Warren Buffett once referred to David Ogilvy as a genius

David Ogilvy—one of history's most famous and influential advertising executives—wrote multiple books, including 'Ogilvy on Advertising,' a career memoir full of his favorite copywriting advice.

'The consumer isn't a moron, she's your wife' is among David Ogilvy's most memorable pieces of advertising advice.

David Ogilvy’s brother helped get him into the advertising business

Ogilvy sent a copy of his stove sales manual, "The Theory and Practice of Selling the AGA Cooker" (which Fortune magazine later called "probably the best sales manual ever written”) to his brother, who was working at London ad agency Mather & Crowther at the time.

David Ogilvy once worked for the man who created the Gallup Poll

In 1938, when Ogilvy came to the United States, he started working for George Gallup’s Audience Research Institute in New Jersey. He took his learnings with him through the rest of his career, including during World War II, when Ogilvy worked with the Intelligence Service at the British Embassy in Washington.

Scroll through a 75-year timeline of Ogilvy’s iconic ads

From the brilliant Rolls-Royce slogan that David Ogilvy wrote himself (“at 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock”) to Dove’s early 2000s campaign for Real Beauty, these 75 ads are among the best in advertising agency Ogilvy’s history.

David Ogilvy once called WPP Founder Martin Sorrell ‘odious’

WPP acquired Ogilvy & Mather, David Ogilvy’s agency, in 1989. Ogilvy later offered Sorrell a rare apology letter, which Sorrell kept framed in his office.

Ogilvy & Mather rebranded to just ‘Ogilvy’ in 2018

This was far from the first brand evolution the agency itself has gone through in its more than century-long history. The agency now known as “Ogilvy” started as a London advertising agency founded in 1850 by Edmund Mather. By 1964, it became known as Ogilvy & Mather after merging with a New York City agency that was founded in 1948 by David Ogilvy.

Advertising holding company WPP acquired Ogilvy & Mather in 1989 for $864M

It was the largest amount ever paid for an agency at the time. WPP, which acquired agency J. Walter Thompson for $566M just two years before the Ogilvy & Mather acquisition, still owns Ogilvy today.

One of Warren Buffett’s investing principles is investing in well-managed companies

The "Founders" podcast reviews biographies of the world’s top entrepreneurs, and this episode explores a 2012 book about Warren Buffett. The episode includes Buffett's advice on becoming a better business manager and investor.

David Ogilvy died at his chateau in France in 1999

Ogilvy purchased Chateau de Touffou in 1973 and would go on to host hundreds of Ogilvy & Mather staffers there over the years. Some say that Ogilvy was eager to take his agency public in part so he would have more money to purchase the chateau.

David Ogilvy resigned the Rolls-Royce account after dissatisfaction with its cars

Ogilvy said that he only advertised products he believed in and would personally use. Despite his famous copywriting for Rolls-Royce (“at 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock”), he resigned the account when he lost confidence in the brand’s newer cars’ quality.

In one of Ogilvy’s most well-known ads, he put an eyepatch on the ad’s star for ‘story appeal’

A 1951 campaign for men’s clothing brand Hathaway’s shirts featuring a distinguished man … wearing an eyepatch. Ogilvy has said he added it for “story appeal,” the idea that an ad should make viewers want to know the full story. The campaign ran for more than a decade. Ogilvy explains story appeal and more of his creative principles in this video.

Ogilvy won the Shell account with a last-minute flight from New York to London

When Shell was searching for a new ad agency, David Ogilvy filled out the pitch questionnaire himself, planning to hand-deliver it to Shell’s President in New York. When he found out that the president was in London, Ogilvy hopped on a flight. This newsletter edition tells the full story of how Ogilvy’s grit and determination won Ogilvy & Mather the coveted Shell account.

Warren Buffett is considered one of the most successful investors in history

Buffett is the former CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, a local resident of Omaha, Nebraska, and a billionaire. People often refer to him as the "Oracle of Omaha."

Explore a website dedicated to reviewing books about the advertising industry

“The Agency Review” reviews any book that touches advertising—from straight business books by the likes of David Ogilvy to a book about the history of bourbon. It has reviewed more than 200 books since the site started in 2012.

Warren Buffett’s investing advice includes never paying too high a price for any investment

Buffett is perhaps the greatest investor of all time, and his investing philosophies are highly regarded and practiced around the world. His advice also includes investing in productive assets (like stocks, bonds, and real estate) and imagining what could go wrong before thinking about how much money you could make.

Berkshire Hathaway's origin story is strongly intertwined with Warren Buffett's

"Acquired" is a podcast that tells company origin stories—and in one series of episodes, it dives into Berkshire Hathaway's. While the Berkshire Hathaway story ended up becoming three "Acquired" episodes instead of one, Part I explores how Berkshire Hathaway's former CEO became who he is today.

Warren Buffett first started investing in Geico in 1951

Buffett is known for his large collection of insurance investments, and Geico is no exception. This is partly due to investments from his mentor Benjamin Graham and a private, impromptu meeting with the company’s future CEO.

Warren Buffett wrote a letter on why a seller should sell his business to his firm

In Berkshire Hathaway's 1990 Annual Letter, Warren Buffett included an edited version of a letter he sent to a man who indicated he might want to sell his family business. This short letter is a masterclass in selling and differentiating your product from the competition.

Warren Buffett began investing at 11 years old

He then bought his first property at 14 years old. From studying under the “father of value investing” to revitalizing a textile company into the largest holding company in the world, Buffett’s career is one of great financial success.

Charlie Munger was Warren Buffett's right-hand man, serving as vice-chair at Berkshire Hathaway until his death in 2023.

Warren Buffett has said not investing in Google or Amazon early enough was a mistake on his part

After avoiding investing in tech stocks during the dot-com boom, Buffett's stance on investing in tech was widely criticized. Buffett later shared his thoughts on why he regrets not investing early enough.

In 1965, Warren Buffett took over Berkshire Hathaway, a failing textile company

After buying bulks of its stock, Buffett then flipped Berkshire Hathaway into the most successful and largest holding company in the world, which owns companies like Geico, Duracell, and Fruit of the Loom.

See Berkshire Hathaway's current market cap and cash on hand

Warren Buffett's holding company, Berkshire Hathaway, has one of the highest-valued stocks in history due to its collection of successful companies. As of 2024, Berkshire owned companies including Dairy Queen and GEICO.

Warren Buffett plays about 12 hours of bridge a week with Bill Gates

Known for being one of the most frugal billionaires alive, Buffett never spends more than $3.17 on breakfast (opting for either McDonald’s or Oreos). He also has New York Times front pages detailing horrible days on Wall Street hanging on his walls.

Buffett is known for being extremely generous with his fortune

So generous that in 2010 he pledged to donate 99% of his money. He said this money “can have a huge effect on the health and welfare of others.” This letter is Buffett’s philanthropic pledge, which details his commitment to giving and how luck and privilege helped him accumulate so much money.

The most iconic vintage ads

Looking at vintage ads can provide a deep dive into the history of how businesses communicate with their customers. This archive of some of the most iconic print and out-of-home ads of all time breaks down why each ad resonated at the time (think brutally honest copywriting, and long copy that is a pleasure to read). See ads from Porsche, Listerine, and more.

Inside Warren Buffett's real estate portfolio, which includes more than just his primary Omaha residence

The Oracle of Omaha is known for living in the same house since 1958—but what exactly does that house look like? This article takes a look inside that house, plus a few other properties in Buffett's real estate portfolio. Explore Warren Buffett's homes here.

Warren Buffett turned a struggling textile mill into Berkshire Hathaway

With Class A shares trading at over $700K per share, Berkshire Hathaway's high stock price reflects Buffett's decades of long-term investing, major acquisitions, and a philosophy that has reshaped modern finance.

The Wall Street Journal compiled the best parts of Warren Buffett's annual letters

Over the years, Buffett has quoted Yogi Berra and Mae West, as well as country songs and the Bible. Many turn to his letters as a source of inspiration and wisdom.

Warren Buffett has been criticized for avoiding investing in tech stocks during the 1990s dot-com boom, as he wasn't confident in the future growth of the tech industry.

Warren Buffett retired at the age of 95

Buffett said that he would pull back from his day-to-day role leading Berkshire Hathaway at the end of 2025. This long-form retrospective on his career paints him as an increasingly unique American role model.

Eleven of modern history's greatest investors

The greatest investors have all made a fortune off of their success and, in many cases, have helped millions of others achieve similar returns. Read about the lives and approaches of Carl Icahn, Warren Buffett, George Soros, and more.

American Express is one of Warren Buffett's top stocks

Buffett's long investment in American Express is indicative of his highly principled investment strategy. Buffett often invested in longstanding businesses with strong core products and services. As of 2025, Buffett owned around 20% of all American Express stock, and his investment in American Express made up around 16% of his portfolio.

Former Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett is among the world's most generous philanthropists, having given away more than $68B.

Benjamin Graham is known as the 'father of value investing'

Graham was an investor, author, and professor who was also Warren Buffett's teacher and mentor during his time at Columbia University. Graham is still considered one of the most influential people in the world of investing today.

Advertising powerhouse Mary Wells Lawrence became the first female CEO of a public company listed on the NYSE when her ad agency went public in 1968.

Warren Buffett's advice for middle-class investors includes "pay yourself first"

Warren Buffett might not be part of the middle class himself (he's one of the richest people in the world), but he still knows a thing or two about everyday personal finance tips. This article chronicles his six best pieces of advice for the middle class.

In 2023 and the first half of 2024, Berkshire Hathaway bought back more than $12B of its own stock

In the second half of 2024, the company—and Buffett—decided to buy up shares of Domino’s Pizza, Pool, Sirius XM Holdings, and Liberty Media. They also decided to sell Capital One, Ulta Beauty, and Nu Holdings, among others. Learn why Buffett is buying and selling these stocks and what it could mean for the financial conglomerate.

In the early 2000s, Warren Buffett invested $1M in an index fund to show that passively managed investments would outperform hedge funds—making the point that actively managed funds are not worth the management fees they charge.

Value investing is the strategy of buying assets you believe are worth more than their current price

Famed investor Warren Buffett is known for building his empire with this strategy, which he learned from his mentor Benjamin Graham.

The 1960s through 1980s is generally considered the ‘Golden Age of Advertising’

This time period spawned some of history’s most well-known ad campaigns, from "I Heart NY" to Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign. In this video from the 4As (the American Association of Advertising Agencies), advertising executive Jerry Della Femina reflects on the most creative ads of the era.

The 1960s through 1980s are generally considered the ‘Golden Age of Advertising’

This time period spawned some of history’s most well-known ad campaigns, from "I Heart NY" to Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign. In this video from the 4As (the American Association of Advertising Agencies), advertising executive Jerry Della Femina reflects on the most creative ads of the era.

Was Dalí an artistic genius or a marketing whiz?

Punk poet John Cooper Clarke and art historian Professor Dawn Ades explore Dalí's enthralling life and decipher whether he was an artistic genius, a marketing genius, or both. Listen to the full podcast here.

The dot-com stock bubble taught Howard Marks about markets

Annual investment letters from Howard Marks, the billionaire cofounder of top distressed debt shop Oaktree Capital Management, are required reading on Wall Street. The prolific writer and investor explains the distinction between the folly of trying to time the market and the necessity of paying attention to market cycles. The difference makes all the difference in returns.

In 2011, President Obama awarded Warren Buffett the Presidential Medal of Freedom

Buffett was awarded the medal for his success as an investor and commitment to philanthropy alongside author Maya Angelou, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and Congressman John Lewis, among others. It’s perhaps the highest honor a civilian can receive.

Famously frugal Warren Buffett owns a private jet

Buffett still lives in the same house he bought in 1958 for $31.5K. He has pledged to donate 99% of his fortune to charity. Yet he owns a private jet called "The Indispensable" (formerly called "The Indefensible" because he had no defense for buying it).

How Walt Disney's life impacted his business

Walt Disney has a legacy of ingenious innovation and undying creativity. This podcast walks listeners chronologically through the major events of his life, as reported in Neal Gabler's biography "Walt Disney: the Triumph of the American Imagination," and explains how they led to his groundbreaking work in film, storytelling, and business.

How popular are America's billionaires?

The US has more billionaires than any other country, and they are a mix of media moguls, entrepreneurs, and entertainers. This list ranks the 10 richest Americans by their popularity. The oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett, ranks highest in favorability at 52%, while Google cofounder Sergey Brin ranks lowest—likely because 72% of respondents didn't recognize his name.

Track Warren Buffett’s real-time net worth

Buffett is worth many, many billions of dollars. As a self-made billionaire, he is the eighth-richest man in the world, and his real-time net worth changes daily.