Jef I. Richards

“I believe 'credibility' is one of the biggest issues yet to be addressed by Internet advertisers.”

“Creativity is an advertising agency's most valuable asset, because it is the rarest.”

“I wish all consumers were as gullible as advertising's biggest critics. Anyone who believes advertising is that powerful will believe almost anything.”

“There's so much truly putrid advertising out there it's embarrassing. But not all advertising is bad. Some of it is really quite mediocre.”

“In advertising, sex sells. But only if you're selling sex.”

“Creative without strategy is called 'art.' Creative with strategy is called 'advertising.'”

“The Death of Advertising? I think that's in the book of Revelation. It's the day when people everywhere become satisfied with their weight, their hair, their skin, their wardrobe, and their aroma.”

“Advertising is speech. It's regulated because it's often effective speech.”

“While it may be true that the best advertising is word-of-mouth, never lose sight of the fact it also can be the worst advertising.”

“The law requires a paper towel ad to be scrupulously honest, but allows political candidates to lie without reproach. What's wrong with this picture?”

“Congress seems to believe that 'Children are our future' is a phrase coined by tobacco advertisers.”

“Advertising is the 'wonder' in Wonder Bread.”

“Advertising is totally unnecessary. Unless you hope to make money.”

“Commercial speech is like obscenity... we can't seem to define it, but we know it when we see it.”

“Is advertising a profession, like law or medicine? How many new parents clutch their baby to their breast and declare, 'I want this child to grow up to be a media planner'?”

“In the world of commercial speech, tobacco advertising bears the earmarks of an endangered species.”

“There is a huge difference between journalism and advertising. Journalism aspires to truth. Advertising is regulated for truth. I'll put the accuracy of the average ad in this country up against the average news story any time.”

“If its not done ethically, advertising won't be trusted. If consumers don't trust it, advertising is pointless.”