This past week in class, we had a manager from the world-renowned advertising firm, Ogilvy, visit our class to present on their strategy on “Making Brands Matter.” Ogilvy is responsible for some of the most notable campaigns of brands such as Coca-Cola’s “Taste the Feeling” and Dove’s “Real Beauty.” Their strategy has helped keep the brands they represent relevant, even at a time where content is churned out by the second and attention spans are short.
Recently, Ogilvy teamed up with Aeromexico to create a very risqué campaign that took aim at the current political climate in America. Although it turned out to perform extremely well, one has to think about the times where brands take a leap of faith only to fall flat on their faces.
One thing that I can take away from my class visitor, is that it’s imperative that brands not only be afraid to take risks but to know their own limits of what to get away with and ultimately, what would resonate with their clients best. Ogilvy has proven time and time again that appealing to the right people at the right time with the right content is a key branding strategy that helps in creating resonance and longevity.