Tested Advertising Methods (Business Classics (Hardcover Prentice Hall)) [Hardcover]

John Caples (Author)

Book Description

Series: Business Classics (Hardcover Prentice Hall) | Publication Date: March 1997

A legend in advertising for more than 60 years, John Caples still serves as a guide to generations of creative marketing people. Now his classic work on how to create successful advertising has been updated by respected advertising consultant Fred Hahn. It retains all the clarity, candid analysis, time-tested experience and invaluable award-winning ideas from the original, while bringing it right up-to-the-minute on the many new changes in the field.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 5 Sub edition (March 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 013244609X
• ISBN-13: 978-0132446099
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #434,702 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Doesn't get any better than this., October 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Tested Advertising Methods (Prentice Hall Business Classics) (Paperback)

It is so good because Caples was in the mail order advertising business for forty-something years, and that's one of the few kinds of advertising that gets real feedback. Ads can be tested and the results can be compared. So Caples gives you FACTS rather than opinions about what works in advertising.

The book is very informative and also very interesting because Caples will show you two examples of ads he ran as a split-run and says "one sold three times more than the other; can you guess which one?" Then he'll tell you, and tell you WHY.

Not only that, but the book is extremely readable. I'm the author of Self-Help Stuff That Works, and I'm an expert on putting the most useful information into a readable form, and this book is as good as it gets. As David Ogilvy says in the introduction, "This is, without a doubt, the most USEFUL book about advertising that I have ever read." No more endorsement than that is needed!

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent - Best book on advertising and copywriting ever!, July 26, 2002

By 

MAT (Sylvania, OH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tested Advertising Methods (Business Classics (Hardcover Prentice Hall)) (Hardcover)

I have read this book twice cover to cover and refer to it almost everyday. If I could have given this book 6 stars I would have done it without reservation.

I have ordered and read at least 4 different books on copywriting and advertising in the last year. Most of the books have good ideas, but none of them describe the methods of writing headlines the way Caples does. He spends 4 chapters on it and let me tell you when he is finished you will know it cold! Personally that would have been enough to sell me on the book, but he doesn't stop there. He talks about scientific advertising to make sure you are writing ads that sell and not waste money. In addition, he talks through how to write the first paragraph and how to structure the copy. Finally, he spends time to talking about how to improve the selling power of copy.

Since I have read this book my ability to write copy has reached a whole new level. If you are in this field or responsible for writing copy I would advise you that this is a book you MUST own.

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If You Want 5 Star Content, This Book is The One!, June 20, 2002

By 

Dr. Michael Temple (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tested Advertising Methods (Prentice Hall Business Classics) (Paperback)

There's a reason why David Olgilvy calls this the most useful advertsing book he's ever read! I hold a Ph.D in Sales/Marketing and they simply DO NOT teach this money producing stuff enough at our colleges and universities! Instead, most of them opt for creative mush that's clever and makes for good awards and 5 minute speeches....but doesn't sell anything! If you want simple, brass tacks, powerful advertising advice, this book will be the most delapidated marketing resource in your library!
Is you're serious, RUN, don't walk to the checkout and pickup this incredible book. You'll pay guys like Dan Kennedy hundreds and even thousands of dollars for this advice...but it's all right here! Good stuff!