I've done my share of tours in the anti-aging market and have seen (and written) almost every advertising lead out there. To the outsider, a claim like "... Takes 10 Years Off Your Face in Just 10 Minutes" sounds fanciful to the point of … [Continue reading]
“How You Can Get Super Rich In Commercial Real Estate”
How often do you see a full fledged real estate investment pitch like this in the New York Times? This ad was on fire in the Wild West of workshops in real estate investing and had thousands of insertions. … [Continue reading]
How to Turn “Small Caliber” Bullets into BIG Sales!
The world at large calls them bullets because of the typographical symbol or glyph which resembles... well, ammunition. I think the direct response world is split between calling them fascinations and bullets, at least in the English … [Continue reading]
Monster Eye Health Magalog
Supplement selling doesn't get much better than this 24-page magalog mailing in April 2022. This promo has it all: - Killer copy - Lovely layouts - Packed proof elements - Fantastic fascinations - And captivating bonus reports to … [Continue reading]
Draw the Pirate (And the Short Film Lauded by Gary Bencivenga)
Way back in Bullet 21, Gary Bencivenga lauded an hysterical short film that captured the spirit of a piece of direct response history: the correspondence course from Art Instruction Schools, Inc. This unassuming ad was the launchpad for a … [Continue reading]
Interview with an Under-the-Radar SUPER STAR Who Sold 200,000 Books a Year
You may not know his name, but if you ever picked up a newspaper or magazine ANYWHERE in English speaking North America from the 1990s through the 2000s... you saw his ads. His insertions ran in Parade, USA Today, AARP Bulletin, Globe, Christian … [Continue reading]
They Climbed “the Everest of Self-Help Mail Order Copy” (Develop a memory so powerful, you’re like a human computer!)
The 1980s through the early 2000s were a golden age for direct mail in the area of self-help. And Nightingale-Conant stood atop the Everest of the mail order world. Here is one dynamite memory improvement package. … [Continue reading]
Age Erasers for Women… Age Erasers for Men
I just can't conceal my gushing admiration for Rodale Books in the 1990s. The company had dynamite titles that still command attention decades later. And Rodale worked with some of the finest copywriters on the planet. There's a VALUABLE … [Continue reading]
The Great Reset “Conspiracy Theory” and FORBIDDEN Direct Mail Leads
Well I guess we won't be seeing this theme any time soon in a liberal newsletter publication. Oh, wait a minute. There aren't any I know of. Just like there aren't many paid newsletter subscribers under the age of 50... or many female newsletter … [Continue reading]
“Travel* Free As An Air Courier” (90’s Info Marketing Greatest Hit)
Here's another info marketing marvel from Allison Cork and Carnell Ltd. Cork had enormous talent for scouting hot topics and using solid copy to SELL her numerous books and reports. Granted such travel "info arbitrage" is a thing of the past … [Continue reading]
“Can a magazine accelerate you toward great success?”
Insurance magnate, self-help evangelist and financial backer of Napoleon Hill, W. Clement Stone, launched Success Unlimited Magazine in 1954. It was a later incarnation of Orison Swett Marden's Success founded in 1897. Great display ads for … [Continue reading]
From $180 Million in Sales… to a Bright Orange Jump Suit… And 20 Years in the Slammer
The world of direct response has always had its bad neighborhoods. They'll always be with us, just like major cities have their red light districts and other assorted vice ridden nabes. … [Continue reading]
A Proof Element With STREET CRED… Selling Germ Warfare Reports… and Offer OVERLOAD
This promo is PACKED with ideas for any info marketer... including: - A proof element so strong... it's the centerpiece of the promo - One of the best marketers around when it comes to positioning - How to JAM an offer with irresistible info … [Continue reading]
Why Most “One-Pill-Wonder” Supplement Sellers FAIL… and How a Few Get Fabulously RICH
You've seen the supplement promos that promise the moon. "After your very first capsule, you'll be on your way to: - Shedding 20 pounds - Increased energy, memory and mental focus - Alleviation of joint pain and stiffness - Better skin, hair … [Continue reading]
A BALLSY Textbox and FORBIDDEN Copy Theme… We’ll Be Seeing a LOT More Of… Soon-ish
There's a quote attributed to Idi Amin, the "Butcher of Kampala," that's especially relevant today: "There is freedom of speech, but I cannot guarantee freedom after speech.” Even though this quote is likely bogus -- I can't find any trace of … [Continue reading]
Copy That TRANSCENDS the Product for Sale Part 2 (“Your Silver Passport to Travel the World”)
Silver is HEATING up as the dollar continues to bleed and inflation ratchets up. You'd need a small warehouse of these silver rounds just to service the debt for a mere hour on the $30 trillion of U.S. debt. But that's a topic for another … [Continue reading]
In Memory of a Marketing Legend (Joe Sugarman 1938-2022)
This entry demands some reflection before pushing the "publish" button. I've learned SO much about marketing and life from Joe Sugarman. (I couldn't keep it together for this picture, ergo, the goofy look on my face.) I'll be writing soon on … [Continue reading]
“Tomorrow I’m shooting four beautiful models… and I’m being paid $400.00 to do it.”
How do you top a testimonial headline like this? Simple! … [Continue reading]
“The death of courses?” My @$$! (112-Year Marketer Calls BUNK on “the Gurus”)
Today I received an email with the subject line: "The death of courses?" It's now going on two decades that I've been getting these apocalyptic emails starting with "the death of." The death of email... the death of the sales letter... the … [Continue reading]
Saggy Jowels? Plastic Surgeon Says: “Throw Away Your Moisturizers And Do This Instead.”
Here's the sprawling video sales letter for the age-erasing, Ceralift capsules. This is a supplement (not a serum) and the 30-day supply goes for $49.95. This banner shows up in mass market news sites, early 2022. … [Continue reading]
Attack of the Killer TINYTORIALS
Untold thousands of "Marie Davant" tinytorials (tiny advertorials) graced the pages of print for over four decades. BUT... one wonders... did Marie Davant even exist? … [Continue reading]
“This is the advertising job you thought you’d never see advertised”
Here's how the big boys and girls scouted for copy talent before the Web. … [Continue reading]
“KILLERS!”
How's this for an interesting business development (slash) freelance ad from yesteryear? This one hails from the back pages of Backstage from 1983. You can clearly see the Ralph and Shoshana Ginzburg influence in this ad. One of the all time … [Continue reading]
“28 Surprising Facts That Are Contrary to Popular Belief” (More “Pushing the Premium” to Sell the Subscription)
Here's another soft-sell package from the fine folks at Consumer Reports. Debunking popular beliefs is a perennial direct response theme because people want to be in the know. They may even feel threatened that a long held belief about a … [Continue reading]
PHANTOM Copywriting Comparisons & Mathematically Impossible Claims (Blunders Even the Pros Commit)
What's noteworthy about this hemp oil ad... other than its headline... with the endurance of ultra-marathoner? As the world of newspaper print continues to contract... This is one of the few supplement ads that's lasted for YEARS... and it's … [Continue reading]
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