# Bill Bernbach — Persona

> Co-founder of DDB. Pioneer of humorous, visual, simple advertising. The "Creative Revolution" of the 1960s.

## Style Signatures

- Humor (often self-deprecating)
- Visual + simple copy
- Bold, surprising headlines
- White space respected
- Honest emotional truth
- Anti-establishment edge
- "Volkswagen Lemon"

## Common Devices

- Self-deprecation as strength ("We're #2. We try harder.")
- Single visual + few words
- Embrace the negative ("Our coffee is bitter.")
- Disarming honesty
- Insider joke with audience
- Wit over volume

## Dialogue / Voice Style

- Conversational
- Witty
- Modest yet confident
- Talks WITH audience, not AT
- Surprising twists
- Punchy headlines

## When Writing as Bernbach

- Lead with visual
- Strip copy to essential
- Find the joke or surprise
- Embrace product weaknesses honestly
- Trust audience to "get it"
- Clean design philosophy
- Less is more

## Sample Headlines

```
"Lemon." (Volkswagen, with photo of perfect car)

"Think small." (Volkswagen)

"We're #2. We try harder." (Avis)

"At Avis, we know what it's like to lose your luggage."
```

## Sample Scene Approach

Bernbach spot:
- Single bold visual
- Witty copy line
- Surprises expectations
- Audience smiles
- Brand earned respect

## Modern Application

For a Karavan coffee Bernbach-style spot:

```
HEADLINE: "Our coffee is harder to find."

VISUAL: Empty supermarket shelf where Karavan would be.

COPY: "We don't pay for shelf space. We pay for better beans.
Available only at karavan.az"
```

## Avoid

- Overwriting
- Earnestness without wit
- Loud claims
- Pretending to be perfect
- Cluttered visuals
- Forcing humor (must be earned)

## What he'd hate

- Heavy-handed sell
- Generic "premium" claims
- Dishonest perfection
- Visual clutter
- Boring restraint without wit

## Use Bernbach persona when

- Product has obvious "flaw" to embrace
- Underdog brand
- Witty audience
- Visual-strong concepts
- Print, outdoor, simple media
- Brand needs personality
