Info Marketing Money Machines

Wrinkles FEAR Her

Helena Rubinstein came to the United States as a penniless Polish immigrant who went on to build one of the largest cosmetics empires in history.

And direct response advertising played a key role in pushing her products at retail stores from coast to coast.

This ad was created by Ogilvy and Mather in 1952 and is part of an incredible series of 20 or so “page-one advertorials.”

Unlike ordinary advertorials, which are ads formatted to look like editorials or news, these ads are laid out like page one of a major newspaper. [Continue reading] about Wrinkles FEAR Her

Jewish Adman Swipes a Catholic Saint? “Seven Deadly Advertising Mistakes”

by 6 Comments

Thomas Aquinas spelled out the Seven Deadly sins or vitia capitalia (capital sins) in the 13th Century. Pride, covetousness, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, and sloth. (I've only nailed down four of these within the last hour.) 800 years later, … [Continue reading] about Jewish Adman Swipes a Catholic Saint? “Seven Deadly Advertising Mistakes”

An Interview with Mystery Writer Chris Grabenstein

by 7 Comments

He went from the Downtown comedy clubs to the hallowed halls of the J. Walter Thompson ad agency. He started by writing ads and followed his mentor, James Patterson, into the world of writing mysteries, becoming an advertising creative director … [Continue reading] about An Interview with Mystery Writer Chris Grabenstein

George Haylings: Info Marketer Who Laughed at the Depression

by 5 Comments

(This was one of my first entries on Info Marketing Blog, waaay back on June 11 2007. I decided to revisit it nearly 18 years later. Haylings' mainstay in the 30s and 40s was the classified ad. ) Imagine facing the Great Depression as a … [Continue reading] about George Haylings: Info Marketer Who Laughed at the Depression

The Case Against Swiping Part 1 (UPDATE)

(March 2025) I needed to pull an old rabbit out of a hat for a client recently, and THIS was the swipe... foundation for the promo... that leapt to the fore. Here's a hypothetical to demonstrate how powerful this little known headline is. … [Continue reading] about The Case Against Swiping Part 1 (UPDATE)

Promise + Proof = Profits

by 22 Comments

This entry was originally published waaay back on July 27, 2011. Thankfully, not all of the stuff I put out then was crap. I'm republishing it on August 10, 2024. What's changed in the world of direct mail supplement selling since then? … [Continue reading] about Promise + Proof = Profits

Strange Ads That Sell

by 2 Comments

Have you ever noticed an ad in a newspaper or magazine and thought to yourself: "Who'd be crazy enough to pay for such an insertion?" Then you see the same ad again and raise your eyebrows. By the tenth time you come across the ad, you may not … [Continue reading] about Strange Ads That Sell

David Ogilvy and the 10 Day Home Confinement Ad

by 2 Comments

How do you really know if you're a copywriter and not just someone who dabbles in writing ads? It's pretty easy to tell. Little things like meals (and showers) cease to have the same importance when you're in the heat of writing an ad. David … [Continue reading] about David Ogilvy and the 10 Day Home Confinement Ad

Attack of the Killer TINYTORIALS

Untold thousands of "Marie Davant" tinytorials (tiny advertorials) graced the pages of print for over four decades. BUT... one wonders... did Marie Davant even exist? … [Continue reading] about Attack of the Killer TINYTORIALS

All Time Top 10 Ad in Education (“How to Become a Straight-A Student”)

As Rosser Reeves noted: "A gifted product is mightier than a gifted pen." This evergreen book is a textbook example of that quote. Over thirty years later Getting Straight A's is still touted by students and parents alike. This ad had … [Continue reading] about All Time Top 10 Ad in Education (“How to Become a Straight-A Student”)

They Laughed At the John Caples Swipe… Until! (UPDATED)

by Leave a Comment

John Caples was the great story selling adman of the early 20th Century. Seems like "They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano" has been swiped more times than memory champion Akira Haraguchi can recite π (Pi)... to 111,700 digits in 2015. But … [Continue reading] about They Laughed At the John Caples Swipe… Until! (UPDATED)

SMASHING 800-Pound Gorilla Objections in Your Headline

Recently one day, I stumbled across this remarkable print ad and asked myself the question: "How'd this ad get into my possession?" Then it hit me. Surely, this full page ad was no "mere mortal" ad. I reached for the 520-page transcript from … [Continue reading] about SMASHING 800-Pound Gorilla Objections in Your Headline

Mail Order Ad by Gene Schwartz’s Copywriting Mentor: Cecil Hoge

by 7 Comments

If you've heard the story of a young Gene Schwartz working one day in the mail room and a few short years later becoming a mail order millionaire, then here is an interesting ad. It was written in 1975 by the son of the man who showed Gene the … [Continue reading] about Mail Order Ad by Gene Schwartz’s Copywriting Mentor: Cecil Hoge

The Golfer Struck by Lightning… and the Marketer Who Struck Millions in Mail Order (UPDATED)

by Leave a Comment

Here are some hard won secrets for selling in the golf market... From one of the ablest marketers of our time. … [Continue reading] about The Golfer Struck by Lightning… and the Marketer Who Struck Millions in Mail Order (UPDATED)

One of the Greatest U.S.P.s You’ll Ever See

What do advertising and martial arts have in common? A lot actually. The world of general advertising is still largely clueless about sales. Many advertisers never make an offer or ask for the sale -- they have no idea whether their ad's been … [Continue reading] about One of the Greatest U.S.P.s You’ll Ever See

This Ad Reminds Me of the Midtown-Manhattan Store with the Giant “Going Out of Business” Signs… for 17 Straight Years!

by Leave a Comment

Anyone wandering around Midtown Manhattan from the 1980s to the early 2000s remembers the electronics and furniture stores with the giant gaudy "Going Out of Business'' signs plastered on the store fronts. … [Continue reading] about This Ad Reminds Me of the Midtown-Manhattan Store with the Giant “Going Out of Business” Signs… for 17 Straight Years!