Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, and…

Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, and the trouble is I don’t know which half.

Sourced

John Wanamaker, In Ogilvy Confessions of an Advertising Man, 1963

Other Advertising Quotes

The sponsor may be viewed as a potentate with a strong influence over currents of thought in our society, exercised mainly through television [...] It has tended to displace or overwhelm other influences such as newspapers, school, church, grandpa, grandma. It has become the definer and transmitter of society’s values. - View Quote Details on The sponsor may be viewed as a potentate with a…
Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising. - View Quote Details on Many a small thing has been made large by the…
Ads are the cave art of the twentieth century. - View Quote Details on Ads are the cave art of the twentieth century.
The modern Little Red Riding Hood, reared on singing commercials, has no objection to being eaten by the wolf. - View Quote Details on The modern Little Red Riding Hood, reared on singing commercials,…
Advertising is the modern substitute for argument; its function is to make the worse appear the better. - View Quote Details on Advertising is the modern substitute for argument; its function is…
Society drives people crazy with lust and calls it advertising. - View Quote Details on Society drives people crazy with lust and calls it advertising.
Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket. - View Quote Details on Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill…
You can tell the ideals of a nation by its advertisements. - View Quote Details on You can tell the ideals of a nation by its…
From any cross-section of ads, the general advertiser’s attitude would seem to be: if you are a lousy, smelly, idle, underpriveleged and oversexed status-seeking neurotic moron, give me your money. - View Quote Details on From any cross-section of ads, the general advertiser’s attitude would…
Living in age of advertisement, we are perpetually disillusioned. The perfect life is spread before us every day, but it changes and withers at a touch. - View Quote Details on Living in age of advertisement, we are perpetually disillusioned. The…