Reeves railed against “artsy-craftsy” brand imagists as purveyors of nebulous “feeling” and preached about the power of an ad’s content. The critical thing, he said, is the “claim” or USP.

But the truth is they’re both right. This whole argument is what logicians call a false dichotomy: a logical fallacy setting up two opposing points of view as if they were the only options when, in fact, other possibilities exist.

Even Reeves admitted, “What you remember of a fiery orator — his dress, his personality, his conviction — is brand image. What he said — that is his USP. Either without the other may be successful in itself, but the combination of the two can have overwhelming power.” And he added that it is hard to do both. But the best advertising “surrounds the claim with the feeling.”

Ogilvy put it right on the line: “I once tried using rational facts to argue the consumer into choosing a brand of whiskey. It didn’t work. You don’t catch Coca-Cola advertising that Coke contains 50 percent more cola berries.”

Creating an emotional bond with customers is the soul of marketing. It does not conflict with sales. On the contrary, it breathes new life into your sales. It positions you for success. It is how you enter and stay in the minds and hearts of customers. You do more than convince. You beguile and motivate. Rather than shout, you send a subliminal message.

The proverb is true: “Nothing happens until someone sells something.” But nobody sells anything until someone wants something. It is your branding that helps create that want. And that is what makes the difference between a quick sale and building a clientele. The goal is to make more than a sale. Make a customer! A teen wearing a Nike T-shirt isn’t likely to buy Adidas sneakers!

Direct marketers know better than anyone else the long-term value of a customer. A DMer lives or dies by repeat business. This means creating a relationship with a customer. And I’m not talking about CRM software. I mean keeping your customers intrigued, enchanted and happy so they come back for more. Want to know the ultimate in branding? Remember the notice L.L. Bean hung on the wall of his Freeport, ME, store: “I do not consider a sale complete until goods are worn out and customer still satisfied.”

William Maynard of Bates advertising said, “Most good copywriters fall into two categories. Poets and killers. Poets see an ad as an end. Killers as a means to an end.” Ogilvy added, “If you are both killer and poet, you get rich.”

Mordechai (Morty) Schiller is a veteran copywriter. He can be reached at 718/435-5058 or morty@mortyschiller.com. This article first appeared in DM News.