Salman Rushdie’s Advertising Slogans

You can’t make this sh*t up:

Before penning iconic novels like “Satanic Verses”, Salman Rushdie was a copywriter who crafted famous ads like the Naughty but Nice slogan for fresh cream cakes in 1985.

I love origin stories!

Thanks to Kenneth Roman for pointing this out in his book “The King of Madison Avenue: David Ogilvy and the Making of Modern Advertising”.

Watch “Naughty but Nice” Ad by Salman Rushdie

Salman Rushdie’a Copywriting Career

Here’s the list of ad campaigns I could find that Rushdie played point on:

Ogilvy & Mather

Fresh Cream Cakes

  • Slogan: “Naughty but Nice”
  • Year: 1970s

Aero Chocolate

  • Slogan: “Irresistibubble”
  • Year: 1970s

Ayer Barker

American Express

  • Slogan: “That’ll do nicely”
  • Year: Before 1982

Burnley Building Society

  • Project: Advertising record
  • Song title: “The Best Dreams”
  • Collaboration: With musician Ronnie Bond
  • Vocalist: George Chandler
  • Recording location: Good Earth Studios, London
  • Year: 1970s

Other Notable Work

Daily Mirror

  • Slogan: “Look into the Mirror tomorrow – you’ll like what you see”
  • Year: 1970s

Rushdie’s Transition from Advertising to Book Author

Rushdie wrote his Booker Prize-winning novel “Midnight’s Children” while working at Ogilvy & Mather, before becoming a full-time writer in 1981.

His time in advertising taught him valuable writing discipline, as he stated:

“I now write exactly like that. I write like a job. I sit down in the morning and I do it. And I don’t miss deadlines”.

Rushdie Friend Angela Carter Was Also a Copywriter

Rushdie’s experience in advertising also influenced his literary career.

He first became friends with Angela Carter when she was at Ogilvy & Mather (she later became an acclaimed author whom Rushdie calls “the first great writer I ever met”.

Thanks for reading!

Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc