Dear Indy, My father started out pumping gas, 10 cents a gallon, making a wage of a dime each hour. That was the best he could do as an engineering graduate in the thin job market of the 1940’s. So he joined the army and lived well as a newly-married Lieutenant on a dollar a […]

The struggling Gaya district is in the eastern state of Bihar, India. Kolithwa is a village there. Loungi Bhuiya is one of its residents. In a story by Judy Cole, “Loungi Bhuiya had become increasingly distraught as more and more farmers—including four of his own sons—left Kolithwa for greener pastures. Taking a leaf from Don […]

Hi Indy When I was training salespeople at Walnut Creek Ford in CA I would take salespeople on a little field trip. To diffuse the notion that price is all that matters I would take them to The Nordstrom Store and a Ross Store which was one half block apart and give them a tour. […]

Sadly no. My brother Ted took our family tree back to year 1525 but did not find anyone famous or notable. Ted did uncover some interesting facts about the Pylant family:The original spelling was Pielandt. Pielandt has since been converted to many different spellings; Pylant, Pilant, Pyland, Piland, etc, etc, etc. No matter how it’s […]

Thinking back, I am convinced the neighborhood I grew up in was ideal.  I lived in the same house in the same neighborhood until I was married.That was not unusual.People just did not move around in those days. It was extremely rare if someone moved away. Fathers tended to stay in the same job until retirement.Mothers […]

Dr. Seuss became a legend because he had  1. the courage to make up new words,  2. the confidence that his readers would understand what these non-words meant, and3. Seuss was a master of meter, the rhythm that is created when you arrange into patterns the stressed and unstressed syllables of words. There are lots […]

You can buy the book, “Mr. Jenkins Told Me…” by Jonathan Bancroft (with Roy H. Williams) at Amazon.com

You want to start at the beginning of Manley’s book? Here’s how to do that.Next week, Manley is going to tell us about The Seven Things. Prepare to ponder.I’ve heard him talk about this stuff before, and it’s good. – Indy

Jesse’s Challenge/Question: I’d define capitalism as the belief that everyone has the right & responsibility to use their own resources in the way which they think is most conducive to improving the world. If that’s not capitalism, what is it? My Answer: Christianity. And perhaps it is Judaism and Buddhism and Zoroastrianism, as well. But I’m not familiar […]

Sixty-six percent of Americans believe our nation is in decline, according to a study from the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture.

You want to start at the beginning of Manley’s book? Here’s how to do that.By the way, it’s not yet published so you’ll just have to keep waiting for achapter or two each week. Sorry about that. – Indy

What a fun question! I would buy a condo in Paris, my favorite city.I would buy a condo in Barcelona, my second favorite city.I would buy a condo in Manhattan, NYC, my favorite city in the USA.Naturally, I would keep my condo in Fort Worth, Texas. Then, so that I could travel to all my […]

I will now do a dangerous thing. I will explain it at the end, but in the beginning I must do it. Let us begin. Life. What is the essence of it?  If you squeeze it hard enough, what is its juice? Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life, and have it […]

Two-Minute SeductionBy Toni Morrison I took my heart out and gave it to a writer made heartless by fame, someone who needed it to pump blood into veins desiccated by the suck and roar of crowds slobbering or poisoning or licking up the red froth they mistake for happiness because happiness looks just like a heart […]

Battleground or Playground? Jacques Cousteau, the man who made the world care about the ocean, said, “A lot of people attack the sea. I make love to it.”  But he was French. Not being French, I don’t see each day’s work as a choice between attacking or love-making. I see the future unfurl each morning as […]

The ways the country has changed in my 82 years astonishes even me! I can remember World War ll.What I remember clearly is watching ‘news reels’ at the movies. I knew that the war was far, far away but ‘seeing‘ it was scary.When an airplane would fly over, I crossed my fingers hoping it wasn’t a […]

You want to start at the beginning of Manley’s book? Here’s how to do that.By the way, it’s not yet published so you’ll just have to keep waiting for achapter or two each week. Sorry about that. – Indy

Indy, The Wizard has often said that good ad copy will work on any media.  It is the message that is important.   I was speaking with one of my brilliant Wizard of Ads Partners, Matthew Burns, the other day and he shared a little story that demonstrates what Roy has been saying.   Matt […]

Revelatory poems are like good ads.This is our interest-captivating opening: “Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice.” Interest now obtained, we bridge to the first transition: (The objective is to introduce a new element into the equation. In this case, the relationship between desire and fire.) “From what I’ve tasted […]

The music is emotionally disarming. It sets a mood that is innocent and lighthearted, reinforcing all that you are saying in the ad. I added the music for precisely the same reason that every movie you’ve ever seen has a musical score. Music speaks to the unconscious mind. When words and music are delivered together and the […]

Google says you should buy ads online. Outfront Media makes a compelling argument for outdoor advertising. Yellow Pages (yes, they’re still out there) has sales people telling you you’re missing out on an untold number of calls. Newspaper, Radio, and TV have shoehorned digital advertising under their umbrellas promising to be a “one-stop-shop,” but even they can’t be […]

Hello Ryan and Nicole,     I just read the next round of ads…….you two are really goooood!!Sincerely,Ben Nicole wrote:Ben,I couldn’t agree more except for the number TWO.  Ryan is remarkable.  We talk in our marketing meetings all day long about our messaging…we send newsletters, email blasts, create videos etc etc…IN MY OPINION…Ryan is the true […]

You want to start at the beginning of Manley’s book? Here’s how to do that.By the way, it’s not yet published so you’ll just have to keep waiting for achapter each week. Sorry about that. – Indy

Is Your Company Out of Rhythm? The economy, commerce, business, the stock market and free trade: all of these were built on our ability to sell things to each other.  This is why the job of the ad writer is incredibly important. Television and radio, newspapers and magazines, direct mail and email, word-of-mouth and live […]

Seinfeld and Solnit Seinfeld was “a show about nothing,” but we couldn’t get enough of it because each of us knew a George, an Elaine, and a Kramer.  Rebecca Solnit’s book, The Faraway Nearby, reminds me of Seinfeld. I love this book, but I can’t really explain what it’s about. Solnit can write about nothing and keep you mesmerized. Sort […]

Art is valuable to the degree that it triggers emotions. But it isn’t always the art, itself, that triggers the emotion; sometimes the art is merely a point-of-contact with an iconic figure with whom we identify. Would this scene have been as memorable had it not clearly echoed the promise of the return of Christ? – Roy […]

Got something interesting to share? Send it to Indy@WizardOfAds.com and perhaps it’ll show up in the rabbit hole. If you’d like to see Ralph Marston’s Daily Motivator, go to www.greatday.com

Last week’s Monday Morning Memo, Islands of Writers, reminded me of this true story: I spent New Year’s Day 2008 where the Sea of Cortez washes into the Pacific Ocean. My choice of wardrobe on that day would change the course of a man’s life. Dale Mapp was born on the Caribbean island of Barbados […]