Advertising has a lot in common with chess.
To the outsider looking in, it can be hard to understand what’s going on.
“Hey, why did White resign?” is a typical comment, you’d find in a random YouTube video.
“White didn’t resign, the game’s a draw by perpetual check!” an astute observer will reply.
And it will be met with: “What’s perpetual check?” Etcetera.
Unlike boxing where there’s no confusion about a knockout, whether it’s a spectator ‘s first bout or his thousandth, some subjects demand an investment of time and energy before one is qualified to comment.
Direct response advertising is definitely one of these. I recall a comment made a while back. It went something like this:
“It’s impossible to know if an ad is a WINNER at first glance, but…
You can always recognize a dud!”
Speaking for myself, I’m not sure that’s always so. For example, I stumbled across this ad for Income Opportunities Newsletter from way back in 1969. It seems this promoter was working via direct mail and classified advertising, since this is the only display ad I can find.
I was really taken with “This Man Has the Power to Make You Rich” at first glance.
Who is this sedate looking direct response operator from a half-century ago? His name isn’t mentioned anywhere in the ad, so the reader has to assume he’s the all knowing editor of the publication on offer.
But this headline with stopping power and so much promise… quickly disappoints because the headline is never paid off. Plus, the copy is really raw and doesn’t get the greed glands going, as Gary Halbert would say.
A MUST for a biz-op promo.
Maybe that’s why the insertion ran a total of once. It’s safe to assume no one bought, but that’s not the headline’s fault.
I get the distinct feeling this advertiser swiped this headline, but I haven’t a clue from where.
Nevertheless, it’s worth a larcenous try sometime.
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