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“I’m sorry,” said the man.
He was one of a dozen people in a focus group trying a new drink. It was 1986.
“I’m sorry but that tastes vile,” he said. The other participants nodded. “What the hell is it?”
“It’s called Red Bull,” said the researcher leading the group. “It’s an energy drink.”
“Red Bull?” said the man, perplexed. “I wouldn’t drink it again if you paid me to.”
Meanwhile, Dietrich Mateschitz looked on through double-sided glass.
Mateschitz was an Austrian marketer for a toothpaste company. He created Red Bull in 1984 after a trip to Bangkok, where he discovered a similar drink called Krating Daeng.
Krating Daeng was an Asian energy tonic. It was full of caffeine, sugar, B-vitamins, taurine, and a carbohydrate called glucuronolactone. Rickshaw drivers used it to stay awake. Krating Daeng didn’t taste good — it was thick and impossibly sweet — but it did work. It helped people stay alert and focused.
Mateschitz saw an opportunity…
He was going to sell Krating Daeng in Europe. But to do so, he needed to rebrand the product in a way that appealed to Westerners…
A way that captured attention.
A way that created interest and desire.
A way that compelled action.
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“How’d it go?” said my sister.
“Ohh I fucked it up,” I said.
“Do you ever feel like no matter how much work you do, you can or should be doing more?” I said.
Do you ever feel this way? Anxious about your ability? Many people do.
I do.
The cure?
When I work this way, I find that each project nourishes the others. And if I hit my stride, I can go into a creative/connective frenzy. I become full of ideas, lightning in a bottle.
These copywriting mantras gave me an “aha moment” when I first learned of them. I remember thinking, “shit I should try writing like THAT.”
ONLY GOD CAN CREATE SOMETHING FROM NOTHING.
At the end of the day, copywriters are really just making informed guesses about what will compel an audience.
Nothing more.
“Trying hard enough” means you’re making progress toward your goal.
And your goal as a direct response copywriter should always be to…
Rule #8 is my favorite.
In a direct response ad, the purpose of design is to…
What if you could FORCE yourself to see the world through a more empathetic lens, one that will help you create better, more compelling work?
You can.
Season 3, Episode 10: “Fly”
No spoilers here. Just a valuable copywriting tactic you can (and should) start using immediately…
“OK...” said Schwartz.
What came next is a quote I have taped to my screen (so that the sentiment is always top of mind):
Someone asked me an enormous question the other day…
“What’s it like being in love?” he said.
Because it’s probably unnecessary.
People don’t want to feel in control.
People NEED to feel in control.
In no particular order, these are 13 books, blogs, movies, and shows that have shaped my ethos as a copywriter.
Just look at this brilliant campaign. It’s a perfect example…
Quality copywriting ideas are the product of quantity.
Kill your darlings.
A copywriting lesson from Robert De Niro.
This short article cites 4 tactics that will make your copy simpler and 5 tactics that’ll make it more memorable.
This advice will help you find a modicum of certainty when making creative writing decisions.
And that’s very valuable.
What you’re about to learn saves me hundreds of hours a year.
Don’t make these two big mistakes in your next sales email.
And if you do, don’t expect a reply.
If you want to immediately connect with your readers, follow this advice from legendary copywriter, Gary Halbert…
If you want to learn how to write great ads, then part of your daily routine should be to…
There’s a proven 3-step process you can follow to learn this incalculably valuable skill…
Mateschitz got to work.
He hired a branding agency that helped him craft:
The package: a thin, small aluminum can. It was different, so it stood out on the shelf. [ATTENTION]
The logo: two muscular, charging red bulls against a yellow sun. This image evoked vitality, strength, perseverance. [INTEREST]
The tagline: Red Bull gives you wiiings. This phrase put a distinct, memorable, compelling image in the reader’s mind. [DESIRE]
The strategy: at more than twice the average cost of a soda, Red Bull was expensive. The premium price gave it allure. [ACTION]
The process took time, a couple of years. It seemed all the pieces were in place but when Mateschitz finally commissioned a focus group, it didn’t go well…
“I’m sorry,” said the researcher.
“I’m sorry but I’ve never seen a product fail this badly,” he told Mateschitz.
But the entrepreneur wasn’t discouraged. He knew he wasn’t selling taste. He was selling energy! In fact, Red Bull had found a market in Europe’s clubs and bars, where people mixed it with vodka to stay up.
People drank Red Bull for the effect.
Mateschitz saw another opportunity…
Enter: The Red Bull Dolomitenmann
On your desktop? Look left!
On your phone? Look down!
Billed as The World’s Toughest Relay Race, The Dolomitenmann was a combination of running, paragliding, kayaking, and mountain biking. It was brutal, and new, and entertaining. Millions across Europe watched it on TV.
Mateschitz sponsored the event, slapping the Red Bull logo on the equipment. The strategy worked. The race linked Red Bull to the hallmarks of extreme sports: vitality, energy, pushing the limits. And the message became clear: Red Bull is a tool.
Mateschitz continued to sponsor extreme sports until the drink, eventually, transcended the club scene and found a market around the world. Today, he’s worth $20 billion.
What does your product do?
Attach that function to something similar, and popular — and it will tell your product’s story with amazing efficiency.
— — —
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This article was inspired by an episode of Business Wars, a podcast I’d recommend to anyone interested in marketing case studies.
I edited their narrative for brevity and structure, adding some copywriting color along the way.
LEARN TO PERSUADE
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WRITE BETTER.
MARKET BETTER.
SELL MORE.
You’ll know you’re good.
You’ll know you’re good because a few clues will give it away…
Microcopy is concise, clear, small-print text that helps or encourages readers to complete an “action” on your website or app.
It’s how the great copywriter, Gene Schwartz, thought about the discipline…
If you aspire to write good copy, watch and read these things religiously.
Make it ugly.
Let me explain…
The longer you focus, the more focused you will become.
Focus long enough and you’ll tap into something called Deep Work…
There’s a marketing tenant every good copywriter respects…
Knowing that, here are the words and phrases every copywriter should use…
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As a teenager, I sold magazine subscriptions door-to-door. At first it was hard and I was unsuccessful.
Then I picked up a trick that skyrocketed my conversion rate…
This strategy is scientifically proven to help writers — and anyone else — spur their creativity.
“I can do that,” said The Copywriter. “But first let me ask you a question.”
“And how many of us have persistence enough in following out our ideas of what is obvious?”
If your goal is to write tighter copy — copy that says more in fewer words — try this 15-minute exercise.
Sometimes that feeling — that mood — is already there, all around, omnipotent and omnipresent.
Joyce was a magisterial novelist, but he would’ve made a miserable copywriter.
Smart writing is clear and concise. It’s easy for the eyes and mind to follow. It’s accessible and unpretentious, easy to consume and hard to create.
Smart writing is readable. Effortlessly readable.
Be a copywriter, not a coward.
If you can back up your claim, write the copy. If you can’t, be a professional and do the right thing.
Don’t write headlines that are flat, invisible, like white paper on a white desk. Write compelling headlines that stand out. Headlines that contain emotion, image, logic, and promise.
Here’s how to do that.
A visceral response is a physical reaction to a non-physical experience, an emotion.
If you feel it, don’t dismiss it. Let it wash over you.
You’ll be a more empathetic person for it — and a better marketer, too.
“We’re talking about him having an accident,” said the man, whispering. “Just walk up to him, put your hand on his back, and give him one big push!”
Don't sell chips. Sell a worldview.
It boils down to a simple three-step process ...
“I was The Onion’s editor at the time so, mainly, I was just punching up or rewriting other people’s work,” said Scott. “And so when I sat down to write the pilot, I was like, ‘Shit! I have writer’s block! I got nothing!’”
CHICAGO—Saying he was ‘more than happy’ to jump on the call, Scott Dikkers, The Onion’s longest-serving editor-in-chief, graciously gave time out of his day to talk to a copywriter about how to overcome writer’s block.
As a copywriter, it’s tempting to get lost in the majesty of your creativity, your ideas.
Looking inward for ideas will burn you out.
Want more ideas than you could ever use?
Confident copy says, “Go ahead, you’re making the right decision.”
Great copy starts with efficient questions.
Because copywriters conjure emotion for a living.
The buildings in Jaipur, India are built of vibrant red brick. The entire place glows like Mars.
Writers share their work.
Perfectionists hoard it.
"I'm sorry about all this," I said.
"Thanks," he said. "But I deserve it. Things could've been different."
Here's a learning tactic.
It's what I do when I want to internalize a book — or an article, for that matter. You can do it, too.
“You have to be more concise,” he said. “You write like a water hose. You need to be a nail gun."
When Big Lurch woke up, he was alone in a prison cell, confused and covered in blood.
As a content marketer, your most valuable asset is not your content.
Pressure and time. Pressure and time. Pressure and time.
Words are commodities. Anybody can fill space on a page.
Simplicity can be impactful.
Thank you, grandma.
Every time you're blocked ...
What's the purpose of your first line of copy?
They never have ...
Ideas, like love, can escape you. Don't let them.
Passion drives success.
Kevin Kelly, Co-founder and Editor of Wired magazine, on God and meaning of life.
Three billion people have access to the Internet, but only a third of those people speak English.
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
And it isn't even about copywriting ...
There are two types of bullet points: Those that break up text, making information easier to digest. And those that sell.
Swearing can be a powerful gesture. It could also be meaningless ...
Three simple rules that'll make your copy bolder, clearer, and more persuasive.
You should know, I'm not sexy. Sorry.
The one question that will help you write devastatingly creative and effective ads.
Whatever it is, nobody is going to buy it without ...
Creativity is like a muscle: It grows and develops with exercise, practice.
It’s an unwritten rule of copywriting if you will. Rule Zero:
“When it’s finally finished, [your client] will have a campaign they could run for years and out-pull virtually anything else they’ve ever run unless they were very lucky beforehand.”
This is a very powerful, very versatile persuasion technique. You can use it in your sales letters, your emails, your social posts, your website copy — just about any asset designed to sell.
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Dialogue is a powerful copywriting tool (unless you’re making this common mistake).
People forget their lives almost as quickly as they live them. So how can copywriters create ads that produce lasting memories? Find out.
Clear copy is understood faster and remembered longer than unclear copy. Master copywriter, Eugene Schwartz, recommends doing this one thing to make your writing as clear as humanly possible.
One of the best, most original direct-response copywriters of the 20th century constantly used cliches. Learn why you should, too.
You might be making this completely common, completely stifling mistake…
Reading (and transcribing) this beautiful book will help you write copy that feels like a letter from a friend (as it should).
The best copywriters in the world possess these 3 qualities. Do you?
Buying something can be a vulnerable, scary experience. And the more expensive the purchase, the more vulnerable your prospect may feel. Vulnerability is bad for business. Here’s how to avoid it:
An ad’s hook should create curiosity and wonder, interest! The hook’s only goal is to keep people reading.
Here’s how to find a compelling hook every time you write an ad (based on one of the most powerful examples in copywriting history).
This truism helped conceptualize one of the most iconic campaigns ever produced…
Good copy creates a visualization in the reader’s mind…
One of the most compelling angles in advertising is:
An article about using Mother Nature to manufacture tension, create desire, and compel action.
Dialogue is an efficient character-development tool.
And that makes it an efficient, valuable copywriting tool…
The goal of conversion copywriting is to compel action. There are plenty of ways to do this… but the most persuasive tactic by far is:
Copywriting is the single most important skill in business.
That’s why I write about it almost daily on LinkedIn.
And the advice in this article is based on a few of my most popular copywriting posts…
If you want to publish articles on a consistent basis, remember:
In copywriting, word choice boils down to strong words and weak words. The difference?
If your ad doesn’t immediately capture attention, it’s dead in the water. Goodnight.
You know you don’t know what you’re doing if…
“Red Bull?” said the man, perplexed. “I wouldn’t drink it again if you paid me to.”
As copywriters we want to lure our reader in. We want them to forget they’re reading copy—with the only thought in their mind being “tell me more.”
“Even though we’re a partnership,” said co-creator, Matt Stone, “the way the stories in South Park are expressed is completely through Trey. Trey’s the chef.”
Ever struggle to start writing your copy? I did. Then I learned this simple, time-tested copywriting formula — and it forever changed the way I work:
Do you want people to notice your work? And read your articles? And watch your videos? And subscribe to your blog or channel? Do you want people to remember your work?
Do you want them to remember you?
When you have a limited amount of time or space to tell a story, unwavering accuracy can actually make a true story less believable and relatable, less real.
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Judge not lest ye be judged.
So today’s a big day…