IWillTeachYouToBeRich - The power of a good ad

Reader,

Check out this gum commercial:

Who would have thought gum could make your eyes sweat? That’s why I love studying advertising. When it’s great, it’s magical.

Sometimes it’s the music, like this ad from the early 90s. (WAIT! Before you click that link, close your eyes and keep them closed. OK, click it — how many seconds until you recognize the ad?)

Sometimes it’s the words they use, like this simple page I wrote that’s generated millions of dollars.

Notice the striking difference among all three. One tells a story visually, one uses music, and one uses words. All have a deep understanding of human psychology.

That’s also what makes advertising controversial.

It’s interesting that we like to think we’re in complete control of our behavior — this is why you hear people saying “LOL! Ads don’t work on me” (as they’re typing on a MacBook Air).

The truth is, we're profoundly influenced by what we see and hear, including ads. This isn’t a bad thing. It doesn’t make us weak. It makes us human.

So, let’s do this together.

Over the next couple weeks, I’ll share some of the insights I’ve learned about psychology, communication, and human behavior. Some of it has generated millions of dollars. Some of it is just plain fun.

And if you’ve ever had to persuade someone to do something — to hire you, to buy your product, even to come to your birthday party — I think you’ll find this especially interesting.

To start, I want to know what your favorite advertisements are — commercials, print ads, whatever. 

Reply to this email with the ads that made you laugh or cry — or an advertisement’s ultimate goal — buy. Then let’s talk about HOW they made you do those things. 

Talk soon,

P.S. I believe in ethical advertisements. My simple ethical rule of thumb is this: “If someone were rational and had all the information and motivation in the world, would they want this product?”

If the answer is no, we shouldn’t try to persuade them. If the answer is yes, and we know our product can help, it’s actually our obligation to try to persuade them.

(This is why I don’t allow anyone with CC debt to join our flagship courses, a decision that costs us over $2 million/year.)