1974 How To Rob A Bank Without A Gun Book Print Ad

Gary Halbert’s 1974 print ad, “How to Keep Your Money from Being Murdered,” is copywriting gold. One look and you’re hit with a giant knife slicing through dollar bills. It’s part crime scene, part financial advice—and 100% attention-grabbing.

Marketing Analysis

This ad works because it shocks the reader into stopping. The visual pain of seeing money destroyed mirrors the emotional pain of financial loss. Halbert then flips that fear into curiosity: How do I stop this from happening? And finally, he offers an easy, low-risk next step—buy the book.

Why It Works

• Shock value headline stops skimmers cold
• Fear of loss beats desire for gain
• Curiosity gap: What’s murdering my money?
• Visual tension that hits the gut
• Clear offer and easy next step

Modern Examples

• Dollar Shave Club’s humor-hooked launch video grabbed 25M views in 6 months
• Allstate’s “Mayhem” turned fear into funny, lifting sales by double digits
• Apple’s “1984” ad built anticipation and rebellion before Mac’s debut
• Pampers’ “Every little thing counts” ads trigger protective emotion, building trust instantly