I've been browsing around a bit in this forum, and I often see posts that begin something like...

"Hey everyone, add these to your swipe file..."

And then I will go to the link they provided only to find a collection of Apple ads or McDonald's ads.

It always leaves me thinking, "Wait, I thought the purpose of swiping was to gather the very best ads -- not merely to start an ad collection!"

I've been looking around for good swipe material, but as a newbie, I really don't know who to trust. (It seems like everyone wants to give me new ads for my swipe file!)

How can I find ads that are truly "the best of the best"?

(And no, I won't be upset if you provide me with a link to a proven winner).

You'll probably get a lot of opinions on this.

I keep stuff where either the writer has a history of great writing (John Carlton, Gary Halbert, Dan Kennedy, Ron Legrand, and many others) or I saw something in the ad that might resonate with a market I'm either actively in or could see myself in.

There's a lot of good ads by companies like McDonalds and others that may not resonate with me but I may have a hunch works with a demographic I'm targeting.

I also have a folder for stuff that sucks. I use those as reminders of what not to do. Like the Pennysaver ad on the door post I made awhile back. I went back and took a picture and filed it. It comes from my music playing days where we'd start almost every practice playing something corny that we all hated. It's just a way of loosening up and shutting down the parts of our brains that might do something we'll wish we hadn't done.

I guess I'm saying swipe everything and file it appropriately if you think it hits markets you're working or want to work in. That stuff is everywhere.

Cheers.

Yes, vdmp is dead-on right.

Swipe files can be used to set the appropriate tone for your client's copy.

Also there are other uses:
* As a sample of successful advertising that you can write out by hand.
* As a template that you can follow to create your own copy. [note: this use is only to be used as a general outline. No plagerism!]
* As an example of totally awful writing - again like vdmp said.
* As a way to jump-start your own creative juices when you're writing copy.
* As a layout pattern to follow with your own copy. [example: magalog.]
* As a learning tool from a master copywriter you admire. [I scarf up anything and everything that Joe Vitale and Tina Lorenz write, for example.]

Hope this helps,
Dot

Three great places to start building a swipe file of proven ads...

1. Go to successful copywriters websites and look at their samples.

2. Go to HardToFindAds.com -- a free collection of some of the best ads ever.

3. Go to Lawrence Bernstein's blog InfoMarketingBlog.com -- it's all about ads that sold millions.

Hope that helps.

Ben Settle has a nice report:

Swipe File » Copywriting Grab Bag

He also has a great blog (and this post reminded me that I should be paying more attention to it).

It's at:

Copywriting Grab Bag | Discussions And Q&A About Copywriting, Marketing And Taking Care Of Business

Hope this is helpful.

Janet