Copywriting secrets of the masters michael masterson - making omelets, breaking eggs and sexist ads

1. Copywriting Secrets of the Masters:
Michael Masterson
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Making Omelets, Breaking Eggs and Sexist Ads
Katie sent me some of the comments given byGolden Threadreaders of an
essay I wrote on “The Most Interesting Man in the World.”
The ad reminded me of David Ogilvy‟s classic advertisement campaign for
Hathaway Shirts. It propelled Hathaway from a local company with no
reputation at all to the most recognized shirt brand in America.
I said that while the Dos Equis ad was in many ways a creative knockoff, it
fell short of the Ogilvy classic by failing to make the brand name itself a
prominent feature of the commercial.
For Ogilvy, the name of the product was critical. It was so important to him
that he put the brand name in almost all of his headlines.
One reader, Christine, had this to say: “While this may have worked for a
men's shirt in Ogilvy‟s day this present ad "The Most Interesting Man in the
World" is disgusting and painful to watch.
She found it “offensive to women.” Besides the content (a bearded man
surrounded by beautiful women) it suggests, she said, that women don‟t
drink beer when they do.
Christine says she would “go out of (her) way NOT to buy this beer.”
“Some ads are just too offensive. Copying old „Mad Men‟ ads per se without
a few updates is „madness.‟ If I were this guy's wife and I found this beer in
the fridge, I would throw it out! Let's get 21st century.”

3. I think it‟s interesting that Christine imagines herself married to “this guy.” Is
it possible that the most interesting man in the world got her pulse racing,
even though she objects to his image?
That‟s the thing about edgy advertising. It offends as many people as it
attracts. But does that mean it shouldn‟t be done?
It reminds me of the scene from Howard Stern‟s movie, “Private Parts”. Pig
Vomit, the network executive who has been trying to get Stern fired, finds
out that the ratings for his show have shot sky high, despite his puerile,
offensive-to-some humor.
“Howard‟s fans,” he is told, “listen to him for two and a half hours.”
“Well what about all the people who hate him?” he asks.
The researcher looks at his notes, “People who hate him listen to him for five
hours.”
There is no question that if you want to grab attention, being outrageous is
an effective tactic. But the question still needs to be asked: How far should
you be willing to go to sell your product?
What boundaries, if any, should you be willing to cross? Is it okay to be
sexist if it sells more beer?
Moral issues aside, the criterion for making such a decision has to be the
advertisement‟s effect on sales. Looks like Dos Equis made the right
decision:
According to Dos Equis brand manager Ryan V. Thompson, since Dos Equis
introduced The Most Interesting Man in the World in 2006, sales have shot
up significantly every year, leaping 26% since January alone. He recently
told Austin Carr of FastCompany.com. "We're now the fastest growing beer
import in the country.”
To create breakthrough-advertising campaigns you must be willing to break
through convention. You have to be willing to offend some people so long as
the increase in sales that you stimulate is greater than any loss of business
you get from the offense.

4. It‟s not that you want to offend anyone. You don‟t. But you recognize that in
a world as diverse and opinionated as ours is, some breakthrough ads will
offend.
Elsewhere I have explained that the two greatest vices of a marketer are
laziness and egotism. And the two greatest virtues are empathy and
courage.
You must be empathetic enough to understand what your core customers
think and feel and believe (their Core Complex). And, then you must have
the courage to use that empathy to create an ad that tells them you
understand.
That, in my view, is what the Dos Equis commercial does. It “gets” guys.
And it has the courage to tap into what motivates them most of the time.
It‟s not sex, by the way. And it‟s not the objectification of women. It‟s much
more about a man‟s relationship with other men. Thus, the most interesting
man in the world.
It reminds me very much of the new viral marketing campaign to sell Old
Spice. In that, ex-football player Isaiah Mustafa stands topless, showing off
his six-pack, promising women “he‟s the man your man could smell like.”
Last time I checked the original ad had attracted 13 million hits.
Christine‟s mistake, if I can judge from her short message, was that she let
her own feelings and thoughts and beliefs (her own core complex) interfere
with her ability to see this ad for what it is.
It‟s no more sexist than the Old Spice campaign. It‟s clever. It‟s compelling.
And it‟s full of self-referential humor.
If Christine thinks this ad is offensive, what must she think of the blue-jeans
ads that Calvin Klein introduced in 1980. Older readers will remember the
15-year-old Brooke Shields telling the world that “nothing comes between
me and my Calvins.” People were offended by the millions. But the campaign
not only put Calvin Klein on top of the heap, but also virtually created the
multibillion-dollar designer jeans market.
There is something else that needs to be understood about this ad. It not
really about attracting women per se, but about becoming more interesting
than other men. Men are very competitive. And in the world of wooing

5. women, their desire to compete is at its evolutionary height. The liminal*
promise of the ad is a competitive one: to be more interesting than other
men. Yes, the payoff is being surrounded by beautiful women. But the real
issue is other men.
Marketers of women‟s clothing sometimes make the same mistake. They
incorrectly believe women dress to impress or entice men, when in fact they
dress to impress and entice other women.
The point I‟m getting to is this: if you are empathetic enough to really
understand what motivates your core customers at a very basic level, then
you will be able to create outrageous, breakthrough ads that work.
Ask yourself: what is it that my customer really wants?
And don‟t be satisfied with the first or second answer that pops in your head.
Spend some time thinking or talking about his core emotions. Figure out
what he desires, what he thinks and what he believes.
And finally, don‟t forget about the product. It‟s great to get the attention you
want but you don‟t want to forget the product.
Here are some other comments on the essay:
“Excellent. Michael Masterson is spot on about the Dos Equis ads. I
love the ad but am always left wanting to know what the product
is. I had to actually force myself to concentrate on the commercial
so I could know what the product is. Further I enjoyed the Golden
Thread example. I've been struggling with that in my writing but
with this concise example I now fully understand the Golden
Thread.”– Shawn Maus
“Excellent. Inspiring and great information!! I will read this article a
dozen times and when I get home. I will pull out my AWAI books
and start changing my career… with results this time!”– E.Oneill
“Excellent. WOW I love those Commercials so that was number one
when I saw "SAW" the "GUY" I was compelled to read on and now I
understand some more about this business I love but never knew
how much until this article.”– Dan Slaughter Jr
“Excellent. Great article Michael. Makes perfect sense and a very
interesting insight into David Ogilvy as well!”– Gus G.

6. “Excellent. What a gift… Thank you Michael!!! There is so much
marketing wisdom in this simple article… Thank you for sharing so
generously.”– Laurie Attwood
“Excellent. Very Interesting and informative. Also reminiscent of
Commander Whitehead's beard. ”– Mike Rodriguez
“Excellent. What a wonderful and insightful piece! You have written
this piece like a good painter that paint work of art you are the
masters. The sequence from thought to purchase and how to
influence elegantly if there is such a word.”– Avihu Kiselstein
YOU‟RE INVITED to continue this discussion with Michael at this year‟s Fast
Track to Copywriting Success Bootcamp and Job Fair.
Anything else you want to talk to him about? You‟ll have plenty of
opportunities during the 3-day event. Plus, you‟ll have access to Bob Bly,
John Forde, Ted Nicholas, Bill Bonner and the dozen other master
copywriters and marketers who will be there… ready and eager to share
their experiences and strategies with you.
*Ed Note: In case you‟re curious about the meaning of the word “liminal”, it
means just at the edge of consciousness. It‟s not to be confused with
“subliminal,” which means just below the threshold of consciousness.
This article was originally published as part of The Golden Thread
MICHAEL MASTERSON – There is no one more qualified and experienced
than copywriter, entrepreneur, and business-builder Michael Masterson to
teach you the art, craft, and business of copywriting.
Michael started his first business – a fifth-grade publishing venture – at age
11.
After finishing grad school at the University of Michigan in 1975, he spent
two years in the Peace Corps, where he began his writing career.
Several years later he was working as a writer for a small newsletter
publishing company in Washington D.C. Then, in 1982, he learned the art of
copywriting and launched the first of dozens of successful direct-marketing
ventures, many of which have become multi-million dollar companies.

7. All told, he‟s been directly involved in the generation of over ONE BILLION
DOLLARS of sales through the mail and online.
He‟s also a highly successful author. He‟s published more than a dozen
books, including several which have become Wall Street Journal,
Amazon.com or New York Times bestsellers.
Today, Michael consults mainly for newsletter publishing giant Agora, Inc.,
and writes regularly for Early To Rise, one of the most popular self-
improvement newsletters on the Internet, and for The Golden Thread,
AWAI‟s weekly copywriting newsletter.
But there‟s more to Michael Masterson than just his writing and business
skills.
Michael also has a knack for taking just about anyone with a burning desire
to upgrade his lifestyle – no matter what his background or education – and
transforming him (or her) into a top-notch copywriter:
 He‟s the one responsible for transforming Paul Hollingshead from a 35-
year-old minimum-wage grocery store stock boy into a copywriter
earning upward of $300,000 a year … and Don Mahoney from a
woodworker to a $300,000-a-year copywriter living in Miami Beach …
 He‟s mentored other copywriters who have gone on to generate
hundreds of millions of dollars in sales each year through their copy …
 He‟s shown people in their 50s and 60s – people preparing for
retirement – how to successfully change careers and become well-paid
freelance copywriters …
 He‟s taken young people fresh out of college – with no “life experience”
at all – and turned them into top-notch copywriters and newsletter
journalists …
 He‟s taught housewives, bartenders, and laborers to excel …
 He‟s even helped “professionals” – doctors and college professors –
leave successful careers to enjoy the big money and stress-free
lifestyle copywriting offers
Discover how Michael can do the same for you with his
AWAI Accelerated Program For Six Figure Copywriting.
Michael Masterson

8. "For more great free information on how to take your copywriting career to
the next level please visit www.ProCopyWritingTactics.com
and don't forget to collect your free Pro Copywriting Tactics Reports