Excerpt from Ogilvy’s Famous Sears Ad

• The hook: immediately directed at “you”.

• “Read how Sears backs up its famous promise.” Commanding the reader.

• “These words first appeared in a mail-order catalog 61 years ago” → legacy & track record. Appeal to authority.

• Contrasts to amplify. “A young Chicago merchant who built a giant business.”

• Punchline: “Today, Sears, Roebuck and Co. still faithfully observes its promise: Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back.” Translated: the way you get your money back is if you’re unsatisfied → “it’s zero risk, and you’re going to be satisfied.”

You glance at your watch.

It’s 6:28. You’ve been at it since 3.
Crap. Your hot date is at 7. Running late. Sink shower it is.
Nowhere close to done editing…

“…at least all the ideas are laid out, so there’s that. Did I miss anything? I don’t think so? Ok, but how do I make it flow? I need to get the final draft to Stacey for design asap, team cutoff is at noon Thursday…”

You’ve spent dinner completely distracted. Your date just took off. You go home exhausted, plod to your desk, and flip open the laptop.

Or… what if:

5:41 — you’re out of the shower and lip-syncing.
6:17 — dressed to the nines and zenned out.
7:03 — the sunset glints off your aviators as you smile hello.
8:36 — it actually feels like you’re hitting it off. Not just hot, funny to boot.
Next morning, 9:27 — final draft ready in your inbox.
10:31 — Stacey messages back, “thanks, looks good!”

The difference?

Copygloss handled it. Before you left for the date, actually.

For help with editing, email Dan:
[email protected].