Where great ads come from

The most influential and successful advertising writer of the 20th century, Claude C. Hopkins, revealed his secrets this way:

“How have I been able to win from this situation so many great successes?

Simply because I made so many mistakes in a small way, and learned something from each. I made no mistake twice.

Every once in a while I developed some great advertising principle.

That endured.”

Hopkins pioneered the idea of “Scientific Advertising” (against which the 1960s “Creative Revolution” was pitted) and laid out his process:

“Every advertising venture in its initial stage means simply feeling the public pulse.

If people do not respond, the fault often lies with the product, or to circumstances beyond control.

The loss is a trifle, if anything, in ventures which are rightly conducted.

Hopes and ideas which fail to pan out are mere accidents.”

So remember this: Making lots of mistakes, trying lots of things, and learning from every single one is not failure.

That’s what success looks like.