--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never write an advertisement which you…" description: "\"Never write an advertisement which you wouldn't want your own family to read. You wouldn't tell lies to your own wife. Don't tell them to mine. Do as y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/david-ogilvy-1326_advertisements_never-write-an-advertisement-which-you-w_2547916.jpg" --- # Never write an advertisement which you wouldn't want your… ![“Never write an advertisement which you wouldn't want your own family to read. You wouldn't tell lies to your own wife. Don't tell them to mine. Do as you would be done by. If you tell lies about a product, you will be found out - either by the Government, which will prosecute you, or by the…” quote by David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/david-ogilvy-1326_advertisements_never-write-an-advertisement-which-you-w_2547916.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/david-ogilvy-1326_advertisements_never-write-an-advertisement-which-you-w_2547916.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b3/david-ogilvy-1326_advertisements_never-write-an-advertisement-which-you-w_2547916.jpg) > “Never write an advertisement which you wouldn't want your own family to read. You wouldn't tell lies to your own wife. Don't tell them to mine. Do as you would be done by. If you tell lies about a product, you will be found out - either by the Government, which will prosecute you, or by the consumer, who will punish you by not buying your product a second time. Good products can be sold by honest advertising. If you don't think the product is good, you have no business to be advertising it.” [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. Honest advertising builds trust; deception leads to legal trouble or loss of customers. **In simple terms:** Truthful ads protect reputation. Key Takeaway Advertise only what you truly believe. Themes honesty trust advertising ethics Mood cautious reflective Type ethical professional When to use this quote - product launch - marketing campaign - brand building Key Concepts consumer protection reputation management Questions to Reflect On - Are you promoting products you truly trust? - How would you handle a dishonest ad? A Different Perspective Deception may seem profitable short‑term but damages long‑term credibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advertisements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertisements/) [Advertising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Buying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buying/) [Consumers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumers/) [Don Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-tell/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Honest Advertising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest-advertising-1492861/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Marketing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marketing/) [Tell Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tell-lies/) [Think Product](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-product-1492863/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) [Write Advertisement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-advertisement-1492862/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Never write an advertisement which you wouldn't want your own family to read. You wouldn't tell lies to your own wife. Don't tell them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/never-write-an-advertisement-which-you-wouldn-t-want-your-own-family-2/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Good products can be sold by honest advertising. If you don't think the product is good, you have no business to be advertising it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/good-products-can-be-sold-by-honest-advertising-if-you-don-t-think/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Never write an advertisement which you wouldn't want your family to read. You wouldn't tell lies to your own wife. Don't tell them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/never-write-an-advertisement-which-you-wouldn-t-want-your-family-to/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form, but as a medium of information. When I write an advertisement, I don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/i-do-not-regard-advertising-as-entertainment-or-an-art-form-but-as-a-2/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [Claude Hopkins.. maintained that nobody with a college education could write an advertisement addressed to the mass millions. That's absolute poppycock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/claude-hopkins-maintained-that-nobody-with-a-college-education-could/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) > [“Don’t tell lies, or even exaggerate. At all. Ever. 3.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-maister/don-t-tell-lies-or-even-exaggerate-at-all-ever-3/) [David H. Maister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-maister/) > [“If I told you I don’t tell lies, that itself would be a lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-i-told-you-i-don-t-tell-lies-that-itself-would-be-a-lie/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I don't tell lies. I don't need to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-froch/i-don-t-tell-lies-i-don-t-need-to/) [Carl Froch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-froch/) > [“I never tell you lies, imp. But sometimes I don’t tell everybody all the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-duncan/i-never-tell-you-lies-imp-but-sometimes-i-don-t-tell-everybody-all/) [Dave Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-duncan/) > [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/) > [If you think of the product as a service, then the separate parts make no sense - the point of a product is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/if-you-think-of-the-product-as-a-service-then-the-separate-parts-make/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) > [We're obviously going to spend a lot in marketing because we think the product sells itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-allchin/we-re-obviously-going-to-spend-a-lot-in-marketing-because-we-think/) [Jim Allchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-allchin/) > [Most businesses think that product is the most important thing, but without great leadership, mission and a team that deliver results at a high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/most-businesses-think-that-product-is-the-most-important-thing-but/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [So, I think it has to do with the product and what you take to the public. If they like it, they're going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/so-i-think-it-has-to-do-with-the-product-and-what-you-take-to-the/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [I think we are a product of all our experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanford-i-weill/i-think-we-are-a-product-of-all-our-experiences/) [Sanford I. Weill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanford-i-weill/) ## 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. 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All of that is important. I would rewrite my kids'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/in-advertisements-for-your-favorite-products-are-women-denigrated-or/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [ There's a fantastic, thousand-page book by David Thomson about \[David O. Selznick\]. Again, it's not the best argument or the best advertisement for his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-longworth/there-s-a-fantastic-thousand-page-book-by-david-thomson-about-david-o/) [Karina Longworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-longworth/) > [Google has - at least at this point - maintained the line where it keeps organic results separate from the advertisements. But over time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/google-has-at-least-at-this-point-maintained-the-line-where-it-keeps/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [Freedom! To fill people's mailboxes, eyes, ears and brains with commercial rubbish against their will, television programs that are impossible to watch with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/freedom-to-fill-people-s-mailboxes-eyes-ears-and-brains-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think if you can create a meaningful thing that is also an advertisement that's a pretty cool option for brands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-walters/i-think-if-you-can-create-a-meaningful-thing-that-is-also-an/) [Doug Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-walters/) > [I believe in advertisement and media completely. My art and my personal life are based in it. I think that the art world would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/i-believe-in-advertisement-and-media-completely-my-art-and-my/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [To measure your needs by that which is projected via mass media is a mistake that has no mercy. The average person views a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haki-r-madhubuti/to-measure-your-needs-by-that-which-is-projected-via-mass-media-is-a/) [Haki R. 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We're living in the disturbed societies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/today-our-attention-is-less-than-the-television-advertisement-we-re/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) [Browse all 239 Advertisements quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertisements/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Never write an advertisement which you wouldn't want your own family to read. You wouldn't tell lies to your own wife. Don't tell them to mine. Do as you would be done by. If you tell lies about a product, you will be found out - either by the Government, which will prosecute you, or by the consumer, who will punish you by not buying your product a second time. Good products can be sold by honest advertising. 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