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Write copy that people ACTUALLY want to read
Deep analysis of a famous ad
Ryan Ferguson
September 29, 2024
Ad by Joe Sugarman
Joseph Sugarman was a legendary direct-response copywriter and marketer, best known for his long-form ads, like the one above.
He founded JS&A, a mail-order company, and authored The Adweek Copywriting Handbook, where he shared his strategies for writing compelling, high-converting copy.
His key techniques, like the "Slippery Slide" and "Seed of Curiosity," remain influential in modern advertising.
Slippery Slide technique
The Slippery Slide is a copywriting technique where each sentence is crafted to effortlessly pull the reader into the next, keeping them engaged until the call to action.
Something like this:
Imagine waking up every morning to a perfectly maintained lawn—no weeds, no dry patches, no overgrowth. It sounds like a dream, right?
But what if I told you that achieving this is not only possible but easier than you think? With our advanced lawn care system, you won’t have to spend hours every week tending to your yard.
The progression from imagining a problem-free scenario to revealing the solution entices the reader to keep moving through the copy, building engagement.
Seed of Curiosity technique
The Seed of Curiosity involves hinting at valuable or intriguing information early in the copy to spark curiosity, encouraging the reader to continue reading to satisfy that curiosity.
There’s a little-known secret that separates a lush, green lawn from an ordinary one. It’s something most homeowners overlook, even though it takes almost no effort to implement.
And it’s not what you think—it's not about more watering or using expensive products. It’s something much simpler.
By hinting at a "secret" but withholding the full details, the copy piques curiosity and encourages the reader to seek more information.
Take a read through Sugarman’s sunglasses ad again and it becomes obvious how foundational these two techniques are to his copywriting style.
But there are some other great elements as well: