2022 Free Copywriting Lessons: Mad Men, Netflix & A Wednesday

Mad Men's charming storyline, character complexities, cinematography, an ode to the golden age of advertisement- I still keep reminiscing about this signature Peggy Olson scene:

Today's advertisement looks way too business-oriented - salesy, but there's still hope. (The hope that's still keeping me engaged in the creative craft and kept feeding my interest in Copywriting!

2022 literally taught me a lot about copywriting - I can call myself one (Although I still have to achieve the designation -a long way ??).

Is it only about creativity? -no.

Is it only about conversion? - No.

Is it only about sounding smart? -Well, No!

To my understanding, the art of copywriting and the science of advertisement revolves around one and only one thing-

To make people feel/relate/attracted to something. It can be emotional; it can be something like- Oh, I didn't know I wanted that (A H&M shirt or perhaps an Audi).

If there's still no demand or need for a certain product to be owned by someone- then create that need, make it sound like a win-win or something you should give a thought for 3 minutes a day.

The Theory of Relatability ??

Making people feel something - preferably relatable. Creating something they feel very close to is the most crucial thing in winning them over.

Don's 'Carousel Pitch'

In Mad Men's Season 1 episode “The Wheel” (which meant the reel/slide projector), Don Draper gives an emotional and intimate pitch for Kodak’s newest slide projector. Surprisingly, he uses photographs of his own family holidays to pull at the heartstrings of the Kodak executives.

“This device isn’t a spaceship. It’s a time machine,” he says. “It lets us travel the way a child travels. Around and around and back home again to a place where we know we are loved.”

Don explains that the projector shouldn’t be called “the Wheel” but rather should be called “the Carousel.” The execs, the colleagues, and the managers are all awestruck; some even cried.

Lesson: It is because Don took a product and chose it to make it personal to him and to all the people present in the room.

Peggy And Burger Chef

In Season 7’s “Waterloo., Don gives the hamburger pitch to Peggy (My idol these days ??) the night before the pitch.

She was initially anxious, but Peggy is confident and clear, explaining the sense of family and commonality she felt while eating at burger /chef. At a time of unrest, where it's getting harder to get the whole family together for a lovely dinner at home, there's still a chance of companionship at Burger Chef,

Where “we can have the connection we’re hungry for.”

“There maybe chaos at home. But there's Family Supper at Burger Chef.”

And she makes another hit in the game of emotion and relatability.

Inspiring the World for Greater Good ??

What is a good example of advertising? Something that not only attracts people but is something they can connect with.

See, advertising wasn't meant to make people buy stuff - it can be more than that!

Coca-Cola's 1971 TV commercial- "I'd like to buy the world a Coke.

- one of the best ads of all time.

What the ad implies: Coke is the commonality between strangers to make conversations. It brings out the message of hope and unity in a world of unrest. Why is it significant?

The $250,000 worth of ad was meant to be non-conformist - instead of the usual American white, blonde hair, blue eyes, or soldiers heading home from war, they showed an eclectic group of youths who represented the Hippie Movement.

And the risk definitely paid off! ?

It's Crazy, It's Creative, and It Catches Up! ??

If there's a term called 'Going over board' or 'All the way' in the case of marketing campaigns or experimental advertisements - Netflix knows the best!

You have probably seen this video or a series of billboards and campaigns prior to the release of Wednesday Addams!

This kind of 'going out all the way' is a major missing for bigger brands these days! And Netflix and its quirky experimental campaigns have been the talk of 2022 for various reasons!

Remember their Stranger Things billboard?

They even collaborated with Oreo and used 80's nostalgia to bring back subscribers to the red-black screen! Scavenger hunts, billboards, and fictional product promotions took me all the way to the world of crazy creativity.

Lesson: Do not just scratch the surface. Delivering a personalized experience to every user has been Netflix’s greatest strength. And we can see it in their campaigns, too -Speak in a language only your customers will understand.

Copy has power; in fact, it is the most powerful thing in marketing. Copy is all it takes to take your audience somewhere appropriate. But it should be recognizable and must convert the message at once - simple, easy, yet convincing!

Ps: I have written this as content for fun & entertainment. Please do not waste your time here :')

Thanks a lot for surviving another tale from 'Sparkling Water.' My apologies for not posting for several weeks! ??

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This was the 5th edition of 'Sparkling Water' ??. Stay tuned as I come back next Saturday!