At 60 miles an hour, the one ad that changed the way we sell forever.
- Pookela Thomas
- Feb 19
- 6 min read
Updated: Feb 22
What made the quietest ad in history the loudest successes in advertising?
When I had just gotten into copywriting, I kept on running into this famous quote by David Ogilvy:
“It takes a big idea to attract the attention of consumers and get them to buy your product. Unless your advertising contains a big idea, it will pass like a ship in the night.”
It really stuck with me!
It makes sense–80% of readers never make it past the headline! If we can’t grab attention immediately, our copy is invisible!
Today, I’m analyzing the copy of David Ogilvy’s most famous ad from Rolls-Royce.
“At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock”
Before I started analyzing the ad, I wanted to see how other vehicles were priced in the year of 1958 (around the time the ad came out.)
The Rolls-Royce was priced at $13,550.
That’s nearly triple the average income at the time! To put that into perspective:
Ford Models were priced approximately $2,000 to $4,000.
A two bedroom home was available for about $10,000.
Lesson 1: Price Alone Won’t Sell Luxury–Positioning Will
The Rolls-Royce was priced as a luxury brand. They delivered unparalleled luxury and meticulous craftsmanship.
In all of their ads, they always had their messaging focused on the value that the product brings.
They drive emotion throughout their copy, and justify it through logical reasoning.
Lesson 2: The Language Of Our Copy Should Match The Language of the Reader
As you read through the ad, you’ll notice that his copy, through his language, is detail oriented.
His messaging is crafted meticulously, as if he had engineered his copy with a level of precision that Rolls-Royce puts into their copy, and who his ideal customer is.
Lesson 3: Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants
He incorporated multiple copywriting formulas in his copy, which was interesting to me!
If these frameworks were working then, it means that it still works now. Having a level of copywriting formulas will make the process 10x easier when creating copy.
He had AIDA, 4 U’s (excluding urgency, because he focused on exclusivity), and the 4 P’s.
The AIDA Framework
Attention - The headline brings the reader in through description imagery, and followed up with authority
Example;
“At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock”
Interest - The subheadline starts with a question. The answer still doesn’t really answer the question.
Example;
“What makes Rolls-Royce the best car in the world? “There is really no magic about it–it is merely patient attention to detail,” says an eminent Rolls-Royce engineer.”
Desire - Logical & emotional persuasion
Examples;
Logical elements to show the level of detail, signifying that this is indeed a luxury car.
“The coachwork is given five coats of primer paint, and hand rubbed between each coat, before fourteen coats of finishing paint go on.
Emotional elements to show the level of comfort you’d get from a luxury car
“...so that you can ride in comfort and silence with all the windows closed. Air conditioning is optional….”
Action - The call to action is more subtle, gentle.
“If you would like the rewarding experience of driving a Rolls-Royce or Bentley, write or telephone one of the dealers listed on page 54.”
He also had parts of the 4 U’s.
Uniqueness - This is something completely different from the other competitors
Example;
“At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock.”
Ultra Specific - It’s… very specific.
Example;
“The coachwork is given five coats of primer paint, and hand rubbed between each coat, before fourteen coats of finishing paint go on.”
Usefulness - The messaging articulates the benefits of your business
Example;
“There are two separate systems of power brakes,hydraulic and mechanical. The Rolls-Royce is a very safe car–and also a very lively car. It cruises serenely at eight-five.”
These were the few things I felt like I’ve learned from this.
One more thing, I just noticed that he had a downsell for the Rolls-Royce!
The Bentley!
Now to get into the structure, the fascinations are separated by the elements.
The Structure of the Ad
For this ad, I felt like the structure was fairly simple.
Headline
Subheadline
Body Copy
Risk Reversal / Objection Handling
Downsell
Pricing & Call to Action
The Elements & Fascinations of the Ad
After analyzing the ad, I found 7 types of key elements that Ogilvy used to make this copy a masterpiece! Here is how we see him structuring it.
The 7 elements I found were
Logical elements
Emotional elements
Credibility and trust
Exclusivity and luxury
Risk-Reversal
Downsell
Call to action
Here are the fascinations categorized by the elements
Logical Persuasion
Every Rolls-Royce engine is run for seven hours at full throttle before installation, and each car is test-driven for hundreds of miles over varying road surfaces.
“ It is eighteen inches shorter than the largest domestic cars.”
“The car has power steering, power brakes, and automatic gear-shift. “
Here it is subjected to 98 separate ordeals.
“The coachword is given five coats of primer paint, and hand rubbed between each coat, before fourteen coats of finishing paint go on.
By moving a switch on the steering column, you can adjust the shock-absorbers to suit road conditions.
Another switch defrosts the rear window, by heating a network of 1360 invisible wires in the glass. There are two separate ventilating systems,
“There are two separate systems of power brakes,hydraulic and mechanical.”
It cruises serenely at eight-five. Top speed is in excess of 100 m.p.h.”
Emotional Persuasion
It is very easy to drive and to park. No chauffeur required.
“... (The lack of fatigue in driving this car is remarkable.)...”
“Gasoline consumption is remarkably low and there is no need to use premium gas; a happy economy.”
“...so that you can ride in comfort and silence with all the windows closed. Air conditioning is optional….”
“...The Rolls-Royce is a very safe car–and also a very lively car. .”
Credibility & Trust
“At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise comes from the electric clock,” reports the Technical Editor of THE MOTOR. “
“Certain airlines have chosen RollsRoyce turbo-jets for their Boeing 707’s and Douglas DC8’s. Rolls-Royce prop-jets are in the Vickers Viscount, the Fairchild F27 and Grumman Gulfstream.”
“Rolls-Royce now employs 42,000 people and the company’s engineering experience does not stop at motor cars and jet engines. “
“The huge research and development resources of the company are now at work on many projects for the future, including nuclear and rocket propulsion.”
“Rolls-Royce engineers make periodic visits to inspect owners’ motor cars and advise on service.”
Exclusivity & Luxury
“No chauffeur required”. - implied luxury
“The coachwork is given five coats of primer paint, and hand rubbed between each coat, before fourteen coats of finishing paint go on.”
“A picnic table, veneered in French walnut, slides out from under the dash. Two more swing out behind the front seats. The backrests of the front seats are individually adjustable.”
“The seats are upholstered with eight hides of an English leader–enough to make 128 pairs of soft shoes.”
You can get such optional extras as an Espresso coffee-making machine, a dictating machine, a best, hot and cold water for washing, an electric razor or a telephone.”
Risk Reversal
“The Rolls-Royce is guaranteed for three years. With a new network of deals and parts-depots from Coast to Coast, service is no problem.”
“Rolls-Royce engineers make periodic visits to inspect owners’ motor cars and advise on service.”
Downsell
“The Bentley is made by Rolls-Royce. Except for the radiators, they are identical motor cars, manufactured by the same engineers in the same works. The Bentley costs $300 less, because its radiator is simpler to make. People who feel diffident about driving a Rolls-Royce can buy a Bentley.”
Call to Action
“If you would like the rewarding experience of driving a Rolls-Royce or Bentley, write or telephone one of the dealers listed on page 54.”
In summary, messaging is important to convey who your brand is. By researching thoroughly your audience, product, market, and competitors, you’ll be able to position your business in a unique way–just like Ogilvy did!
If you have any questions, you can email me at pookela@pookelamarketing.com
Thank you!
Comments