Copy Test: “Write If You Want Work”
“Have you ever wondered how you could get a job as an advertising copywriter? Have you ever wondered if you could get a job as an advertising copywriter? This is your chance to find out. With this copy test. Eight entertaining and involving assignments that should stimulate and challenge you to do the thing you do best. Write.”
This was the opening of an unusual ad.
25 Years ago, the mega ad agency, J. Walter Thompson, ran this full page copy test in the New York Times, entitled, “Write If You Want Work.”
The candidates who took them up were given eight unusual writing assignments.
My favorite is #6.
“You’ve heard the story about the man who made a fortune selling refrigerators to Eskimos. In not more than 100 words, how would you sell a telephone to a Trappist monk, who is observing the strict Rule of Silence? (But he can nod acceptance at the end.)”
Ten people passed and joined JWT’s 85 member creative team.
Sorry, neither I, nor perhaps even JWT, have the winning submissions to this unusual series of exercises. Just reading the test will uncork your creativity bottle.
Click on the thumbnail to open the PDF.
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Interesting tidbit:
The contact person on this ad is Jim Patterson. At the time he was the creative director at JWT but now he is James Patterson, best-selling author of Kiss the Girls, Along Came A Spider and other thrillers.
Thanks, Matt…
An interesting personal tidbit:
No wonder I was drawn to those ad assignments. As you mentioned, Patterson is the author of Kiss the Spider, Along Came a Spider and Double Jeopardy, which were brought to the movie screen. The first two starred one of my all time favorite actors – Morgan Freeman – and the third film was directed by Bruce Beresford, who director Morgan Freeman in Driving Miss Daisy – one of my all time favorite films.
An interesting bit of synchronicity
LOVED the insanely curious email subject headline “Sell telephones to monks?” had to click on it.
Like DeNiro said to Billy Crystal in “Analyze This,” Lawrence, “You’re Good, man, you’re good!”
I spend hours a month trying to come up with headlines like that!
regards,
Hi! I was the first writer hired as a result of the test! I had done improv comedy for five years prior so the test was a lot of fun for me.
Now I am attempting to follow Mr. Patterson’s footsteps and am writing mysteries and thrillers!
Hi Chris,
Thanks for taking the time to comment and actually connect us with this most interesting moment in advertising history.
I find it fascinating that you had a stand-up comedy background because so many of our successful direct response copy colleagues have had door-to-door or at least face-to-face sales experience.
Certainly, doing stand-up demands one can think on his feet, like all good writers are supposed to. God knows, it hurts a shade more being booed off stage than merely flubbing a sales pitch.
Good luck following in the footsteps of your multi-talented mentor!
Lawrence
So Chris..just how DO you sell telephones to monks?!
Well, remember this was 1984. Computer modems were these cradles you had to jam a telephone handset into.
So, I told the Trappist that the rest of the world had caught up to him: “We’ve stopped talking and started communicating.”
Buy purchasing a phone and a modem, he would be connected to Monkmail a way to stay connected with Trappists all over the world.
Weird how it really came true…
Did a follow-up post on this.
http://www.infomarketingblog.com/write-2/
“Monkmail”…brilliant!
I also was among the 10 people hired. If you’d like, I still have a copy of my submission–just let me know. I ended up hating advertising, and I went on to own a volleyball league, start a website, and now I’m back in school to become a teacher.
Hi Billy,
Thanks for getting in touch. 2 down — you and Chris G. — now, only 8 to go! We’d love to see your submission. Just send it to lawrence@infomarketingblog.com
Never saw that ad – I was by that time marketing director in a different field. In the sixties I was a copywriter in San Francisco for BBDO and later JWT – my heroes were William Bernbach, David Ogilvy, and Leo Burnett – it was a wonderful, crazy time – we flew first class – enjoyed hotel rooms with twin king-sized beds – and ate well – the highlight of my career was working for an Irish ad agency and doing a campaign for a Jewish resort in Southern California (From Mishmash to Hoo Hah in 90 minutes!). Also did freelance copywriting in Europe for 12 – 13 years. What a bunch of super sensitive, out-sized egos! You’d have thought our text was sacred! I’m 82 and in Pittsburgh of all places and I’d do it again. I’d do it right now, in fact. God bless.
Hi Billy
I too would love to see your submission , my mail-id is aakashsingh@gmail.com .
And thanks to all for sharing the infromation . Its invaluable for ad industry aspirats like me.
Just wish there was some sort of copy test in India .