SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOL OF COPYWRITING
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  • ABOUT
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  • BLOG
    • Copywriting Lessons from David Ogilvy
    • 9 Copywriting Lessons from Robert Collier
    • 9 Copywriting Lessons From John Caples
    • 8 Copywriting Lessons from John Powers
    • Scientific Advertising: 10 Copywriting Lessons from Claude Hopkins
    • A Review of Current AI Copywriting Tools
    • Top San Francisco Ad Agencies
    • Learn How To Write Conversationally To Engage Your Audience
    • Top Skills for a Copywriter
    • Launch A Career In Advertising With These Top Portfolio Schools
    • UX Copywriting and Short Copy ​
    • Discover How To Write Killer Copy That Converts
    • What is Copywriting? >
      • What Alternative
    • 10 Great Headlines from Classic Ads
    • Why Tone Can Make or Break Your Copy
    • How to Use Statistics, Facts and Quotes to Craft Compelling Copy
    • Great Copywriters Use Verbal Imagery to Tell a Story
    • Master the Art of Headline Writing!
    • Here’s How to Get Portfolio-Building Copywriting Gigs
    • What Volkswagen’s ’Think Small’ Teaches Copywriters
    • 5 Brands with Amazing Copywriting Teams
    • Master Hard and Soft CTAs for Superior Sales Writing
    • The Ultimate Checklist for Blog Copywriters
    • 10 Mistakes Even Experienced Copywriters Make
    • Read These 4 Books to Become a Better Copywriter
    • Sales Writing: How to Create Attention Grabbing Headlines
    • How to Create Persuasive Sales Copy
    • Proven Copywriting Methods Emotional Advertising
    • How to Write Good Copy : Preparation Techniques
    • Copywriting Secrets: 8 Powerful Ways to Add Proof and Credibility
    • Copywriting Cheat Sheet: Write Powerful Copy Quickly and Easily
    • Copywriting Insights: How to Test Ad Copy for Best Results
    • Write Effective Ad Copy: No Fail Secrets and Tips
    • What Never to Do When Writing Compelling Copy for Sales
    • How to Write Copy That Sells – Use Benefits
    • 7 Ways to Improve Your Copy Immediately
    • A Day in the Life of a Copywriter
    • Coffee, Copywriting, and Freedom
    • Copy is Everywhere
    • Direct Response Copy Sells
    • The Pros and Cons of Copywriting Part–Time
    • Three Tips to Write Copy that Converts
    • Two of the Biggest Mistakes Beginning Copywriters Make
    • Why Copywriting Makes a Great Second Career
    • Why I Love Being a Copywriter
    • Landing Pages that Work - Copy that Converts
    • The Next Big Idea: Creative Advertising Ideation
    • Copywriting Certificates: Online Copywriting Classes
    • The Advertising Museum Tokyo: Copywriting Fun
    • How to Tell a Great Brand Story
    • 20 Great Headlines from Classic Ads
    • Top London Ad Agencies
    • The Top 10 Best Copywriting Books
    • Copywriting Courses & Resources
    • Copywriting Formulas to Write Faster: AIDA, Problem Solution and More
    • Sales Letters: Broken Down by Parts
    • Copywriting Research Tips, Tricks and Secrets
    • How to Grow Your Email List
    • What is Creative Advertising
    • Ideation and How to Find the Next Big Idea
    • Creative Advertising Methods and Madness
    • Paths to Becoming a Copywriter
    • Great Print Ads - Creative Advertising That Rocks
    • Great Outdoor Ads - Creative Advertising That Works
    • Underground Ads - Creative Advertising in England
    • 10 Great Email Subject Lines
    • Email Marketing Types: Long, Short, Creative and More
    • Email Copywriting Tactics
    • How to Grow Your Email List
    • Autoresponder Copywriting: How to Do It Write
    • Copywriting Examples: Social Media
    • 6 Free Copywriting Courses
    • Where You Can Get a Copywriting Certificate Online: Copywriting Training
    • Top American Ad Schools
    • 10 Ad Schools for College Graduates
    • These Direct Response Letters And Campaigns Delivered Great Results - Yours Can Too
    • How To Break Into Advertising
    • The Creative Advertising Bible: The Value Of Great Guerrilla Ad Campaigns (With Examples)
    • Content Writing Vs. Copywriting: What's the Difference?
    • SEO Copywriting: How Does Search Engine Optimization Factor Into Copywriting?
    • Show and Tell: 7 Ways to Write Strong Video Copy
    • Short, Sweet, and It Sells: How to Trim the Fat From Your Sales Copy
    • Digital VS Print Ad Copy: How to Write the Difference
    • How to Craft the Ultimate Product Description
    • B2B VS B2C Sales Copy: 6 Crucial Differences You Should Know About
    • The Next Big Idea: Creative Advertising Ideation
    • Email Marketing: 12 Tips for Getting It Right
    • Landing Pages and Lead Magnets: Everything You Need to Know
    • How to Do Better Creative Advertising: Why and How It Works
    • Where to Take Copywriting Classes in the San Francisco Bay Area
    • Why San Francisco Business Owners Need to Know Copywriting
    • How to Break Into the Copywriting Industry
    • What Everybody Should Know About Online Advertising Portfolio
    • Copywriting for Beginners: 10 Quick Tips
    • Don’t Let Imposter Syndrome Keep You from Writing Great Copy
    • How to Design Great Digital Ads
    • Ad Campaigns: Nike Just Do It
    • Copywriting Examples: Google Ads
    • Best Copywriting Resources: Magazines, Organizations and More
    • How to Practice Copywriting
    • How to Build a Brand With Copywriting
    • Copywriting Grammar Review: 10 Common Grammar Mistakes
    • Copywriting Grammar Review: When to Use Commas
    • Our Top 10 Conversion Rate Optimization Copywriting Tips
    • Urgent, Useful, Unique, Ultra-Specific: How to Boost Your Copywriting with the Four U’s
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Apple 1984
    • Great Ad Campaigns: “Mikey Likes It”
    • Great Ad Campaigns: "When EF Hutton Talks"
    • Great Ad Campaigns: "We Make Money the Old Fashioned Way"
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Daisy
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Absolut Vodka
    • Top San Francisco Ad Agencies
    • Top 6 1960s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 10 1970s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 7 1980s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 10 1990s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Why Does Creative Advertising Matter?
    • How Can AI Copywriting Tools Make Me a Better Copywriter?
    • Why Should You Enter Advertising Contests as a Copywriter?
    • 10 Tips for Writing Captivating Social Media Copy
    • Tips for Improved Direct Response Copywriting
    • Copywriting Pro-Tip: Highlighting Benefits Over Feature
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20 Great Headlines from Classic Ads

Have you ever thought about copywriting? Or branding for your business? If not, then it is time that you did.

Maybe you are thinking of breaking into copywriting and are considering ad school or getting a copywriting certificate at the San Fransico School of Copywriting. 

Or maybe you are already working in marketing, and looking to upgrade your copywriting skills in a big way.

Do you need some copywriting inspiration for your headlines? Feel like they could use some major spicing up?

​Check out these 20 awesome classic ads that will crack open your creative shell open! Your energy will soon be flowing and your mind buzzing with ideas!

1. Morton Salt

Did you ever imagine that pouring salt would be the next biggest thing? As a result of humidity, salt clumping was a huge problem! In 1911 Morton solved this problem by adding the caking agent magnesium carbonate

The first Morton Salt national consumer advertising campaign was launched in 1914 by N. W. Ayer stating:
​
 "When It Rains It Pours."

2. Rolls-Royce

Oh, the beautiful, elegant, and one-of-a-kind Rolls-Royce. This is one of the longest-running and most successful advertising campaigns written by David Ogilvy. 

Ogilvy's winning headline was all about quality when he wrote:
​ "At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in the new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock."

3. The U.S. School of Music

In 1927, John Caples a classic gem that became one of the most popular ads in copywriting history.

Caples details a pristine piano-playing narrative that details how one can start as a novice, and in no time flat become a seasoned pro!

The ad opens with the genius headline:
 "They Laughed When I Sat Down At The Piano - But When I Started to Play!"

4. Miller Lite

In 1974, The Miller Brewing Company launched an ad campaign to launch its lite beer! McCann-Erikson Worldwide came up with the campaign and for many years afterward Miller Lite was a dominant force in the market.

The headline read "Great taste, less filling" and the campaign soon went to TV with actor Eddie Barth reading the slogan for the commercial.

Eddie's winning line reads:
 "Lite Beer from Miller: Everything you've always wanted in a beer. And less." ​

5. Volkswagen

In 1960, the advertising group Doyle Dane & Bernbach (DDB) and Volkswagen decided to create a new concept in the world of automobile advertisements!

In the '60s Cars were built big and fast. Volkswagen turned its slower engine into a positive boasting fewer oil changes and maintenance.

Volkswagen's campaign simply read:
 "Think small." 
and 
"Presenting America's slowest fastback." 

Completely turning the market onto a new concept.

6. Clairol

In 1949, Clairol introduced its first single-step hair color. By the '50s and '60s, Clairol was working hard to make coloring your hair the new and natural normal.

Copywriter Shirley Polykoff from the firm Foote, Cone & Belding was tasked with making Clairol seem so natural, that nobody would know a lady had used it!

She then pioneered the ever-popular headline:
 "Does she... or doesn't she?"

7. Wendy's

In the 1980s, Wendy's began brainstorming to create a new and fresh advertisement campaign. To set their burgers apart from the rest.

In 1984, Cliff Freeman from the Dancer Fitzgerald Sample agency catapulted sales by a whopping 31% that year with the headline:
 "Where's the beef?" 

Followed by:
 "At Wendy's you get more beef and less bun."

8. Nike

How could we forget Nike? Their list of inspiring headlines stands the test of time, and who hasn't heard of their slogan:
 "Just Do It."

In 1987, Nike launched a campaign for their Air Revolution shoes, which defies gravity in a whole new way,
"Gravity will never be the same." 

This shoe isn't for the faint of heart, because Nike tells us "if you're afraid of heights, buy another basketball shoe."

9. Hallmark

When Hallmark was busy building their brand during the 1930s-50s and trying to insert themselves into American history.

In 1944, Hallmark executive Ed Goodman's winning headline is still used today, and defines the brand itself,
"When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best."

10. Rolex

Even in the 1920s, Rolex was leading the way in innovation. In 1926 Rolex released its famous waterproof watch the Rolex Oyster. And so began a marketing campaign to show it off to the world.

One of their earliest known ads called this watch the "Amphibious Oyster" and that it "defies the elements."

​Elements being heat, dust, water, perspiration. Absolute genius.

11. Apple

Apple has been putting out successful advertising campaigns for decades now, and they haven't stopped yet. 

One such ad from 1982 is sure to make you smile. The headline is genius and grabs your attention by saying:
"Apples make great carrots."

What? It then takes you on to learn all about the latest and greatest Apple technology.

12. Coca-Cola

The Coca-Cola Company has an incredibly long history of advertising campaigns, stemming all the way back to 1899!

There is no shortage of classic copywriting tips and copywriting examples for you to look at.Like their ad campaign from 1937, where the headline asks people to:
"STOP for a pause...GO refreshed."

13. Burger King

Burger King has been around since 1954, so they are doing something right beyond their burgers. And that something would be their advertising campaigns.

In the 1970s, Burger King launched what would become a widely known and successful advertising campaign for many years to come. The headline read simply:
"Have it your way."

14. McDonald's

By the 1970s McDonald's was looking for a new advertising campaign to take the company to the next level.

Enter Needham, Harper & Steers Advertising Agency in Chicago. 

​After a failed start, they were able to birth these simple words that would carry McDonald's for years to come:
"You Deserve a Break Today."

15. Pepsi

Pepsi has been in business since 1898. Pepsi has also been in a battle with Coca-Cola for almost just as long.

Pepsi has made many headlines over the years, and one famous line, in particular, has served them well. In 1933, new owner Charles Guth relaunched the company by increasing the bottle sizes.

The headline read:
 "Worth a dime costs a nickel."

16. Jell-O

Who hasn't had a bowl full of Jell-O? Or those famous Jello-O salads and chunky Jell-O desserts are burned in our memories.

Throughout the years, Jell-O has had many successful advertising headlines.

What about this cheeky headline in the 50s which says:
 "When I'm eating Jell-O I wish I were a zebra because then I could paint my stripes and remind everyone of those six delicious flavors."

17. Camel Cigarettes

Nowadays it is hard to believe there was a time that cigarettes were promoted as being the healthy and stylish way to go.

Camel cigarettes invested in numerous ad campaigns over the years, to keep themselves on top of the game.

In 1950, Camel put together the headline:
 "Not a single case of throat irritation due to smoking Camels." 

18. De Beers

De Beers launched an ad campaign that brought meaning to the engagement ring as we now know it.
​
De Beers hired New York ad agency N.W. Ayer for this task. In 1948 they created a headline that hit the mark and still carries the industry today.

Surely you have heard of:
"A Diamond Is Forever."

19. Polaroid

The first Polaroid camera called the Model 95 hit the market in 1948. This camera sold out in no time at all.

In 1960, Polaroid began a campaign to promote its new color pack camera.

​The headline was remarkably simple, yet captured the need for more technology and speed at the time, dubbing it:
 "The 60-second excitement."

20. Listerine

In 1914 the first over-the-counter mouthwash danced onto store shelves worldwide. Saving humanity from the curse of bad breath.

One classic headline read "Halitosis makes you unpopular." And another:
"Often a Bridesmaid, Never A Bride."

If this didn't inspire people to invest further in their dental health, I don't know what else would.

Classic Ads Lead to Inspiration

We hope you enjoyed our inspiring trip back in time, to take a look at all these amazing classic ads! You can see how one simple headline has the power to change the world! Or at least send it off in a new direction.

Copywriting and advertising have a long and rich history. Whether you're interested in a copywriting certificate, ad school, or branding, The San Francisco School of Copywriting has courses that can help you grow your skills to new heights.
​
You can contact us here to find out more about our online and live course offerings. In as little as 6 weeks, you can change your life!
FREE COURSE
  • Home
  • Courses
    • Copywriting 101
    • How to Create an Advertising Portfolio From Scratch
    • Direct Response Copywriting
    • 360 Copywriting Online
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • BLOG
    • Copywriting Lessons from David Ogilvy
    • 9 Copywriting Lessons from Robert Collier
    • 9 Copywriting Lessons From John Caples
    • 8 Copywriting Lessons from John Powers
    • Scientific Advertising: 10 Copywriting Lessons from Claude Hopkins
    • A Review of Current AI Copywriting Tools
    • Top San Francisco Ad Agencies
    • Learn How To Write Conversationally To Engage Your Audience
    • Top Skills for a Copywriter
    • Launch A Career In Advertising With These Top Portfolio Schools
    • UX Copywriting and Short Copy ​
    • Discover How To Write Killer Copy That Converts
    • What is Copywriting? >
      • What Alternative
    • 10 Great Headlines from Classic Ads
    • Why Tone Can Make or Break Your Copy
    • How to Use Statistics, Facts and Quotes to Craft Compelling Copy
    • Great Copywriters Use Verbal Imagery to Tell a Story
    • Master the Art of Headline Writing!
    • Here’s How to Get Portfolio-Building Copywriting Gigs
    • What Volkswagen’s ’Think Small’ Teaches Copywriters
    • 5 Brands with Amazing Copywriting Teams
    • Master Hard and Soft CTAs for Superior Sales Writing
    • The Ultimate Checklist for Blog Copywriters
    • 10 Mistakes Even Experienced Copywriters Make
    • Read These 4 Books to Become a Better Copywriter
    • Sales Writing: How to Create Attention Grabbing Headlines
    • How to Create Persuasive Sales Copy
    • Proven Copywriting Methods Emotional Advertising
    • How to Write Good Copy : Preparation Techniques
    • Copywriting Secrets: 8 Powerful Ways to Add Proof and Credibility
    • Copywriting Cheat Sheet: Write Powerful Copy Quickly and Easily
    • Copywriting Insights: How to Test Ad Copy for Best Results
    • Write Effective Ad Copy: No Fail Secrets and Tips
    • What Never to Do When Writing Compelling Copy for Sales
    • How to Write Copy That Sells – Use Benefits
    • 7 Ways to Improve Your Copy Immediately
    • A Day in the Life of a Copywriter
    • Coffee, Copywriting, and Freedom
    • Copy is Everywhere
    • Direct Response Copy Sells
    • The Pros and Cons of Copywriting Part–Time
    • Three Tips to Write Copy that Converts
    • Two of the Biggest Mistakes Beginning Copywriters Make
    • Why Copywriting Makes a Great Second Career
    • Why I Love Being a Copywriter
    • Landing Pages that Work - Copy that Converts
    • The Next Big Idea: Creative Advertising Ideation
    • Copywriting Certificates: Online Copywriting Classes
    • The Advertising Museum Tokyo: Copywriting Fun
    • How to Tell a Great Brand Story
    • 20 Great Headlines from Classic Ads
    • Top London Ad Agencies
    • The Top 10 Best Copywriting Books
    • Copywriting Courses & Resources
    • Copywriting Formulas to Write Faster: AIDA, Problem Solution and More
    • Sales Letters: Broken Down by Parts
    • Copywriting Research Tips, Tricks and Secrets
    • How to Grow Your Email List
    • What is Creative Advertising
    • Ideation and How to Find the Next Big Idea
    • Creative Advertising Methods and Madness
    • Paths to Becoming a Copywriter
    • Great Print Ads - Creative Advertising That Rocks
    • Great Outdoor Ads - Creative Advertising That Works
    • Underground Ads - Creative Advertising in England
    • 10 Great Email Subject Lines
    • Email Marketing Types: Long, Short, Creative and More
    • Email Copywriting Tactics
    • How to Grow Your Email List
    • Autoresponder Copywriting: How to Do It Write
    • Copywriting Examples: Social Media
    • 6 Free Copywriting Courses
    • Where You Can Get a Copywriting Certificate Online: Copywriting Training
    • Top American Ad Schools
    • 10 Ad Schools for College Graduates
    • These Direct Response Letters And Campaigns Delivered Great Results - Yours Can Too
    • How To Break Into Advertising
    • The Creative Advertising Bible: The Value Of Great Guerrilla Ad Campaigns (With Examples)
    • Content Writing Vs. Copywriting: What's the Difference?
    • SEO Copywriting: How Does Search Engine Optimization Factor Into Copywriting?
    • Show and Tell: 7 Ways to Write Strong Video Copy
    • Short, Sweet, and It Sells: How to Trim the Fat From Your Sales Copy
    • Digital VS Print Ad Copy: How to Write the Difference
    • How to Craft the Ultimate Product Description
    • B2B VS B2C Sales Copy: 6 Crucial Differences You Should Know About
    • The Next Big Idea: Creative Advertising Ideation
    • Email Marketing: 12 Tips for Getting It Right
    • Landing Pages and Lead Magnets: Everything You Need to Know
    • How to Do Better Creative Advertising: Why and How It Works
    • Where to Take Copywriting Classes in the San Francisco Bay Area
    • Why San Francisco Business Owners Need to Know Copywriting
    • How to Break Into the Copywriting Industry
    • What Everybody Should Know About Online Advertising Portfolio
    • Copywriting for Beginners: 10 Quick Tips
    • Don’t Let Imposter Syndrome Keep You from Writing Great Copy
    • How to Design Great Digital Ads
    • Ad Campaigns: Nike Just Do It
    • Copywriting Examples: Google Ads
    • Best Copywriting Resources: Magazines, Organizations and More
    • How to Practice Copywriting
    • How to Build a Brand With Copywriting
    • Copywriting Grammar Review: 10 Common Grammar Mistakes
    • Copywriting Grammar Review: When to Use Commas
    • Our Top 10 Conversion Rate Optimization Copywriting Tips
    • Urgent, Useful, Unique, Ultra-Specific: How to Boost Your Copywriting with the Four U’s
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Apple 1984
    • Great Ad Campaigns: “Mikey Likes It”
    • Great Ad Campaigns: "When EF Hutton Talks"
    • Great Ad Campaigns: "We Make Money the Old Fashioned Way"
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Daisy
    • Great Ad Campaigns: Absolut Vodka
    • Top San Francisco Ad Agencies
    • Top 6 1960s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 10 1970s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 7 1980s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Top 10 1990s Ad Campaigns and What You Can Learn From Them
    • Why Does Creative Advertising Matter?
    • How Can AI Copywriting Tools Make Me a Better Copywriter?
    • Why Should You Enter Advertising Contests as a Copywriter?
    • 10 Tips for Writing Captivating Social Media Copy
    • Tips for Improved Direct Response Copywriting
    • Copywriting Pro-Tip: Highlighting Benefits Over Feature