned man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/there-is-a-wide-difference-between-the-original-thinker-and-the/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) ## 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/) > [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/) > [If you tell lies about a product, you will be found out - either by the Government, which will prosecute you, or by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/if-you-tell-lies-about-a-product-you-will-be-found-out-either-by-the/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) [Explore all 255 David Ogilvy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Ogilvy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/in-the-modern-world-of-business-it-is-useless-to-be-a-creative/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Business" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/in-the-modern-world-of-business-it-is-useless-to-be-a-creative/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1a/david-ogilvy-1326_business_in-the-modern-world-of-business-it-is-us_88694.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1a/david-ogilvy-1326_business_in-the-modern-world-of-business-it-is-us_88694.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d1a/david-ogilvy-1326_business_in-the-modern-world-of-business-it-is-us_88694.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell…” — David Ogilvy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Ogilvy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In the modern world of business,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/in-the-modern-world-of-business-it-is-useless-to-be-a-creative/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/in-the-modern-world-of-business-it-is-useless-to-be-a-creative/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```