sad because I had damaged my reputation. The other half was happy because I had damaged my reputation." Not one of my proudest memories." - Meaning and context.">
Ogilvy on Advertising, p. 109
“

Viewers have a way of remembering the celebrity while forgetting the product. I did not know this when I paid Eleanor Roosevelt $35,000 to make a commercial for margarine. She reported that her mail was equally divided. "One half was sad because I had damaged my reputation. The other half was happy because I had damaged my reputation." Not one of my proudest memories.

— David Ogilvy

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Viewers have a way of remembering the celebrity while forgetting the product. I did not know this when I paid Eleanor Roosevelt $35,000 to make a commercial for margarine. She reported that her mail was equally divided. "One half was sad because I had damaged my reputation. The other half was happy because I had damaged my reputation." Not one of my proudest memories." in the context of "Ogilvy on Advertising, p. 109" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

Source: Wikiquote: "David Ogilvy" (Quotes) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
David Ogilvy

About David Ogilvy

David Mackenzie Ogilvy (June 23, 1911 – July 21, 1999) executive who was widely hailed as "The Father of Advertising". In 1962, Time called him "the most sought-after wizard in today's advertising industry". He founded Ogilvy & Mather.