--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Advertising is 85% confusion and 15%…" description: "\"Advertising is 85% confusion and 15% commission\" — Fred Allen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/fred-allen-4199_advertising_advertising-is-85-confusion-and-15-commi_2455364.png" --- # Advertising is 85% confusion and 15% commission ![“Advertising is 85% confusion and 15% commission” quote by Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/fred-allen-4199_advertising_advertising-is-85-confusion-and-15-commi_2455364.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/fred-allen-4199_advertising_advertising-is-85-confusion-and-15-commi_2455364.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/fred-allen-4199_advertising_advertising-is-85-confusion-and-15-commi_2455364.png) > “Advertising is 85% confusion and 15% commission” [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advertising often confuses more than it clarifies, with profit as the primary goal. **In simple terms:** Ads confuse, profit drives. Key Takeaway Seek clarity over hype. Themes advertising confusion profit Mood skeptical critical Type advertising marketing When to use this quote - product launches - media campaigns - political messaging Key Concepts marketing theory consumer psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can ads be both clear and persuasive? - Do you trust confusing ads? A Different Perspective Confusion can erode trust and long‑term brand value. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advertising](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) [Confusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusion/) [Marketing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marketing/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) ## Related quotes > [An advertising agency is 85 percent confusion and 15 percent commission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/an-advertising-agency-is-85-percent-confusion-and-15-percent/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [It struck me that a good part of the agency business involved peddling free intern hours and ideas, generated by sales teams from media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-struck-me-that-a-good-part-of-the-agency-business-involved/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I still do not know where the notes will come from when I accept a commission for a new work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-foss/i-still-do-not-know-where-the-notes-will-come-from-when-i-accept-a/) [Lukas Foss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-foss/) > [If I get a commission, it's like a flood of creative thought and energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-peck/if-i-get-a-commission-it-s-like-a-flood-of-creative-thought-and-energy/) [Justin Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-peck/) > [The 9/11 Commission recently released their report, citing important changes which need to be made to improve our nation's homeland security. I voiced my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-boswell/the-9-11-commission-recently-released-their-report-citing-important/) [Leonard Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-boswell/) > [Ive been in photography for over 20 years now, and I dont think people commission me because of my name. At some point, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccartney/ive-been-in-photography-for-over-20-years-now-and-i-dont-think-people/) [Mary McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccartney/) > [In aristocratic societies, rich people used to commission exquisite paintings for their walls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-holland/in-aristocratic-societies-rich-people-used-to-commission-exquisite/) [Brad Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-holland/) > [The Nuclear Regulatory Commission and EPA, et cetera, had worked out what allowable releases are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-scranton/the-nuclear-regulatory-commission-and-epa-et-cetera-had-worked-out/) [William Scranton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-scranton/) > [Now the interesting thing about the movie is that many of the questions it raised about the Warren Commission and its investigation were all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-stokes/now-the-interesting-thing-about-the-movie-is-that-many-of-the/) [Louis Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-stokes/) > [Governance has been at the heart of the work of the Oxford Martin Commission for Future Generations and is a clear focus in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-ibrahim/governance-has-been-at-the-heart-of-the-work-of-the-oxford-martin/) [Mo Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-ibrahim/) > [“Unless some people are commissioned for the task, there will be no gospel preachers; unless the gospel is preached, sinners will not hear Christ’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/unless-some-people-are-commissioned-for-the-task-there-will-be-no/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [The SEC got more than 100 rules to write under Dodd-Frank, the lion's share of all the agencies. And we've moved, I think, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/the-sec-got-more-than-100-rules-to-write-under-dodd-frank-the-lion-s/) [Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/) > [Electricity transmission operates on a frequency between 49.7 Hertz and 50.2 Hertz. What I have done is petitioned the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jyotiraditya-madhavrao-scindia/electricity-transmission-operates-on-a-frequency-between-49-7-hertz/) [Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jyotiraditya-madhavrao-scindia/) > [There needs to be some regime that is overseeing access to broadband to make sure we have openess; otherwise, there is a risk it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/there-needs-to-be-some-regime-that-is-overseeing-access-to-broadband/) [Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) ## More by Fred Allen > [“I can't understand why a person will take a year or two to write a novel when he can easily buy one for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/i-can-t-understand-why-a-person-will-take-a-year-or-two-to-write-a/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [“(Faces are all important. Without faces it would be impossible to identify our friends. If we had to recognize people by their bodies, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/faces-are-all-important-without-faces-it-would-be-impossible-to/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [If I could get my membership fee back, I'd resign from the human race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/if-i-could-get-my-membership-fee-back-i-d-resign-from-the-human-race/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [Ed Sullivan will be around as long as someone else has talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/ed-sullivan-will-be-around-as-long-as-someone-else-has-talent/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me. Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/i-like-long-walks-especially-when-they-are-taken-by-people-who-annoy/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [My uncle is a Southern planter. He's an undertaker in Alabama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/my-uncle-is-a-southern-planter-he-s-an-undertaker-in-alabama/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [Hollywood is a great place if you're an orange.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/hollywood-is-a-great-place-if-you-re-an-orange/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [Everywhere outside New York City is Bridgeport, Connecticut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/everywhere-outside-new-york-city-is-bridgeport-connecticut/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [I'm a little hoarse tonight. I've been living in Chicago for the past two months, and you know how it is, yelling for help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/i-m-a-little-hoarse-tonight-i-ve-been-living-in-chicago-for-the-past/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [He writes so well he makes me feel like putting my quill back in my goose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/he-writes-so-well-he-makes-me-feel-like-putting-my-quill-back-in-my/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [Her hat is a creation that will never go out of style; it will just look ridiculous year after year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/her-hat-is-a-creation-that-will-never-go-out-of-style-it-will-just/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [When a radio comedian's program is finally finished it slinks down Memory Lane into the limbo of yesteryear's happy hours. All that the comedian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/when-a-radio-comedian-s-program-is-finally-finished-it-slinks-down/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [He's so small, he's a waste of skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/he-s-so-small-he-s-a-waste-of-skin/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [Life, in my estimation, is a biological misadventure that we terminate on the shoulders of six strange men whose only objective is to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/life-in-my-estimation-is-a-biological-misadventure-that-we-terminate/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [My agent gets 10 percent of everything I get, except the blinding headaches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/my-agent-gets-10-percent-of-everything-i-get-except-the-blinding/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) [Explore all 114 Fred Allen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) ## More Advertising quotes > [I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with his friend. This kid finds a gun, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/i-saw-this-anti-drug-commercial-that-showed-a-kid-smoking-pot-in-his/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“Salesmanship is usually the art of making it the prospect’s problem, the salesperson’s need or desire to earn money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/salesmanship-is-usually-the-art-of-making-it-the-prospect-s-problem/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Advertising justifies its existence when used in the public interest-it is much too powerful a tool to use solely for commercial purposes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-gossage/advertising-justifies-its-existence-when-used-in-the-public-interest/) [Howard Gossage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-gossage/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [We have the capital, the resources, and the technology that we need to build a mobile advertising platform across the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-tewari/we-have-the-capital-the-resources-and-the-technology-that-we-need-to/) [Naveen Tewari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-tewari/) > [“Never run advertising until the major publicity possibilities have been exploited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ries/never-run-advertising-until-the-major-publicity-possibilities-have/) [Al Ries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ries/) > [God never talks. But the devil keeps advertising, Father. The devil does a lot of commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/god-never-talks-but-the-devil-keeps-advertising-father-the-devil-does/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [I like Valentine's Day. The trouble is the florists and the candy-makers and the card people are all advertising so much, you don't dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-like-valentine-s-day-the-trouble-is-the-florists-and-the-candy/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I happened to be spotted by a modeling agent who offered me a part-time job at 16. Everything happened very quickly after that -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-happened-to-be-spotted-by-a-modeling-agent-who-offered-me-a-part/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [They say that Madison Avenue will only pay high dollars in advertising if they get the 18-35 age range.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gless/they-say-that-madison-avenue-will-only-pay-high-dollars-in/) [Sharon Gless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gless/) > [“There's not a branch of publishing or broadcasting that doesn't depend in some way on advertising. It'd be like an aquarium without water. Why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/there-s-not-a-branch-of-publishing-or-broadcasting-that-doesn-t/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [I've driven people mad on films that I've made - I want more takes; I want to try new lines. Then I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/i-ve-driven-people-mad-on-films-that-i-ve-made-i-want-more-takes-i/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [This hype word bothers me though It always sounds like an accusation, what does it mean, advertising, column inches in the press? Bands themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-johnson/this-hype-word-bothers-me-though-it-always-sounds-like-an-accusation/) [Holly Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-johnson/) > [I'm supposed to be taking time off. But I'm still writing and I have this Gap advert lined up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-stone/i-m-supposed-to-be-taking-time-off-but-i-m-still-writing-and-i-have/) [Joss Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-stone/) > [Any seeming deception in a statement is costly, not only in the expense of the advertising but in the detrimental effect produced upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wanamaker/any-seeming-deception-in-a-statement-is-costly-not-only-in-the/) [John Wanamaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wanamaker/) [Browse all 1,942 Advertising quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advertising/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Advertising is 85% confusion and 15% commission", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fred Allen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/advertising-is-85-confusion-and-15-commission/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advertising" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/advertising-is-85-confusion-and-15-commission/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/fred-allen-4199_advertising_advertising-is-85-confusion-and-15-commi_2455364.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/fred-allen-4199_advertising_advertising-is-85-confusion-and-15-commi_2455364.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/205/fred-allen-4199_advertising_advertising-is-85-confusion-and-15-commi_2455364.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Advertising is 85% confusion and 15% commission” — Fred Allen", "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": "Fred Allen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Advertising is 85% confusion and 15%...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/advertising-is-85-confusion-and-15-commission/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/advertising-is-85-confusion-and-15-commission/#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 } } ] } ```