Lazy Sunday Afternoon Reading - Louis Engel Golden pdf Ad Copy

A few years ago, I came across a Facebook ad for a coffee product. It was a long-form ad, and the story was so compelling that it made me buy the product. This morning, I thought to myself, 'This ad must have been modeled after a successful ad campaign.

So, I dived into the history of advertising, specifically looking for pioneers who focused on educating people before trying to sell "The Produkt". That’s when Louis Engel popped up in my search results. What stood out to me about him was:

His strategy was all about educating the audience first.

He used a long-form ad, which was unusual at the time.

Rather than selling right away or pushing the company name, he waited until the very end of the ad to mention Merrill Lynch, allowing the content to speak for itself first.

Engel’s approach was revolutionary, reshaping how financial services could connect with the public.

Now, this is why people believe Louis Engel played a key role in shaping the advertising world (maybe some of you copywriters here in this group know, I did not), especially within the financial industry.

Here's a more personal take on his contributions, particularly with his famous Merrill Lynch ad:

Background: In the 1940s, Louis Engel was brought in to handle advertising and promotions for Merrill Lynch. At the time, he understood that most people were unfamiliar with the complexities of investing in stocks and bonds.

"HIS AD HEADLINE"

"What Everybody Ought to Know About This Stock and Bond Business":

* This iconic ad, published in The New York Times on October 19, 1948, was unlike anything people had seen before. At around 6,450 words, it was unusually long for an ad.

* Engel’s goal was to educate the average person (not focusing on savvy investors) about investments in a clear and simple way, avoiding confusing jargon (A.K.A. Simple 6th grader copy IMO)

* The result? The ad was a huge success, sparking thousands of inquiries and positive feedback. Meaning, he quickly created millions of subscribers in a short period of time.

* It played a major role in establishing and growing the Merrill Lynch brand.

The Impact:

* Engel’s ad is now seen as a turning point in financial advertising.

* It proved that educational content could be a powerful tool in attracting customers.

* It also showed that long-form ads could actually work when done right.

In short, Louis Engel’s genius was in making finance accessible to the everyday person, using simple language and a focus on teaching rather than selling.

Amazing !!

🔥 I got a pdf copy of the ad, would you like to read it? >> Check it out it's in the comments👇

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