In 1991, on the anniversary of Leo Burnett’s death, the agency printed a booklet entitled 100 Leos, a compilation of his most enduring and inspiring aphorisms, common sense, wit and wisdom. Here’s just a sample:
‘When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with a handful of mud either.’
‘To swear off making mistakes is very easy. All you have to do is swear off having ideas.’
‘There is no such thing as a permanent advertising success.’
‘Regardless of the moral issue, dishonesty in advertising has proved very unprofitable.’
‘Keep it simple. Let’s do the obvious thing – the common thing – but let’s do it uncommonly well.’
‘We want consumers to say, ‘That’s a hell of a product’ instead of ‘That’s a hell of an ad.’ ‘
‘I have learned that any fool can write a bad ad, but that it takes a real genius to keep his hands off a good one.’
‘Nothing is more believable than the product itself.’
‘Before you have a share of market, you must have a share of mind.’
‘Friction makes sparks and sparks start great creative conflagrations.’
‘My only warning is that growth never compromises integrity, and I regard integrity as the heart and driving force of this agency.’
‘I am often asked how I got into this business. I didn’t. The business got into me.’
