Here's a compact 4-page sales letter with a classic contrarian's alternative health headline... for the book, "Hushed Up Natural Heart Cures And Common Misconceptions of Popular Heart Treatments." There's a boatload of captivating bullets from … [Continue reading]
America, 2024 (Long Copy Glance 8… Years Into the Future)
Make an outlandish prediction long enough and eventually it may come true! And if you see much financial direct mail in your mailbox or inbox these days, this omnipresent theme is familiar... except 2024 is now less than a year away! "The year … [Continue reading]
“Lazy High School Drop-Out Gets $3-Million Dollars While Relaxing in His Bathrobe and Slippers!”
This headline is reminiscent of Jeff Paul's "How You Can Make $4,000.00 A Day, Sitting At Your Kitchen Table, In Your Underwear!" The copywriter for this full-throated business opportunity is most likely T.J. Rohleder and the promo is for an old … [Continue reading]
“But When Driving, These Sunglasses May Save Your Life!”
Here's another one from the fine folks at Stauer whose sister company is the ever-present Govmint.com Anytime I see a direct response offer for sunglasses, it's impossible not to compare it to the STANDARD the late, great Joe Sugarman set with his … [Continue reading]
“Good Cop, Bad Cop” Copy… From the Retail Copywriting Kingdom
Here's a fine example of personality in copy. It features the "Carpet Kings." Einstein Moomjy employed several ad agencies during its history, but the apex of their advertising was in the 1970s and 1980s. (I'm trying to track down the agency in … [Continue reading]
The “2 Bites at the Apple” Advertorial (“I Too Thought My Love Life Was Over Until I Decided Not to Visit My Doctor”)
A 6-year run for ANY ad is worth taking note of. But an advertorial like this, for one of those ubiquitous men's products, demands a deeper look. We've all learned from the great John Caples about the power of the advertorial. One of his … [Continue reading]
“An Open Letter to Somebody at the CIA” (Howard Ruff: Lead Gen Legend!)
Howard Ruff was the top dog in the newsletter world in the late 70s through the mid 80s. He's also the source of one of my favorite quotes about advertising "creative." Ruff's first rule of plagiarism: "Once I have stolen it, it's mine." But … [Continue reading]
Drive-Thru Nostalgia and More… Free Stuff for Seniors
"Seniors born before 1964 can claim these discounts" looks familiar. Here's where we've seen it before. … [Continue reading]
Yellow, Dog-Eared Bookalog Triumph! (“The Plague of the Black Debt” and CORRECTION)
This Agora bookalog is so old, British MP, Jacob Rees-Mogg's father, Lord Reese-Mogg, is one of the subjects :-) of this promo. Subjects... get it? This 115-page bookalog mailed in 1993 and represents a collaboration between James Dale Davidson … [Continue reading]
Caples On Copy
Caples on Copy, published in 1978, was part of the brilliant “The Wall Street Journal. It Works.” campaign. This print ad is like getting a bite size version of Tested Advertising Methods. (Note: the 4th edition or earlier of that book is the way … [Continue reading]
“Burn This Letter” (And “Money in the Dark” Direct Mail Marketing)
Almost everything this publisher mails is evocative of Lyle Stuart's maxim about direct mail being THE medium for "making money in the dark." What's the opposite of "money in the dark?" There's no better example (and warning!) than this case … [Continue reading]
“Global Warming Hoax? New Book Reveals Fact From Fiction…”
I'll level with you, . This entry isn't so much about my love of book advertising... Or my occasional zeal for polemics... No, here's the real reason. … [Continue reading]
“We have the men – will you provide the life-boats?”
Here's an insertion from Royal National Lifeboat Institution in The Field, originally billed as "the country gentleman’s newspaper." … [Continue reading]
“Save $215 on the Ultimate in European Goose Down Bedding”
As I'm typing this, on December 22, 2022, the weather headline of the day in North America reads: "Bomb cyclone and Arctic blast put 300 million under weather alerts" It's cold, dang cold, -24 degrees in Calgary, Alberta. What better ad to … [Continue reading]
“America’s Nightmare Winter” Is Coming! Will You Be Ready? (The Zeitgeist for 2023 in This BOLD Bookalog?)
Here's a BOLD promo running through the mail chutes of America from a larger than life vaquero... originally from the northern burbs of Baltimore... familiar to everyone in direct response. It's dark. It's gloomy. It's doomy. … [Continue reading]
One of the Most Important (100 or So!) Things I Learned at Gary Bencivenga’s Seminar
This is surely one the greatest gems I gleaned at Gary Bencivenga's Retirement Seminar... sitting right up there in the third row on the left. If you cue up your DVD set, I'm easy to spot. Okay, it was really one of a hundred plus gems and … [Continue reading]
“Dawn of the Entrepreneurial Golden Age”
Here's another DM package from the sweet spot of business development and self-help. The old school of direct mail marketing is exemplified with the ever present: … [Continue reading]
Power Positioning and 100,000 Ad Insertions (UPDATED)
Newspaper print may be on its way out, , but the TECHNIQUE of print will always be with us because human nature is unchanging. Shhhh! Don't tell the transhumanists. … [Continue reading]
Are you over 55? “It’s All Free for Seniors” UPDATED
Here's another WINNER in print from the "Save Money" category of direct response. It wouldn't be a stretch to redub it the FREE STUFF category in 2023. The book sold fabulously well in print from 2005-2011. J.D. is one of the all-time great … [Continue reading]
“The Great Money Bubble: Protect Yourself from the Coming Inflation Storm”
Here's a hot "free plus shipping" from Newsmax. It's in the same mold as "The Ultimate Hyperinflation Defense Manual," even bleaker on the gloom & doom spectrum. … [Continue reading]
“Defunct Bank Bags Full of Old Money Up For Grabs” (Secrets to “Making Money With Money” in Marketing)
Here's a marketer who came on the "coins and currency" scene later than many of the long established players, like Littleton Coin. But I'd say he knows more about generating response and "making money with money" than anyone in the space … [Continue reading]
When “Crazy Bob” Waved His Magic Wand (The Art of the Killer Offer)
"Crazy Bob," "The Polish Maverick” "Bet-A-Million Bob”… Bob Stupak had more monikers than anyone could keep track of. But his list of sobriquets is easily outdone by job titles: casino magnate, world-record motorcycle racer, professional poker … [Continue reading]
“X-RAY FILM DO NOT FOLD”
"How does Dan Kennedy do so many things so well?" "How does anyone accomplish so much in the span of a few hours?" "How does Kennedy manage to come up with cracking copy... seemingly every time?" These are some of the questions I've pondered … [Continue reading]
“Age-Defying ‘Youth Enzyme’ Multiplies Energy And Keeps You Going All Day Long…”
A full page ad in the dwindling pages of Parade magazine still counts for something in 2022. No advertiser who's a frequent visitor in Parade gets there by accident. … [Continue reading]
“Night Table Turnaround Books”… You Don’t Even Need to Open… To Profit From
I heard Dan Kennedy comment on this some years ago. He gave an example using Robert Ringer's, Action!: Nothing Happens Until Something Moves. … [Continue reading]
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