Before I tell you about this video – another I found lurking in my office – I should tell you about something stupid I nearly did.
A year or so ago I got my trusty partner Al to make me list of all the words you can’t use because the dreaded spam catcher will stop them getting through.
They all seem to revolve around two great obsessions: sex and money.
After my last divorce any promise of the latter gets my instant attention, whilst the former is of mere academic interest. I am flattered, though, that so many kindly folk with strange names like Zebediah Q. Goatfoot should think otherwise and rush to offer me help of one kind or another.
This morning though, I was all set to whiz out an email that couldn’t conceivably have got through even the most relaxed and forgiving filter in a million years.
It read “Like to watch David Ogilvy making love?”
Nothing wrong with the David Ogilvy bit – but even the most stupid of spammers wouldn’t try to get “making love” through.
I must have been out of my mind. But how did it come about? Well, 20 odd years ago I cajoled the great man to come to a chateau outside Paris and talk to our creative directors. He said among other things that although he was seen as a great copywriter he saw his greatest skill being at getting new business.
And he remarked, “But I always like to go and see the client on my own. I don’t like being watched when I’m making love.” Thus the line I was so pleased with – which would never have got through, but am delighted to have stuck up here. Ha!
As chance would have it I worked with him on two new business pitches. He made a video for one of them which was for Xerox, and you can see his style – and learn a lot – if you go to http://www.draytonbirdcommonsense.com/david.
On another occasion I will tell you about another time I watched him weave his magic. Meanwhile, though, the last video I put up about my friend Rowan Gormley’s experience of working with Richard Branson is still getting such a lot of interest that I’ve left it there at http://www.draytonbirdcommonsense.com/rowangormley.
