OK, as I write this, it’s still June 12 in the USA…
…but it’s morning on June 13 here in Australia.
Which means…
…I forgot that June 12 is the birthday of one of the greatest copywriters of all time…
…the incomparable “Sir” Gary Halbert.
(And I forgot despite a very thoughtful email to remind me from Gary’s son Kevin.)
Here’s what Gary’s son had to say about his father…
*****
As with most great copywriters, my father loved stories. He had an incredible appetite for books and movies which helped make it easy for him to find the interesting story behind products and services.
He would take in 4 or 5 movies a week and while growing up, Kevin and I were always tagging along.
Pop would just grab the paper and scan it for a movie he had not already seen.
The movies were always playing in Westwood or up on Hollywood Blvd. and we would immediately head out to wherever the movie was playing next.
If there was time to kill, we would head to a bookstore where he could spend hours on end if need be.
To encourage reading, he bought us any book we wanted as long as we read it and I do the same for my kids.
If there was no time to hit up the bookstore, we would go right afterward.
So as you can imagine, my simple ritual is to take in a movie and go to the bookstore on his birthday which reminds me of how he taught us to enjoy life.
*****
Interesting to note that Halbert, like so many top copywriters, was a lover of stories and the movies.
Now, if I had remembered it was Gary’s birthday, I would have been quite happy to spend yesterday afternoon at the movies and browsing bookstores (I highly recommend Kinokuniya in Sydney). Make a note for next June 12.
Two resources to check out…
Firstly, “The Gary Halbert Letter” is a veritable treasure-trove.
Secondly, copywriting ace Michel Fortin conducted 2 interviews with Gary in 2005, I recall. These are jam-packed with insights and tips that will be of great value to anyone involved in direct response marketing or copywriting.
Here’s the link to those Gary Halbert interviews.
Gary Halbert…I salute you!