Archive for September, 2008
Fascinating Take On Current Events For Copywriters…
Saturday, September 27th, 2008…and marketers at Lawrence Bernstein’s “Info Marketing Blog”.
I’ve sung the praises of Lawrence’s blog before.
What he’s been doing lately is link in some classic direct response ads to the dramatic events unfolding in the financial and political arenas.
Review - Ben Settle’s “The Copywriting Grab Bag”
Wednesday, September 17th, 2008Here’s my somewhat belated review of Ben Settle’s “The Copywriting Grab Bag” (I’ve been busy over the last week, what can I say?).
More of a monster special report rather than a simple book, what you get for your money is…
The Marketing Genius Of Damien Hirst
Tuesday, September 16th, 2008Recently came across a couple of items about the contemporary British artist Damien Hirst. If you’re not familiar with Hirst, he is something of an “enfant terrible” of the modern art scene and is best known for works featuring dead animals in formaldehyde.
The first is from the current issue of “The Economist” (“The shark’s last [...]
“Scientific Advertising In The 21st Century” - Part 11 “Information”
Thursday, September 11th, 2008“Information” is the subject of Chapter 11 of the copywriting classic “Scientific Advertising” by Claude Hopkins.
In today’s language, what Hopkins is talking about is better understood as research.
Hopkins was firmly of the view that…
“An ad-writer, to have a chance at success, must gain full information on his subject…A painstaking advertising man will often read for [...]
Father’s Day In Australia
Sunday, September 7th, 2008Today (Sunday Sep 7) is Father’s Day down here in Australia.
Have a great day Fathers everywhere and a big “Thank You” (to Mums as well)!
How To Flush $300m Down The Toilet…
Saturday, September 6th, 2008Every now and again a major corporation really raises the bar in ludicrous advertising.
And Microsoft has just stepped up and probably just flushed $300m down the toilet with it’s new advertising campaign (“Bill Gates And Seinfeld In Bizarre $300m Ad Campaign For Microsoft”).
Briefly, the ad shows Jerry Seinfeld running into Bill Gates in a discount [...]
Classic Tip For Power Copywriting
Thursday, September 4th, 2008Latest post from copywriting genius John Carlton is titled “Your Tip For The Week” and contains some great pointers to make your copywriting more punchy and effective.
It’s timeless advice that anyone familiar with John’s teaching will recognise but it bears repeating.
In a nutshell…
What A Master of The “Voiceover” Can Teach Copywriters
Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008There are many copywriting and marketing lessons available from a study of movies and movie trailers.
I’ve commented before about the the power of stories in copywriting and how movies can be good illustrations and examples of storylines and themes.
Movie trailers can also contain useful lessons, particularly now that video is becoming increasingly important in online [...]
Fantastic Example Of Concise Copywriting
Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008A few weeks back Frank Kern was causing a bit of a storm with his marketing for his “Mass Control” program. One of the tips he shared was what he referred to as John Carlton’s 3-step copywriting formula. To recap, it’s…
1. Here’s what I’ve got.
2. Here’s what it will do for you.
3. Here’s what I [...]