Today’s swipe was a big winner for Newsmax by copywriter Nicholas Brack. If I remember correctly it did about $8m.
I met Nicholas once in Las Vegas at John Newtson’s Financial Marketing Summit. I can’t remember the year, maybe 2014-ish. Funny story…
The event was being held at the Hollywood Hotel and attendees were hanging out at the bar there when movie star and comedian Eddie Griffin and his entourage showed up.
Somehow Nick and Eddie hit it off and next thing I know I’m in the back of a cab en route to see Eddie perform at the RIO (I think!). Nick had scored free tickets for anyone who wanted to go. A handful of us were game.
Eddie had texted Nick instructions that when we arrive at the RIO to ask for “Big Storm” at the door.
We did and a huge man that looked like he could play for the NFL came out wearing a teeshirt with “Big Storm” written on it. The Big part of his name was obvious, and I’d guess what the Storm part implied… that this wasn’t a man to anger!
Fortunately he wasn’t in a stormy mood and showed us to amazing seats and he we had a blast. We even got to do a meet and greet with Eddie after the show. I imagine I probably mumbled something to him like “Loved you in Deuce Bigalow”.
ANYWAY…
“The Biblical Money Code” was a unique idea when it hit. The editor, Sean Hyman, had worked at Agora’s Sovereign Society before going to Newsmax (if my memory serves), but no-one ever thought to link his pastor experience to a promo before.
I suspect Newsmax’s readers have more of the Christian Conservative demographic than Agora, so the idea was a better fit there anyway.
The idea threaded through this promo is super simple and is repeated over and over again… “look well into the matter”.
To the rational brain, there’s really nothing profound about it. You mean do a lot of research on investing before risking my money? Well, duh!
But there’s nothing rational about good copy… and, I’d argue there’s nothing rational about religion either! So this promo uses the credibility and compelling lessons and stories from the Bible to make boring “stock research” something unique and even Godly in its power.
Take a look and see for yourself…
Sorry for the chicken scratch on today’s swipe… I used my iPad and stylus to mark this up originally, making my bad handwriting even worse! But still legible.
Click here to add “The Biblical Money Code” to your swipe file.