Let your product do the heavy lifting in every ad

When David Ogilvy started writing ads for Guinness, he visited pubs in Dublin and watched bartenders pour the first creamy head into a glass. He noticed how the light danced on the caramel tones as the foam settled. Back in his Soho office, the art director and he conjured that moment in a single, stark photograph—no people, no props, just the glass on the bar sheen. That image became so iconic that people around the world recognized Guinness from a silhouette.

Ogilvy believed there were no dull products—only dull writers. He never set copy over a bland scene. Instead, he hunted for that one moment when the product looked its most potent and made it the star.

Neuroscience tells us that our visual cortices respond strongest to simple, high-contrast images. When you isolate the product in its defining element—froth on beer, steam on coffee, motion in machinery—you tap into a primal attention system.

Next time you brief a layout, ask “What is the single best shot that tells our story?” Resist the urge to clutter the frame. Let your product’s unique action do the convincing instead of actors or abstract graphics.

First, walk around your product—whether it’s a tool, a snack, or software on a screen—and pinpoint the one moment it shines at its best. Then, arrange a quick shoot—phone camera or pro—and capture that slice in crisp lighting with no clutter around it. Finally, build your ad layout so that image takes up at least half the space, with your headline and copy neatly positioned around it. When you show just that hero moment, viewers will know immediately why your product matters. Try it on your next ad.