Mel Martin Copywriting Swipe File

Never heard of Mel Martin?

Join the club.

Countless direct response marketers and copywriters — some with a very high level of attainment — greet his name with a blank stare.

After Gene Schwartz helped Marty Edelston lay the foundation for Boardroom, it was Mel Martin’s copywriting fascinations that turned it into a $100 million a year operation.

He was so critical to Boardroom’s success, his name was kept a secret for fear he’d be snatched up by another company.

But ten years before Mel Martin wrote a line of copy for Boardroom, he pioneered a new and far more lethal brand of bullet called a “fascination.”

Even today, many copywriting bullets are rubber on impact. The prospect glances over them and returns to business unfazed.

Try this with the next list of bullets you encounter.  Notice how tedious it can be reading bullets that always start with “how to” or “why.”

Prior to Mel Martin, most bullets were just typographical symbols wedged next to a benefit.

Mel changed the game and his ads successfully sold everything from cook books to almanacs to guides on continuing education.

• Want to learn the secret to writing bullets that automatically draw friends, power, love, money far beyond your fondest dreams into your life OVERNIGHT? See page 294.

Just click this link for one of Mel’s ads: For golfers who are almost (but not quite) satisfied with their game — and can’t figure out what they’re doing wrong.

Related Video: Targeting Your Ideal Prospects… Lessons from Mel Martin

For people who are almost (but not quite) satisfied with their own cooking — and can’t figure out what’s missing.

• If your crepes are delicious but too heavy, see page 263.
• The gourmet uses of kosher salt? See page 3 and page 22.
• If your cooked shrimp gets dry or rubbery when you
keep it overnight. see page 136.
• If your fried eggplant tastes oilier than it should, see
page 176.
• If you sauté chicken livers perfectly but they come out
tough, see page 152.
•How to make bottled horseradish taste like the fresh
kind. See page 211.
•How to keep sour cream from burning when you cook
with it. See page 23.
• What to add to domestic paprika if you can’t find the
imported kind. See page 69.
• A substitute for champagne sauce that isn’t perfect, but
works. See page 97.
[Read more…] about The Chef’s Secret Cook Book (Mel Martin Ad #16)

Here’s a 1972 display ad by one of the two pioneers of the modern copywriting bullet, Mel Martin. The other was Ralph Ginzburg.

Though this ad was written many years before Mel signed on with Boardroom, and shot their sales into the stratosphere with his trademark fascinations, this ad isn’t so far from the level he was writing at for them in the late 80’s and early 90’s.

“For New Yorkers Who Would Rather Ride Bikes”

A few weeks ago I posted an ad from the pioneer of copywriting fascinations: Mel Martin. My subscribers wanted more so here goes.

There is no area in copywriting that’ll pay you bigger dividends faster than crafting great bullets. And who better to learn from then Mel Martin.

It took me over two years to turn these ads up.

Here’s Mel Martin’s: “For people who are almost (but not quite) satisfied with their own cooking — and can’t figure out what’s missing.”