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
The crimes they commit against their ads
Advertisers sabotage themselves in countless ways. But of all the ways to go wrong, this one is the CAPITAL crime of direct response advertising. And, while it's a crime of omission, it murders sales (and growth) like no other. What is … [Continue reading] about The crimes they commit against their ads
Before banks were synonymous with vampire squids
Here's a lead generation ad, or a want ad if you will, from Merrill Lynch during their halcyon days in the early 1970s. Before the era of the vampire squids and the CEOs who detonated century old companies with toxic derivatives, Merrill was a … [Continue reading] about Before banks were synonymous with vampire squids
Sarah and the Webatronics Tele Scam
Seth Godin sold a fair number of books with the title, All Marketers Are Liars. And these days, that's just scratching the surface. It seems no matter which way you turn, there's no shortage of nefarious types willing to prey on good-natured -- … [Continue reading] about Sarah and the Webatronics Tele Scam
Ads That Command: The Outrageous Challenge
Through the lens of 2016, this ad's copy might not be up to snuff. But it wasn't scintillating ad copy that kept Robert Allen's ads and spots going strong for decades. Allen had countless competitors in the "nothing down" real estate market -- … [Continue reading] about Ads That Command: The Outrageous Challenge
Math Wizard Reveals Amazing Secrets Of Calculating Skills
"Math Wizard Reveals Amazing Secrets Of Calculating Skills Students shed calculators and pencils with Math Magic." The "Math Magic" course was successful in print for many years and, like the "Total Transformation" campaign, is a great … [Continue reading] about Math Wizard Reveals Amazing Secrets Of Calculating Skills
Mail Order Ad by Gene Schwartz’s Copywriting Mentor: Cecil Hoge
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 man who showed Gene the ropes in the … [Continue reading] about Mail Order Ad by Gene Schwartz’s Copywriting Mentor: Cecil Hoge
Copywriting: Headline Nightmares
Whenever I interview a prospective copywriting or consulting client, one of the first questions I usually ask is: "who's this product for?" And more often than I'd like to hear, I get the answer: "it's for everyone." Experience has taught me to … [Continue reading] about Copywriting: Headline Nightmares
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 … [Continue reading] about Wrinkles FEAR Her
20 Year Direct Mail Control: Burn Disease Out Of Your Body
How many direct mail packages in the alternative medicine market can boast two decades of mailing? This one, written by Eugene Schwartz and first mailed in 1979, had more stamina than the Energizer Bunny. It finally stopped mailing in the early … [Continue reading] about 20 Year Direct Mail Control: Burn Disease Out Of Your Body
CNBC Replaces Sex
The American writer and public intellectual, Gore Vidal, once quipped: "As one gets older, litigation replaces sex." If Vidal had made it to the gym in his later years, he would've switched "litigation" for "CNBC." Let me explain. This … [Continue reading] about CNBC Replaces Sex
Why “Armageddon Advertising” Sells
From 1979-1981, Doug Casey's full page ads proclaiming "the Great Depression of the 1980s" were in newspapers all over America. His book, Crisis Investing, became the bestselling financial book in history, hit #1 on the New York Times Best Seller … [Continue reading] about Why “Armageddon Advertising” Sells
The “Billionaire Bonehead” of Direct Mail Marketing
"$100 Million Wasted On Ads That Never Pay" was written by Claude Hopkins in 1909. Hopkins was possibly the highest salaried copywriter in history -- he pulled down today's equivalent of $4.5 million a year. There was a reason his boss, Albert … [Continue reading] about The “Billionaire Bonehead” of Direct Mail Marketing
Mississippi Man Discovers Long Lost Tapes Made By Elvis Presley Before He Became Famous
Mississippi Man Discovers Long Lost Tapes Made By Elvis Presley Before He Became Famous! Here's a one-off insertion in the L.A. Times from 1988 that Gary Halbert wrote and published. I don't know of anyone who's ever seen this one … [Continue reading] about Mississippi Man Discovers Long Lost Tapes Made By Elvis Presley Before He Became Famous
Jack3d Article in the New York Times
Anyone in the alt-health and supplement business can't help but notice the growing trend of wrongful death cases. A few weeks ago, I wrote how Manoj Bhargava, founder of 5-Hour Energy, went on the assault when his company came into the spotlight due … [Continue reading] about Jack3d Article in the New York Times
Cushioning The Claim
$25,000 Dollars For a Few Hours Work Doesn't Seem Fair! This ad had widespread insertions in the early 1980s and was written by one of the most successful operators in the biz-op category, a man named John Chriswell of Sterling Virginia. Even at … [Continue reading] about Cushioning The Claim