Here are two of the longest running space ads of the last fifty years.
Perhaps you’ve even seen some of the tiny (1/8 page) yet high converting ads featuring Norman Rockwell with the headline: “We’re Looking For People Who Like to Draw…Free Art Talent Test.”
I can’t say with metaphysical certainty that John Caples wrote these two mega successful lead generation ads but it would be a fair bet.
Here’s why.
The Famous Artists School was a client of BBDO in the 50’s and 60’s where John Caples was the franchise player. Caples was not only a copywriting legend but actively writing ads.
Caples was also part of the faculty of The Famous Writers School, a spin off of the tried and tested Famous Artists School.
No one tell me the idea for Agora’s “American Writers and Artists Institute” wasn’t swiped here.
Copy from…Announcing: Famous Writers School
“Advertising writing — You observe the results of years of experience and the expenditure of billions of dollars in planning and writing advertising campaigns for some of America’s largest corporations. Every copy style and all major advertising mediums are covered: newspapers, magazine, radio, television, direct mail, mail order. You acquire an understanding of how an agency functions as well as how it solves the problems which face its advertising clients.”
Send for Famous Writers Talent Test
“To help find people with an aptitude for witting that is worth developing, the twelve famous writers have created a revealing test to show you whether you should think seriously about professional training. If you do have this aptitude we will tell you so. If you don’t, we will frankly tell you that, too. After your test has been graded without charge by a professional writer on our staff, it will be returned to you.”
[…] of the great man. BBDO. Tested Advertising Methods. They Laughed When I Sat Down At the Piano. Famous Artists School and Famous Writers School. Direct marketing as we know it today. Even self-serving details about an advertising award I won in […]