A Day of Science, Art, and Magic

Itemized Receipt from the Day of Science, Art, and Magic

Item No. 1          Jumping off the Bridge to Nowhere                                                                                   $250

I am afraid of heights. So naturally, the first thing I did on an unexpected day of no obligations was bungee jump. No? Well, let me explain. You see, I am on a journey to hound down each of my fears, one by formidable one, and obliterate them using science, logic, and rationale. Science can sometimes be comforting. In this case, I knew kinetics would keep me plunging and recoiling as I fell over 100 feet. I knew I would be tethered safely to the elastic cord. I had proof it was safe — many others had gone before me. When the moment arrived, I let out a deep breath and with it my fear of heights and plunged towards the torrential San Gabriel River. The Science of Copywriting, I thought, is much the same. Writing a whole package on an unknown subject can seem daunting. But the components of the package are like a GPS constantly guiding us.

Item No. 2          Bespoke Meal at the French Laundry                                                                                 $730

Truth be told, I haven’t reached that place in my copywriting career where I’d feel comfortable dishing out $730 for one meal. But, when a thousand dollars is given you, it begs to be spent extravagantly. So I drove over six hours from the Bridge to Nowhere in El Segundo to Yountville towards Thomas Keller’s the French Laundry. Renowned French chef, a handful of Michelin stars, almost a clichéd-must in a foodie’s bucket list — are all great reasons to dine here. What attracted me, however, was the fact they don’t use one ingredient more than once in the course of an entire meal! The Art of Copywriting, I reflected, warrants coming up with unique Big Ideas that resonate with our prospects. And a lengthy menu crafted out of distinctive and rare ingredients inspired creativity.

You might think that you wouldn’t spend a quarter of your day of no obligation driving. But isn’t that what we copywriters do — spend at least a quarter of our time researching for hidden jewels. And boy! Did I ever find one! That brings me to Item No. 3.

Item No. 3          Purchase of 12 Magic Wands                                                                                     $20

There is no OllivandersTM for copywriters … sadly. But on my way to the French Laundry, I stopped by a little stationary shop that sold pencils called Blackwing. These have been used by artists to create Oscar, Grammy, and Emmy-nominated works. Outside of Harry Potter’s world, this, I thought, was as close to magic wands as I’d get. A dozen of these at my desk remind me of the Magic of Copywriting. Transubstantiating the mundane into the extraordinary, I realize, is what beats controls.

Final Tally for the Day of Science, Art, and Magic

1 Fear                                                                                                                                                             Conquered

Creativity                                                                                                                                       Charged 1499 Volts

12 Pencils                                                                                                                                         Transubstantiated

Discovering the Science, Art, and Magic of copywriting to craft control-beating packages              Priceless