A legendary Porsche ad to learn from <> Throwback Thursday Ad Buildup 02
Differentiation is my jam.
I love standing out and being different than the pack. And so do Porsche owners; or at least owners of a Porsche 911.
That's why I grabbed a legendary Porsche 911 ad from the attic for today’s Throwback Thursday Ad Buildup.
Finding #1: The power of using the One-Two-Punch for a headline.
Typically, this technique uses two sentences. Example: “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” – Ernest Hemingway. But it can also work with a comma.
It begins with something familiar to them; getting lost in their car while adventuring. And then finishes with their truest desire; signaling their superior status. Writing is like dancing, your eyes graciously glide as you read this headline.
Finding #2: A great curiosity hook to the main copy.
The first sentence is longer than preferred (for a hook), but executes a beautiful one-two punch akin to the headline; except this sentence uses a semicolon to connect the two points. The next sentence goes on to leave you with the thought that is developed in the next paragraph (how can it be both timeless and ahead of its time?).
A great first sentence–or paragraph–creates a frictionless transition to the next.
Finding #3: Use of storytelling to fulfill your curiosity
Rather than stating how it is timeless and ahead of its time, it shares the journey toward making the perfect car. It injects the impossibility of the task as tension, while relieving that tension with the final three short, succinct sentences.
Don't tell me you're the best. Show me why you're the best. Porsche shows you how they attempted to make the perfect car–since 1963–and came close. A story doesn't need to be long, it simply needs to teleport your mind into another place and time.
Finding #4: Early use of a soft call-to-action (CTA).
Your CTA's do not always need to be direct and at the end. Clearly the ultimate goal for Porsche is to get you to buy their car. But they know you need to first try it before most will purchase.
When you use a soft and indirect CTA, you increase the chance your reader will eventually take your action. Challenging or tasking your reader with a small action is better than directly asking for business.
Finding #5: Tie benefits to what your reader truly cares about (through analogy)
This paragraph is telling the reader the Porsche 911 has 3 key benefits:
Responds instantly and accurately
Goes up to 160mph (fast as hell)
Has a distinct back side 🍑
But rather than coming out and saying that, they first use an analogy to tie the smoothness of the car with being a part of you; like a hand or foot. It then ties the final two bennies to pure driving excitement. I'm not sure that was the best they could do, but it's still better than listing the benny.
Finding #6: The ending ties a bow on the copy.
"But, of course, it's still not perfect." connects back to the story, "From the first, we knew it was impossible." This closes the story with something that appeared near the opening, which is a fantastic way to end well.
It also ends with a nod to the reader and connects them deeper to the car, "You might say it's only human." We understand that we can't be perfect. We can become better and better (as displayed in the story), but never perfect; because we are human.
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This ad was a joy to buildup. It's nearly flawless. That's why I'm saddened to report I could not find who wrote it. Regardless, it's a killer ad with some great findings (takeaways).
What was the one takeaway you had that you will apply to your marketing?
