Some business trade writers are objective and let the readers form their own opinions from the provided information, and then there was Truman A. De Weese.
Excerpted from an article in System – The Magazine of Business, July 1907.
Avis might’ve reached advertising legend status with its “When you’re only No.2, you try harder. Or else.” ad and eventual “We try harder.” tagline, but I gotta tell ya, this 1967 Hertz ad is its own kind of awesome. I never knew it existed before picking up a short stack of old Newsweek magazines at a local flea market this weekend. And the word count in this single print ad? 385.
Avis v. Hertz – a history.
Continue reading
When was the last time you write a real letter, you cold and heartless monster?
Bone shards:
This company was founded in 1893 to manufacture social stationery. Social stationery. The first social media?
Feel like writing somebody a real letter? Etsy and eBay have some sellers with vintage Eaton stationery.
I know you can’t wait to read about the history of paper.
You wanna go old-old school? I got ya — the history of papyrus.
Remember Cursive?
Continue reading
This ad has a pretty utilitarian headline in the innovation/differentiation/unique-selling-proposition/how-will-it-improve-your-life vein, but once you get into the body copy, it’s a golden-age masterpiece of copywriting.
Fun fact: The snooze alarm was invented in 1956.
While we’re at it, here’s a 2,000-year history of alarm clocks thanks to Atlas Obscura.
Hey babe, are you into horology?
Continue readingI’m sharing this one for the last line of copy in the block:
“Every woman who sees them wants them—she must have them.”
A lovely example of inventing desire.
Fun facts:
Plymouth paid Warner Bros. fifty grand to use the Road Runner name and likeness.
Hatched in 1968, the Plymouth Road Runner wasn’t discontinued until 1980.
And yes, Plymouth had a special beep-beep horn for it, developed by the Sparton Corporation of Jackson, Michigan. Hear it here.
Continue readingI was trying to find out if the big container of Crisco was called a canister, can, jar, tub, pail, bucket or something else, and noticed this rather ambitious bit of copy…
What a great way to introduce a new brand.
Look at the sheer amount of copy in this comic book ad aimed at kids!
The copywriter even got “akimbo” and “dadgum” approved!
Wowie-zowie! I’m impressed.
Note: I had no idea Hubba Bubba was available in mint flavor back in 1980.
Quite simply, in Old West times, an owlhoot was a bad guy.
Find out more about owlhoots from Word Histories and True West Magazine.
See? Comic books are good for you!