The Ad Money Machine

“The kit is identical to one my friend paid a dentist $600 for and actually worked faster”

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Here’s a textbook teeth whitening ad from the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The before-and-after picture is a hallmark of the weight loss and anti-aging markets. Of course, in a black and white print ad, no one can say it’s not easily photoshopped, but the before and after difference is still stark and effective.

Comtrad Industries (later Techno-Scout), run out of Virginia, was a direct response player on the national level for over a decade. [Continue reading]

44 Giant Pages of Course Creation Copywriting

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Advertisers who can drop a quarter million dollars for full page color insertions in Time magazine must know a thing or two. No, we're not talking about pharma advertising here, but solid direct response in education. You've likely seen this … [Continue reading]

My Copywriting “Blasphemies” Against Eugene Schwartz (Plus “A Used Advertising Book For $900?” and Selling Million Dollar Copywriting Courses)

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In this possibly convoluted entry, , I'm going to show you the promos which sold several million bucks worth of information products back in the mid-2000s. These straightforward sales letters are among the BEST TEMPLATES I've seen for selling … [Continue reading]

Which Headline Won? “Panics And Crashes… And How You Can Make Money Out Of Them”

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In 1973, investors not only worried over rampant inflation and the possibility of market collapse, but had to deal with the crushing effects of the 1973 Oil Embargo, including lines that stretched for blocks to fill up their gas tanks. Fifty years … [Continue reading]

Lipstick on a Pig Advertising During the Last Meltdown (“Real Estate Slowdown Triggers Investor Bonanza”)

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By August of 2007 when this full page lead generation-seminar ad appeared in major market media, the Global Financial Crisis (GFC for short) was already underway. While I've never been a raving fan of the nothing-down real estate market, I've long … [Continue reading]

“Will you survive the next crash?” (“Panics & Crashes and How You Can Make Money Out of Them”)

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It's easy to understand what's going on in early 2023 in the world of money and banking. Just read an ad from 1973. And not just any ad but a SMASH hit during the Oil Embargo of 1973 with off the charts inflation and banks teetering on the … [Continue reading]

“Do NOT Withdraw a Dime from Your Retirement Without Reading This First”

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I guess this is the counterpart headline to “Do NOT deposit another dollar in your bank account until you read THIS book!” This lead has a strong track record of winning readership. And Newsmax excels in this much shrunken space of marketing … [Continue reading]

“Ronald Reagan Was Elected President of the ‘Titanic'” (Plus: Why “They” Hate Us)

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Howard Ruff was the man of the hour (or more like the decade in the 80s) in the financial publishing world powered by direct response. This 1981 ad on the now timely topic of inflation hails from Times Books, which Mel Martin was the marquis … [Continue reading]

“It’s nearly dawn in Washington, DC… a van rumbles up to the White House delivery dock…”

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Bill Bonner is the undisputed heavyweight champ of enargia in  copywriting. Enargia may not flow off the tip of the tongue, but this word of Greek origin for "vividness," has a great track record for selling, both in direct mail and in … [Continue reading]