Here is a link to an intriguing New York Times article on virality by John Tierney. A good deal of thinking has been done about which articles NY Times readers choose to share, and why. You might be surprised by what type of articles are most shared, but the reasons why (emotional communion, among others), are very interesting. Especially when you think about the Times readership in terms of being an audience you might want to reach, and what types of content could engage that audience enough to inspire pass-along.

At our OgilvyOne reception on Tuesday after Shelly Lazarus’ induction into the Hall of Fame, we shared with industry leaders and press the idea behind re:direct and this opening video which is a call to arms based on some insights, ideas from research and people:

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Welcome to re:direct, a conversation about modern direct marketing.

David Ogilvy began his advertising career first doing research for Gallup and selling Aga stoves door-to-door. He learned precious lessons in salesmanship and how to communicate with people to help them make a decision. Ogilvy placed a high value of not just guessing at would work, but knowing what would work. He insisted on direct response being an integral part of the agency he built.

For all the rigor as it has evolved from mail order to database marketing to CRM and digital, direct seems stuck in a decade or two past. We believe it’s time for a second coming, especially creatively.

We’re tasking talent across Ogilvy — from creative and strategy to analytics and media — to tackle this and showcase work. We’re also asking the wider marketing community to participate and push us all towards some answers.

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