Here is an ad from Hume Financial written 25 years ago.
When I first came across these ads a few years ago, I knew there were some heavyweight pens behind them.
Here’s how I discovered more.
I was lucky to be an attendee as well as exchange a few emails with Gary Bencivenga around the time of his landmark seminar in New York in 2005. Several of my early subscribers told me my enthusiasm for his event infected them sufficiently to become B-100 “top guns” as well.
In addition to meeting all the mega-talented attendees over meals and cocktails, as well as “coping” with Bencivenga’s two day brain dump, the seminar was a memorable homecoming for me.
With plenty of revelry on Friday night, I was most surprised the next day when Bencivenga called my name during a dazed moment to talk about my product.
To this day, I have no idea what rambling utterances I made before some of the most talented marketers and writers in the world. Perhaps, I’ll muster the courage to play the final seminar DVD.
Anyway, in one of those emails, Gary mentioned he had written a successful direct mail package for Hume which was condensed into a winning space ad. His ad was one in a series of a dozen or so. Gary didn’t know who the other writers were beyond they were the top copy talent of the 1980’s. He categorized these ads as “all uniformly great.”
Take a look at this ad. Everything flows like an ensemble. It’s unlikely you’ll see a better order coupon…I mean No Risk Enrollment Form. By the way, this one isn’t Gary’s.
“Marketing Secrets So Powerful You’ll Jump Tall Buildings Faster Than A Speeding Bullet”
Spent the morning reading my collection of The Gary Halbert Letter including all of the Boron Letters. Then made a Dogpile search and found you Mr. Bernstein – an absolute treasure trove of magic.
Earlier discovery of both resources would have saved me the 6-figure price tag of a marketing MBA, thus allowing me to just get on with it sooner. Better late than never, still.