On one occasion, Ford Motor Company sent an invitation letter to David Ogilvy, hoping that Ogilvy’s Ogilvy will compete for the advertising business of a new car launched by Ford Motor Company. Ford didn’t expect that it was Ogway’s rejection letter waiting.
Ogilvy wrote in his reply: “Mr. Ford, first of all thank you for your trust in Ogilvy Advertising, but please forgive me for not being able to compete in your company’s advertising business. Because your advertising budget is half of our company’s total turnover If the competition is successful, it will be difficult for me to maintain the independence of our consultation, so I decided to give up this opportunity.” The employees within the company did not understand Ogway’s decision. You know, Ford Motor Company is a world-famous brand, but Ogilvy & Mather advertising company is not well-known. What did Ogilvy think about it? It turned out to be such a big customer. For a time, the company talked up and down.
For everyone’s dissent, Ogilvy explained: “The bigger the customer is, the better, we need to be very cautious in choosing who to become our customers. As a small start-up company, once we cooperate with a super large customer like Ford Motor Company, we must It will be subject to various constraints from large customers, and we can only put our hands together. It is difficult to put forward our own true opinions. The company will become a client’s vassal when working on thin ice, and our independence will be lost over time, which is not conducive to our company’s development of.”
Later, this automobile project of Ford Motor Co., Ltd. failed very much in the market and once became the most failed business case of Ford Motor Co. The employees of Ogilvy & Mather were also very thankful that Ogilvy had rejected Ford. If there was no Ogilvy’s rejection, Ogilvy would completely overturn the car with this case.
It is Ogilvy’s vision and courage to reject customers, that is, Ogilvy Advertising, the world’s most outstanding advertising company, and Ogilvy has become a world-renowned advertising godfather.