Was David Ogilvy the brainpower behind “The Power of Words” viral video?

I remember the day David Ogilvy came to “christen” the Chicago office of Ogilvy & Mather.

We copywriters were in tizzy. What should we be doing as the icon wound his way around the glossy new office space? We’d heard only that he would be marching through the halls, which felt a tad like the locker inspections conducted by Miss Erdlitz in 7th grade gym class.

So we flocked to ECD (Executive Creative Director) Joel Raphaelson, who was more than our fearless leader. He was also a confidante of the ad legend and would ultimately be his biographer. This was well before the Famous had an “entourage”. But if David Ogilvy had had one, Joel would have been the “E” of his posse.

“D.O. would want you to be doing what writers do. Write!”

So we geared up in (pre) Mavis Beacon mode and prepped our fingers for the coming frenzy.

Which worked just fine until …

What was that sound? Eerie music was wafting around the corridors and echoing throughout the 69th floor, making it harder to focus on Extreme Copywriting. Who wouldn’t want to peer out the doorway to see what was causing the hallway hullabaloo? BUT what if I snuck a peak just when Mr Legend was at my doorway?

In those days, well before Weimaraners roamed office halls and half soy-double foam cappuccino was served in company cafeterias, we were trained to revere the corporate rungs above us. To show disrespect to the Founder was unthinkable. (Nowadays the “Founder” is likely to be the guy who wore a full set of armor to Cal Day or who has the coolest mountain bike.)

Finally I couldn’t stand it anymore. Writers are supposed to be curious, yes? And being the youngest, newbie-est copywriter in the office, I said to hell with it and let myself fall into Full Gawk.

And there he was. The Legend. Surrounded by BAGPIPERS. Apparently someone had tried to honor his heritage by recreating the melancholy mood of a pub in Glasgow in downtown Chicago.

I decided I would be forgiven for not continuing to churn out reams of Sears Kenmore Dual Action Agitator headlines as the parade meandered past.

David Ogilvy very slightly inclined his head toward the general vicinity of the starstruck me and ever more slightly nodded.

Why am I reveling you with this ancient tale of Mad Men long gone?

Because I am both hopping-mad at the latest viral video (see below) and totally thrilled. You’ve probably seen “The Power of Words” video, as created by a UK company called Purplefeathers. It’s been shared with me umpteen times — and has garnered some 4 million + views on youtube.

And indeed, the message is awesome — as it was when David Ogilvy first conceived of it, way back in the 50′s.  It continued in its awesomeness when this concept became a short film that won in Cannes 2008.  Danny Brown has just uncovered yet another (also probably awesome) version.

So on one hand, it rocks that Ogilvy’s ‘big idea’ clearly has stood the proverbial test of time. It rocks that the concept been upgraded so beautifully to video. And it rocks that entire new generations may now be inspired by this legend’s unstoppably engaging perspective. Even the mighty efforts of today’s global giant, Ogilvy, (forever my fave agency) can’t touch what one youtube phenomenon can do to bring D.O. 2.0 to new audiences.

That is, if someone owns up to the fact that they were “inspired” by the original idea. So far, Purplefeathers has graciously thanked the Cannes winners — “Historia de un Letrero” — but no one seems to be stepping up to the plate to acknowledge anyone else. And it’s just too hard to believe that the same concept just randomly sprung from the ether. Attribution continues to be a problem, despite solutions like a Creative Commons license. Or hey, even the old-fashioned thank you.

I am also reminded that while technology brings new life and energy to media today, at the core of true genius is still a deep and often uncanny understanding of human beings. While we post-Peggy Olsons were steeped in the art of selling product, if you were fortunate enough to ever be at Ogilvy (even if you perpetually skipped Joel’s Magic Lanterns) you also learned plenty about the people who power the decisions.

Tell me. Do you think David Ogilvy deserves some credit here?

(Click here if the video doesn’t show up below)