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A SHORT, SHORT COURSE IN COPY

Bruce Barton

In 1935 Bruce Barton laid down six copywrit-
ing rules in stone for the BBDO Operations
Council, which they adhered to like the Laws of Moses.
I personally regard the six rules as the greatest lesson in
advertising ever.

1. The theme: Should be based on two principles—
people are interested in themselves and they are
interested in other people.

2. Interesting headlines: “Nobody was more surprised
than I,” said Barton, “when The Man Nobody Knows
became a best seller. The title is what sold the
book.”

3. The visualization.
4. The copy: Eliminate the introduction. Copy should

fit the space. “I never write a piece of copy without
counting the words,” Barton said.
5. Adjectives: When you finish, “go back and cut out
all the adjectives.”

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