Dear Reader,
BAT CHILD FOUND IN CAVE!
That headline screamed across the cover of Weekly World News in 1992.
“He is not a boy or a bat. He’s a Bat Boy! We suspect that the mother is a local.” – Dr. Ron Dillion
The story was pure hogwash. But that headline sold over a million copies and gave Bat Boy a life of his own — thousands of articles, a cult following, even a musical.
Why did people buy it?
Because it did the one job every headline must do: it made you want to read the next sentence.
A headline isn’t there to sell. Its purpose is to propel — to pull the reader forward with a hovering question mark that demands resolution.
In this episode, Roy and I talk about the serious business of headlines. Why they work, why most don’t, and how absurd or surprising lines can spark curiosity strong enough to carry your audience to the very end.
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
- The true job of a headline—and why it’s not to sell
- The role of images and illustrations in pulling readers to the headline
- How surprise and curiosity activate Broca’s area of the brain
- Why headlines should create a ‘hovering question mark’
- The Magical Worlds exercise: building powerful ads from absurd statements
- How to make every sentence strong enough to be an opener
- The Economist billboard ad and the power of subtle, witty copy
- Roy’s final rule: have the courage to be different, evocative, surprising, and absurd
Episode Chapters & Summary
The Job of a Headline
“The purpose of a headline is to get the first sentence read.”
Todd and Roy open by revisiting timeless advice from Ogilvy and Sugarman: the headline isn't meant to sell the product—it's meant to pull the reader forward. Each sentence's job is to get the next one read, creating momentum and curiosity.
Key Takeaways:
- A headline is about attention, not sales.
- Every line must propel the reader forward.
- Illustrations exist only to get people to the headline.
The Role of Images and Surprise
“The only reason to have an illustration or photograph is to get people to read the headline.”
Roy explains why images matter: their only job is to pull attention toward the headline. He highlights how visual framing—like Ken Goodrich's close-up ad example—forces the audience to imagine what's outside the frame, sparking curiosity. This parallels the power of headlines to trigger the imagination.
Key Takeaways:
- Images are bait for the headline.
- Framing close-up shots forces imagination and intrigue.
- Visuals without relevance waste attention.
The Hovering Question Mark
“A headline should leave a hovering question mark.”
Roy introduces the idea that great headlines create unresolved curiosity—what he calls the hovering question mark. The example 'How much should a hamster weigh?' works because it demands context. This pattern-breaking technique captures attention and sets the stage for clarity.
Key Takeaways:
- Headlines must spark curiosity and mystery.
- Pattern-breaking grabs attention in the brain's Broca's area.
- Surprise + clarity = sustained engagement.
Magical Worlds Exercise
“There is no sentence from which an extraordinary ad cannot be built.”
Roy shares an exercise from Wizard Academy's Magical Worlds workshop: students start ads with absurd, colorful statements and then build bridges to meaningful messages. The lesson—any opening line, no matter how strange, can anchor a compelling ad.
Key Takeaways:
- Absurd or random lines can spark powerful ads.
- Building a bridge to relevance makes curiosity satisfying.
- Surprising beginnings reward audiences when they resolve into clarity.
Every Sentence as an Opener
“Write so that any sentence can be the first one your reader sees.”
Roy emphasizes that every sentence should stand alone, carrying surprise or new value. This creates modular, high-impact copy where any sentence could open an ad. He contrasts tight copywriting with long-form writing, showing why poets are the best teachers of ad writing.
Key Takeaways:
- Every sentence must deliver new, surprising, or different value.
- Strong sentences allow flexible, modular writing.
- Reading poetry trains brevity and emotional punch.
The Economist Billboard Example
“I never read The Economist.”
Todd and Roy dissect The Economist's famous billboard campaign, which used witty reverse psychology. The ad never insults the reader directly but implies that those who don't read The Economist stall in life. The genius lies in subtlety: the audience connects the dots themselves, feeling clever for solving the riddle.
Key Takeaways:
- Subtlety can make ads more powerful than blunt claims.
- The hovering question mark drives the audience to resolve meaning.
- Context (placement in business hubs) amplified the ad's impact.
