Here’s an ad written by advertising legend and modern day Renaissance man, Bruce Barton, almost 79 years ago.
The headline: “Panics Are Only Growing Pains!”
Subhead: ”Some of America’s biggest fortunes were founded in Hard Times. Will you reap the reward of your foresight when the Depression is over?”
The ad was written for one of Barton’s flagship clients, The Alexander Hamilton School, the then preeminent self-improvement organization.
What’s not to like about this ad?More on Tough Times Don’t Last…Tough People Do!
Filed under Direct Response Copywriting Swipe File, Recession Beaters by 
Even the most irrational optimist can smell the fear in the air.
Turn on the news or read the papers and it’s unavoidable.
Despite the fact that many online businesses, large and small, are thriving, you don’t hear much about them because bad news seems to sell better.
As marketers, we can only go where the current takes us if we want to operate with greatest efficiency and that means ethically capitalizing on the omnipresent fear which stretches from the self-defense market all the way to high finance.
Here’s a 40 year old ad which uses the fear trigger to sell. I’m making a guess that it came out of copy legend, Dan Rosenthal’s agency because the publishing house was a stone’s throw away from his agency in New Rochelle, New York.
A Google search for a term like, “disaster preparation” is ripe with advertisers, so “dated “ads like these can come in very handy.
You can right click on the thumbnail and choose “Save Link/Target As” to download the 168 KB PDF.
The martial arts and self-defense sales letters on this page are some of the finest, contemporary examples of using the fear trigger to sell.
Filed under Direct Response Copywriting Swipe File by
How To Get $50,000 In Marketing Resources Free…Anytime And Anyplace
Michael Senoff is the CEO and publisher of HardToFindSeminars.com, the world’s leading free digital audio business library.
His site is truly awe inspiring!
In the click of your mouse you’re launched into a new, parallel universe of the wealthy and famous.
Genuine success story after genuine success story are there in full downloadable audio interviews. These recordings are not just testimonials – They’re step by step detailed blueprints for your very own success. Take the tour at HardToFindSeminars.com
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It’s a shame the word ‘artist’ is connected to that small yet unimaginative segment that pilfers both successful products and advertising copy.
Case in point.
Sometimes an ad comes along that totally tips the scales of the market. Usually, it’s for a combination of reasons.
- The headline is attention grabbing on a gut level
- The layout is loaded with proof mechanisms
- The offer makes it easier to say “yes” than to turn the page
You undoubtedly remember Dr. Robert Atkins? The great popularizer of the low-carbohydrate, high protein diet and the front man of a $100 million company.
He was a player in the weight loss industry for over three decades until he met an untimely end while traversing an ice patch on Lexington Avenue in 2003.
Considering how fast the door revolves on diet gurus, Dr. Atkins had the equivalent of several lifetimes worth of super success.
Breakthrough ad that launched a $100 million business
You’re looking at the 1972 ad that shook up the world of weight loss.
If you went back in a time machine to 1972 and opened up enough newspapers or magazines, you would surely bump into this ad for “Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution.”
Though by today’s standards, there are several flaws in the copy and the bullets are rubber on impact, the headline, layout and offer were powerful enough to carry the ball into the end zone for two solid years.
Imagine resuscitating this headline in 2007?
Do you think it would grab some attention? How about the layout?
While today having an MD (and even a few PhD’s) after a diet promoter’s name is a given, back in 1972, a white coated doctor seated at his desk with arms folded was a powerful proof mechanism that leapt of the page.
This ad not only had as great a run in the diet market as one could dream for but it paved the way for the decades of success that followed.
Enter stage right: Knock-off artist
“Hey, if Robert Atkins can do it than so can I.
Not only that, let me attach an unbelievable promise to the seemingly successful: ‘Now you can command your body’ lead in.”
This is what always trips up knock-off artists, as well as the “plug-and-play” variety of swipers.
They fail to grasp the subtleties that make up a breakthrough ad and crudely attempt to plug in their details into a winning template.
So while the ad on the left “looks” a lot like the Atkins’ ad it’s really Sears & Roebuck faking at Savile Row.
So what’s wrong with this ad? A few things.
- Unlike the startling power of the headline, “Now you can command your body to melt away fat,” the knock-off tries to trump the original by adding the unbelievable claim: “stay permanently slim!” Hey, most people would accept six months of slim.
- Replacing the powerful visual “melt fat away” with the generic “lose weight” only weakens the headline.
- Because this ad closely followed the Atkins’ control, the market perceived it as derivative. “Command you body” had already worked its magic and on some level, the market was still aware of this.
It didn’t take more than a few insertions to see this ad was a bomb.
But what about wielding the core of Atkins’ idea in 2007?
Something like: “Now you can command your body to shed 13 pounds of fat in the next 30 days using the xyz plan.”
Just like investments and even fashion trends, advertising to a degree is cyclical.
Surprisingly, reaching back into the bank of winning ideas from just five to ten years ago can open up fresh avenues of attack in your marketplace.
Yours for bolder ideas,
P.S. I’ll actually be back with some new content soon. And don’t believe everything you read about the recession. Remember, tough times don’t last — tough people do!
Filed under Diet Advertising, Direct Response Copywriting Swipe File by
Two powerhouse direct marketers credit the same little known book by Frank Bettger for their success: Gary Bencivenga, the world’s greatest living copywriter and Marty Edelston, the founder of the $100 million per annum company, Boardroom.
After reading Victor Schwab’s spectacular (for the 1950′s) bullets, I’ve pulled “How I Raised Myself From Failure To Success Through Selling” for a needed refresher.
I am making a guess that Victor Schwab not only wrote the ad for the book but also the chapter titles. Schwab’s extensive track record at that time included the world class ad for “How To Win Friends And Influence People.” That was also the headline for the ad. One of the few instances in which the title of the book is so good, it’s impossible to come up with something better.
Bettger understood the power of great copy and smartly turned the chapter titling over to one of the world’s best ad writers rather than a book editor.
Keep in mind these bullets were written in 1950. It’d be another twenty years until the modern bullet was crafted by Ralph Ginzburg and Mel Martin.
- I was welcomed everywhere when I did this
- An idea that helped me get into the “major leagues”
- The biggest reason why salesman lose business
- A $250,000 sale in 15 minutes
- The most important word I have found in selling
- How I find hidden objection
- The secret of making appointments
- This interview taught me how to overcome my fear of approaching big men
- How I learned to outsmart secretaries and switchboard operators
- How to let the customer help you make the sale
- Seven rules I use in closing the sale
Here is Victor Schwab’s full page ad.
Filed under Direct Response Copywriting Swipe File by
Robert Allen has been one of the most successful information marketers in the real estate arena for over twenty years. Though he may not be writing the copy, this guy knows how to use space advertising and invests millions each year in print media across the United States.
Even though it appears the real estate market is on ice in the States for the foreseeable future, there are always pockets of opportunity in this market, and heed must be paid to Robert Allen’s display ads.
You have to love his positioning.
Here’s a brief history of the challenges I’ve faced in becoming a best-selling author:
My first challenge, and the one that initially thrust me into the international spotlight, was when I said, “Send me to any city in America. Take away my wallet. Give me $100 for living expenses. In 72 hours, I’ll buy an excellent piece of property, using none of my own money.”
The LA Times called me on my challenge and sent me to San Francisco. Fifty-seven hours later, I had taken title to seven properties, generating assets worth $722,000!
A few years later, I did the St. Louis Challenge when I said, “Send me to any unemployment line in America. Let me select someone that is broke, out of work, and discouraged. In two days time, I’ll teach him my strategies for Wealth Creation. In 90 days, he’ll be back on his feet with $5,000 in the bank, never to set foot in an unemployment line again.”
“My Big Mouth Could Make You A Millionaire” (2004)
Filed under Real Estate Advertising by
Here’s a text book lead generation ad for art lessons by mail.
The advertiser followed in the profitable footsteps of the Famous Artists School.
For complete details simply mail the special invitation certificate below and we will send you free, at once, the big helpful book “Art For Pleasure and Profit.”
Will you let us prove that you can learn to draw and paint — at your home in your spare time? We will send you by return mail the valuable FREE book, “Art for Pleasure and Profit” — and we will tell you how you can receive, free,
a beautiful folio of two Art Lessons from the world renowned Washington School of Art. This generous offer is made for one reason: to dramatize how quickly our training can get you started doing that professional drawings, paintings, even profitable advertising art in fashion illustration.Study With Master Artists
You learn from lessons prepared by 11 master artists including
internationally famous professor, Otto Dix, the German expressionist
and Mario Cooper N.A, president of the American Water Color Society who
share with you the skills and know-how they use themselves.
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Here’s an update to 100 Money Blueprints. If you haven’t gotten an email from me with the password, just turn to page 4 of 115 in “100 Money Blueprints” and enter the last word on page 4 as the password.
In this update, you’ll find ads for particularly obscure markets like witchcraft, remote viewing, chants, mind control, telekinesis, etc. Don’t discount these markets as being filled with gullible nutters. Many of these ads had years worth of insertions. Look at the way Gene Schwartz massages the dreams, desires and fantasies of the prospect. Many of these markets are seeing a resurgence of response today.
There are other relevant niches in this update as well.
I spot several evergreen subjects among these including one for Edward Mrvicka’s book below, which is now a late night television infomercial for a book called, “Secrets Banks and Lenders Don’t Want You to Know” by Richard Weathington. Very much in the style of Kevin Trudeau with a $500 piece of software as the backend.
Magic Words To Command Miracles Of Wealth, Love And Health In Minutes! Robert Ferguson’s “Psychic Telemetry: New Key To Health, Wealth and Perfect
Living”
Three words from this book saved this man’s arm, and his life! This is a space ad written by Gene Schwartz to promote his book, “The Sound of One Mind Thinking.” A spiritual ad characterized by Gene’s classic future pacing. Example: “Alone? Desperate? Afriad? Then you start on page 13.
Doctors Claim New Miracle Drug Reverses Aging Process — Can Prolong Healthy Life Up To 120-150 Years of Age… No harmful side effects…safer than aspirin. “H3 in the Battle Against Old Age” by Henry Marx. The “dramatic” before-and-after photo “as shown on CBS news” gives this 1980′s display ad its juice.
Dr James K. Van Fleet Claims: “Your Aches And Pains Disappear With Amazing CHV.” (The Magic of Catalytic Health Vitalizers)
NOW — You can Live Like A King and never want again with the Miracle Power of… OMNI-COSMOS. It’s true! This hidden energy power responds at once to help you gain endless streams of wealth…control the thoughts of others…achieve protection from evil…make illness disappear…and much more!
Revealed At Last! 265 “Kinetic Energy” Chants Which Will Bring You Anything You Want Automatically! (Raymond Buckland, “The Magic of Chant-o-Matics”)
Now — Enjoy a life of unbelievable riches, lasting love and constant protection with the secrets in this startling WITCH BOOK — THE MAGIC POWER OF WITCHCRAFT (You have to love the dripping candle font — what a grabber. (Gavin Frost and Yvonne Frost, “The Magic Power of Witchcraft”) The premium, “The Witches Protection Amulet,” must have drove a lot of sales for this book because this ad had plenty of insertions.
Is Youth Restorative X The Secret of Perfect Health and Complete Freedom From Disease? (Ad for “Rapid Healing Foods” by Ben Davis.)
Dr. Marilyn Rosanes-Berrett says, “Unless you are a rare case, you could learn to see better without glasses than you now see with them.” The claim: “improved sight — without glasses — is within the reach of millions of people!” The layout: more advertorial in appearance than anything else in this batch – the headline is even in lower case. (“Do You Really Need Eyeglasses?”)
From Edward F. Mrvicka…“This Way, You Have Your $100,000 Home Paid For, plus savings of $220,355.16! Ad for “The Bank Book.” Couple of infomercials airing in 2010 — same, exact concept.
The Home Library of 501 FREE and LOW-COST MEDICAL TREATMENT and Services. Yes, 501 different ways to save time, money and sheer agony the next time you need a doctor…a dentist…a pharmacist…a psychiatrist…or a hospital. Including –
Sexual fulfillment after 40…A distinguished psychiatrist shows that men in their 40′s, 50′s, 60′s and even beyond can enjoy a sex life in many ways as satisfying as when they were in their twenties. (Dr. Louis P Saxe “Sex And The Mature Man”)
“Let me show you the secrets of WHITE WITCHCRAFT” — secrets that have helped others: bring money and prosperity…gain power over others and control their actions…attract and hold a lover…win at gambling…ward off the hex and stop the evil eye…get rid of demons (Al G. Manning “Helping Yourself With White Witchcraft”
Filed under Eugene Schwartz Copywriting Swipe File by
There’s always something new to be discovered.
Somehow, I’ve stumbled through the last few decades without encountering Rian B. Anderson’s heartwarming, “A Christmas Story.”
Thanks to Carl Galletti for letting me know about it.
Filed under Blog by
Imagine an online resource where you can instantly search thousands of the winningest space ads, magalogs and direct mail pieces from past to present.
Well, there’s no need to imagine it because it’s almost here
Writer’s block and idea block can be faint memories because you’ll be one click away from a mountain of tested and proven copy, winning design and inspiring ideas from the world’s foremost direct response companies.
Gary Bencivenga, who many consider the world’s greatest copywriter said of the original version: “I would gladly have paid…ten times, even 100 times its price.”
This version will be what a sports car is to a horse and buggy.
Here’s why.
See the little search box above and to the right?
Let’s say you’re looking for successful promotions where diabetes is the subject.
All you have to do is enter the term “diabetes” in the search box and out pops magalogs, direct mail and space ads related to diabetes.
Go ahead and try it.
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