copyC£O | Re-Imagine Ads

Direct Response Copywriter | Ad Man | Media Entrepreneur | Building @no1landlord__

[copyC£O | Re-Imagine Ads @copy_CEO]

When people talk about David Ogilvy, they talk about his legendary ads. But one of my favorite pieces of his writing isn't an ad at all. It's the “Background” section of the famous Confessions of an Advertising Man.

In ~ 700 words, Ogilvy turns his life into a masterclass in the art of fine writing.

Read it as a Copywriter, and you will walk away with 6 persuasion lessons to improve your writing.

Let's start with the first one:

[copyC£O | Re-Imagine Ads @copy_CEO]

an underrated copywriting skillset

the ability to use AI without letting AI use you

[copyC£O | Re-Imagine Ads @copy_CEO]

@jordanpaid COPY

[copyC£O | Re-Imagine Ads @copy_CEO]

@louiemorgs COPY

[copyC£O | Re-Imagine Ads @copy_CEO]

It's a mistake to think that just because you give away valuable information for free, people will flock to take advantage. Free information also has to be sold.

Yes... adding "FREE" as a suffix to your offers should ideally increase responses... but it can also decrease perceived value.

Making your prospects wonder, “If it's so good, why are they giving it to me free instead of charging for it?”

So you have to SELL the value of free information and gifts you give almost as hard as you will sell a $499/mo newsletter subscription.

Your prospect needs to think your free item has genuine, real value.

Here are a few ways to do that;

1. Your copy has to talk about the free item, not just as giveaway material... but as “a priceless collection of information.”

2. The free item has to be given an appealing name... a sexy title that can increase its perceived value. E.g., "What every busy parent should know before bringing in a nanny from the East"

3. Before giving away the free item, make sure there's a solid rationale behind why you're giving it away for free.

[copyC£O | Re-Imagine Ads @copy_CEO]

@Aidanb2b DMS

[copyC£O | Re-Imagine Ads @copy_CEO]

You're right Maciek... I also figured becoming really good at writing copy not only comes down to reading a ton of copywriting books or studying winning copy .. ofc those help ..

But I noticed the best copywriters also do something different ... they gather ammunition from other fields like psychology, history, philosophy, biographies, fiction, business ... you name it.

There's something about having an expanded horizon beyond sales and copywriting... It develops your thought process and makes you see things differently... in ways no other person see... and then putting it into words that convert on paper.

While studying copywriting books and winning copy, I also make out time to read great books by great authors.

[copyC£O | Re-Imagine Ads @copy_CEO]

@cruzrgomez Maybe you need something different ...

https://t.co/AHnJH6FBvQ

[copyC£O | Re-Imagine Ads @copy_CEO]

I've learnt that being a skilled Copywriter means reading a lot of great books... not just copywriting books

The best copywriters I know and learn from steal their ammunition from everywhere: psychology, history, fiction, philosophy, business, biographies...

Because to write better copy means thinking and seeing things better... things other people don't see... and then putting it into words.

When I started my copywriting journey, my mentor ($50M+ in sales) recommended ten books to make me a better thinker. I still go back to them.

Here they are:

[copyC£O | Re-Imagine Ads @copy_CEO]

I could give you an endless list...

But I figured this should keep you busy for the rest of 2026.

I hope this helps.

[copyC£O | Re-Imagine Ads @copy_CEO]

I've learnt that being a skilled Copywriter means reading a lot of great books... not just copywriting books

The best copywriters I know and learn from steal their ammunition from everywhere: psychology, history, fiction, philosophy, business, biographies...

Because to write better copy means thinking and seeing things better... things other people don't see... and then putting it into words.

When I started my copywriting journey, my mentor ($50M+ in sales) recommended ten books to make me a better thinker. I still go back to them.

Here they are:

[copyC£O | Re-Imagine Ads @copy_CEO]

10. Decoded, Jay-Z.

Perhaps the most unexpected copywriting lesson on this list. Jay-Z showed me how powerful writing becomes when you can turn your own experiences, culture, observations and contradictions into language people recognise themselves in.

[MERCVRE @MercureCopy]

Your readers already know what they want.

They just can’t articulate it yet.

Your role is to bring them clarity and position your solution as the natural next step.