"What the devil is this?"
December 23, 2009
It's so rare these days to see great direct marketing copy. So that when you do see it, it stops you in your tracks. Which is why I had to share this print ad that appeared in USA Weekend for Cushman's Honeybell Oranges. From a headline that grabs you "What the devil is this" to a sub head that intrigues "Then Ed bit into one and the plot thickened...", this is fantastic craft.
The plot thickens...
"One evening in 1945, Ed Cushman and his family were waiting for a truckload of grapefruit. When it finally arrived, there on the back of the truck - with the grapefruit - were 20 bushels of the strangest looking , fiery-orange , bell-shaped oranges anyone had ever seen." "Ed took one look and said, "What the devil is this?", When everyone had peeled and tried one, the consensus was that these were the sweetest oranges in the world. "Sweet as honey" someone said. And Cushman HoneyBells were born."
this outstanding copy.
Lessons Learned:
1. Tell a great story, create a sense of mythology around the product
2. Create interest and intrigue
3. Include a testimonial
4. Create a sense of urgency and a strong call to action