You’re Being Robbed!

One of the most unsung copywriting talents is the husband and wife team, Ralph and Shoshanna Ginzburg.

Ralph Ginzburg was the front man and the raw energy behind the duo and he wound up in two Supreme Court battles.

In one case, several analysts believe he lost an obscenity conviction and went to jail for a book title that was too good.

What was the title?

The “Housewife’s Handbook on Selective Promiscuity.”

In the other case, Ginzburg was forced to pay $1 in damages in a defamation suit brought by then presidential candidate, Barry Goldwater, after his political publication, Fact, ran an article questioning Goldwater’s psychological stability.

Ralph Ginzburg was certainly a lighting rod that drew bountiful attention but it was his wife, Shoshanna, who supposedly produced most of the copy that launched five separate publications.

Moneysworth, far and away is the one most interesting to copywriters and direct marketers today.

As it’s described in the ad above, “Moneysworth is your own personal consumer crusader, trusted stockbroker, and chancellor of the exchequer – all in one.”

It captured over a million paying subscribers with ads featuring short, bold headlines like HELP!, FREE FOOD, CHEAP!, FREE MONEY, YOU’RE BEING ROBBED, FREE MARRIAGE MANUAL and many more.

The copywriting fascinations that the team came up with were an inspiration to a generation of great copywriters and they still have plenty of firepower today. Just try some in your email subject lines and tweets and you’ll see what I mean.

Here are a few fascinations including some unforgettable puns.

• Free Land, Free Food And Free Money from Uncle Sam
• Getting Your Congressman to Do Your Research For You
• The Yurt: Incredible $350 House
• Don’t Sneeze At This Cold Remedy
• Are Hay Fever Shots Pointless?
• Heart Docs Change Positions On Sex
• How Doctors Diet
• Prostitutes Laid Low By Inflation
• How To By Art Without Getting Framed

There are hundreds more where these came from. As always, you can download the ad by clicking on the thumbnail above.