I’ve said it God knows how many times: nothing fails like success. And nothing in my lifetime has succeeded so fast and so utterly as the internet. We have spent days, if not weeks, moving a server from windows to …
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Your body may live in the cellar; but it’s your own fault if your mind lives there
Three weeks ago in my first webinar on how to write and persuade, I said “good writing starts with good reading”. This 80 year old piece by Bruce Barton – left, one of the best-ever copywriters and advertising men- sent …
Read MoreThe worm Bird explains his lapses from virtue
Let me first apologise, and second, put you out of any misery. The key lies in something I often say and firmly believe: Don’t just think about doing things. Dothem. The older I get the more I believe this – …
Read MoreDid this save a football club? I think so – but I’m not sure
I’m working on the next writing webinar – and thanks for all the kind comments. To join me justplay this video. Just to tell you what it’s all about … Getting started is the biggest nightmare, so I shall give …
Read MoreYou don’t have to hunt, Andrew, but you could try a bit of commonsense
“I have said this many times before, but nobody listened, so I shall say it again,” was the start of a speech by Jean Cocteau. Honouring his name, I have quoted him a few times. Anyhow I was reminded of …
Read MorePay more, get less: and today’s rip-offs are …
Ocado (a home delivery service) is trying to float its business, which has never made a profit and lost £25 million last year, for £800 million to 1.2 billion. Any idiot who buys into that is mad. And this …
Read MoreWas my client right to scold me? You decide.
Yesterday one of my favourite clients rang me and askd me a question. “How long have you been giving me advice, Drayton?” “Eight or nine years.” “Have I ever given you any advice?” “Er … no.” “Well I am now. …
Read MoreAn apology to Chris Newton – and the answer to a question about copy length that you may have asked yourself
I’m afraid I was not at my best and brightest yesterday. Besides my usual slapdash approach to things I had advanced jet-lag after getting off the plane from New York and going straight to the office, so as a result …
Read MoreWhy are your energy bills so outrageously high?
I got off the plane from New York this morning, took the tube to the office- and was infuriated by an ad in the paper before I even got there. It was a full page with no picture and maybe …
Read More“Times change. People don’t” said the sage Mr. Caples. But how many realise it?
After a board meeting in Frankfurt, Lord knows how many years ago, David Ogilvy told me over dinner that “Rosser Reeves and I were talking one day, and we agreed that everything we knew we had learned from John Caples.” …
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