David Ogilvy's Lesson for Libertarians

Published June 30, 2011 in Persuasion by Michael Cloud

"A good advertisement is one which sells the product without drawing attention to itself," wrote advertising legend David Ogilvy.
 
Good advertisements persuade people to buy and use the product. Bad advertisements convince people that the ad was clever or funny or interesting.
 
Good advertisements create an ever-growing number of customers. Bad advertisements leave sales stagnant, but they win advertising industry awards.
 
David Ogilvy's insight is equally true of libertarian speakers and talk show guests.
 
Good libertarian speakers win people to liberty. Slick libertarian speakers convince the audience that they are clever or interesting.
 
Good libertarian TV and radio talk show guests sell the audience on libertarianism. Slick libertarian guests sell the audience on them.
 
Good libertarian spokespeople leave the audience excited about liberty. Slick libertarian spokespeople leave the audience excited about them.
 
Do you want the audience jazzed about the product: liberty? Or the advertisement: the speaker?
 
Do you want new supporters of freedom? Or fans of the speaker?
 
Do you want the audience embracing and advancing liberty? Or embracing and promoting the speaker?
 
Why is this important to you? Why is this important to libertarianism?
 
Because your choice will determine whether we grow the libertarian movement, whether we advance the libertarian cause -- or whether we promote the careers of slick libertarian personalities who do NOT increase our numbers or advance our cause.
 
Because your choice will determine whether we make America more free -- or an ambitious libertarian personality more famous.
 
Because your choice will either push liberty forward or hold it back in America.
 
When you support and promote spokespeople who put liberty first, we will get more libertarians and more liberty.

Michael Cloud is author of the acclaimed book Secrets of Libertarian Persuasion, available exclusively from the Advocates.