Do you know who David Ogilvy was?
I didn't four years ago. I do now, and wow, is there a lot to learn from him.Â
Today's Throwback Thursday Ad Buildup is focusing on an ad he did for Sears.
That little boy's face 🥺 (if hearts could melt…)
My first finding is the excellent combination of creative (imagery) and copy (writing). That's all advertisements are.Â
Creative + copy = Advertisement.
Instead of having a random picture, David intentionally ties the creative to the copy.Â
Regardless of whether this is the first or last thing you see, it helps reinforce the advertisement's message, making the creative and copy accomplish more.
The second finding is the use of an enticing headline.
Who doesn't want to get money back from shopping? (Think Reward Cards)
Like with great articles, the title or headline must make a promise. So David essentially promises his reader—that by reading the advertisement—they will learn how to get their money back from Sears. Here's a few practical examples of this:
"Learn how Uberflip used product led content to 3X leads."
"How to build a podcast from the ground up — 7 steps to launching a podcast."
Use the headline to make a promise, and then back that promise up with your copy.
The third finding is how well David anticipates his reader's questions/objections.
After explaining Sears satisfaction guaranteed or your money back policy, David assumes your next thought would be, "How can they do that?"
So, he gives three reasons to back up the promise or claim. If that is insufficient, the person wouldn't believe you, no matter the evidence.
The final finding is how he concludes the ad while answering your final objection.
There are always exceptions to the rules. If someone tells you there isn't, they're lying (Taxes may be exempt from this).
David poetically defuses the final objection while giving the reader a parting challenge (or, as marketing gurus call it, a CALL TO ACTION!!!).
Damn, was David good or what?Â
I hope you learn one lesson from today's Throwback.Â
Marketeer Insights ⚔️
- Pair excellent copy with a creative that helps it have a more significant impact on the reader
- When writing sales copy or ads, try to anticipate what objection or question your reader would have and answer them
- Have a killer opening (headline + hook) while also having a solid finish (CTA)
What do you think about this ad? Is it all that good or do you think you could improve it?
I thrive off your thoughts and feedback.
🧠+ ❤️ // JO