1. Bring me into the Ogilvy world
■ The organizational culture
Don’t call your superiors by their title and being polite to them, since “position is not everything.”
“Just like only the children who are brought up in an environment full of sense of security are dare to try and venture.” said the author. It means that don’t afraid that your ideas are not good. Everyone will respect others’ opinions. They believe only by doing this can inspire employees’ originality.
■ Everyone is unique but the goal is the same
The criterion of finding a now colleague is that “Do we have someone who like him or she in the company?” Ogilvy welcomes different kinds of people to join them.
Moreover, the centripetal force of Ogilvy is great. Why? because all the members share the same values as well as the same goal. The sense of identity the members have built always serves as a belief that everyone follows.
2. It’s passion that brings me power!
Years ago, Ms. Tang was assigned to KFC’s case. In order to let the foreign inspector know Taiwan market well, Ms. Tang, along with her assistant, visited all the fast food restaurants in Taipei, including Mcdonalds, TKK fried chicken, Wendy’s hamburger…. Not only eating, but also taking pictures, stealing posters. They even pretended students, curiously asking the clerk: “which flavor is preferable by public?” or chatted with customers who were lining up to know customer preference.
Though gaining four weights in one month and getting many pimples on their face, it pays when they got the contract. The foreign inspector said that he didn’t expect to such deeply investigation from advertisement company. Tang believed the reason they could get the contract is that the inspector felt their passion and profession.
I think what the author said really make sense: the origin of limitless is that you like it from the bottom of your heart. I like Spanish, so I spend much of time to search related sources and learn by myself. The motive that supports me to keep going is my passion and the belief, which I know the language ability will help me in the future.
3. Contradiction inspires originality
“The essence of originality is contradiction. You have to find opportunities in contradiction, instead of giving yourself excuses for being ordinary by contradiction.”
After reading the book, I tried to connect different things together and I found that chatting with children, such as my junior brother, can inspire our creativity. Naive personality in children is a good source of ideas! The author also mentioned in the book: “Keep curiosity to turn the ordinary into beauty.”
4. Knowledge sharing system
As far as the knowledge management of Ogilvy, they have a system, which has a very meaningful name ––– Truffle.
It is like a discussing forum that provides a place where everyone Ogilvy members can post their good ideas or successful cases. You can also send your questions or e-mails to call for help and then, at least five people will reply on that day; just like an international meeting.
The managers encourage all the members put all their ideas and cases on Truffle for everyone’s reference. Being the cooperator of Taiwan High Speed Rail is a case in point. “Studying the case of national railway administration in German and Belgium familiarized us with how to build a high speed rail brand and the industry. Client put trust in us more due to our professional knowledge. It also highlights the difference between Ogilvy and other advertisement agency.
Knowledge is important but it’s sometimes the killer of originality nevertheless, so “study” is essential. “We are still on the way of studying” said a senior. As to study methods, the strategy officer, Mr. Ye, indicated that reading is not the only way to learn, accumulating experience from life is also a good way.
5. Originality is the spicy of life.
The manager of training once fabricated a character to propagate their new training class and teaching aid. Only two people in the whole company knew the trick. After the answer was made know, everyone thought funny, as well as angry.
To make everyone economize on expenses, the CFO send an e-mail entitled as “I heard the CFO is angry!”
These are the examples that explain that how funny “Ogilvyers” are. I like the atmosphere and their personality. Think more before you do anything. Connect every thing together!
6. Friends that share joys and sorrows together
This is the most significant part in the book, in my opinion. The relation of Ogilvyer is “partners” or “friends” more than “colleagues”, who work together, playing together and dreaming together. Only they know why someone would like to do such a low-pay, long-working time job. The ways to release the pressure, to be happy and to have the sense of achievement differ from others. I believe that the power is mutual encouragement.
Also, they always believe one another, even though there’s argument. I know that! I know that! 曉菁and KT are my best friends. We play together, study together, even debate together. Whenever we have disagreement in opinion, we tried to convince the other part but we are aware of one another’s personality and respect one another’s persistence.
7. How to be an original person?
Supplement originality vitamin at anytime at any moment: playing puzzles is one of the methods to renew your brain. While the Creative director, Ms. Cheng, always analyze the arts, the photography techniques and the structure of the story whenever she watches a movie. There are plenty of opportunities to stimulate sensory and brain!
When you are in bad condition, low down and take your time. You can do other things to distract attention. Don’t give up too early.
8. Restriction makes things simple.
9. Be brave to take adventure.
■ Bold ideas satisfy those who like the new and loathe the old.
■ Raising argument sometimes is a good way to come to the public’s notice.
■ Challenge the limit.
