'We Ain't Found Copywriting ****!' Creative Copywriting Tips From Mel Brooks

"We ain't found S****!" - Spaceball trooper, Spaceballs

Mel brooks to the rescue of copywriters! Maybe. To quote the man himself, "Everything starts with writing." He then goes on to say, "I don't think in terms of results at all. I think: What next insanity can I shock the world with?"

How many creative brainstorming sessions have you had that ended with the above quote? It's ok, I won't tell anyone. But why can't you can 'harness' a line like the one above and paraphrase it like: It's the holidays season (or summer vacation), and you still ain't found ****? Or, have you been trying to locate that leak for hourse but you still ain't found ****?

When it comes to snappy, quirky lines, few do it better than the legendary Mel Brooks. With a career that spans nearly 8 decades (!) in showbiz, he's been a writer, producer, director, song writer, actor, and who knows what else. He's been resposnible for some of the most memorable movies and scenes in motion picture history, including Young Frankenstein, The Producers, Blazing Saddles, To Be or Not To Be, High Anxiety, Spaceballs, and the TV show Get Smart. And of course, the legendary 2,000 Year Old Man, with the late Carl Reiner, which is a masterclass in improvisation -another useful tool in the art of copywriting.

"I always drink coffee when working on my copywriting..."

Mel Brooks is one of the rare artists who all the prestigious entertainment awards: Academy Award, Grammy, Tony, and Emmy.  Having just celebrated his 99th years old - mazal tov - few people know more about comedy writing with classic lines of dialogue that have endured for decade.

We can easily take some of Mel Brooks' more memorable quotes, and apply them to copywriting or content writing. The fact that they're all entrenched in the world of humor already helps, since a majority of the memorable ads, and advertising campaigns are dipped in humor.

There's a reason why his movies still resonate after all these years, why they're still funny, and why people still quote them: They're memorable. And as copywriters, that's one of our aims: "make it memorable," as advertising great Leo Burnett once said.

So, without further atree, here are copywriting tips from Mel Brooks:

"You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new west. You know...morons."

Straight-up writing won't cut it these days. You need to throw your audience a curveball at the end, something unexpected (and funny, if possible).

"It's my industrial-strength hair dryer, I can't live without it." - Spaceballs

What's a more powerful testament than "I can't live without it?"

Put yourself in the shoes of your user/customer and imagine a world without your product. How could you live without it? You can't, but you can come up with funny scenarios that can illustrate the importance of your product/service...

When a hyper-creative copywriter pitches you ideas..

"Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die." - Mel Brooks

Example to implement:"Tragey is when your thanksgiving turkey burns; Comedy is when you and your father/mother in law wear matching sweaters."

"If you can read this, you don't need glasses." - Spaceballs

A germ of an idea for an attention-grabbing headline: If you can read this, you don't need a butler. Or: If you can read this, it means you're bored.

"Oh, no. Not again." - Spaceballs

This one's easy to attach to almost everday situation and go from there. You can even use it as an opening for an email. Or a blog post: "Oh no, not again...the 10 year-old son of our neighbor cashed his Ford 4x4 into our garden. His toy truck, that is."

"Excuse me while I whip this out." - Blazing Saddles

To grab your user's attention requires attention-grabbing headlines that will make them pause and think.

"I'd rather be happy being rich." - Blazing Saddles

Sometimes stating the obvious can be the simplest way to convey your message, but - do it with a twist. For instance, "I'd rather be driving in a[brand]." Or, 'it's either Hershey's for me or not chcolate at all.'

"It's good to be the king!" - History of the World, Part I

...which is what your user/customer will feel after signing up/ordering the produce/service/subscription.

"How could this happen? I was so careful. I picked the wrong play, the wrong director, the wrong cast...where did I go right?" - The Producers

Sometimes a person can make the best laid plans go wrong. And sometimes, you can do everything wrong and things will turn out right: Vacation plans, a recipe, preparing for an interview, a date...

"You're looking at now, sir." - Colonel Sanders, Spaceballs

Give your reader something so attention grabbing, that they'll be focused only on that: A discount, an attention-grabbing headline, a clever-call to action, a link to a sought-to guide or much-needed recipe.

"You have exactly ten seconds to change that look of disgusting pity into one of enormous respect!" - The Producers

As a copywriter, you have precious few seconds/lines to capture the user/reader/buyer's attention. Think about what's the most important thing to them, and put it front and center.

"He who hesitates is poor" - The Producers

Two words: Timed CTA...

"When you've got it, flaunt it, flaunt it! - The Producers

Once a customer has: made the purchase/downloaded your ebook/other content, make them feel good about themselves. Especially when buying is involved.

"I'm surrounded by assholes." - Dark Helmet, Spaceballs

Maybe the 2nd most memorable line in the movie -and probably the most adaptable. How? That's up to you...