Put on masks.

Copy others.

Lose your way. 

The new copies the old. 

And becomes just as mediocre.

If there are no people, no culture can exist.

No people, no culture. 

If there are no copycats, no culture can grow.

No copy, no culture. 

Copy culture.

Lose your own way.

Find Anxiety.

Become yourself. 

Create your own way.

Find Peace.

How to think. 

How to talk.

How to act. 

These rules are called culture.

Companies, teams, cliques, states, and parties are groups.

And every group has their own culture.

These often come into conflict:

Some times it's rude to drink alcohol.

Other times it's rude not to.

Some times it's rude to eat meat. 

Other times it's rude not to.

Be aware -

If you are part of a group. 

You adapt to their culture.

Slowly, 

“you” becomes “them”. 

Copywriters have a secret weapon.

And what do you do with so-called secret weapons?

Naturally, you try to utilize them for yourself.

However, this turned out to be a fool's errand.

What is the secret weapon?

It's called a swipe file. A swipe file is a folder that consists of great copy, that is, the best and most relevant ads. You see what worked on yourself. For example:

What ad made you buy from amazon last time? Then put it in your swipe file to use later when you write ads yourself.

Here is what Tim Ferriss had to say about a swipe file:

"I think finding the examples that inspire you, whether that’s inspiring you to call a phone number, go to a website, place a purchase or to change your behavior to go somewhere else, is really valuable. It’s also fun to look back at the things that have influenced you. What are the words that persuade you? Keep a file of these things. It pays dividends to imitate.”

If you have a catalogue of great copy, there are three great advantages:

(At least so I thought.)

The Three Advantages of Swipe Files

1. Speed

If you have tons of great performing ads at your fingertip, you will be able to write ads much faster than if you figure it out on your own. Don't know how to get started? Pull out your swipe file! Don't know what words to use? Pull out your swipe file! Dan Kennedy puts it this way:

“You do not need much creativity to write [copy]; you only need to be adept at recycling and reorganizing ideas, themes, words, and phrases."

1. Effectivity

When you create your ads yourself, you not only don't know how to write the best ads, but you also don't know how well they will perform. However, a swipe file is full of copy that has worked, so you can write effective copy instantly.

1. Inspiration

And even if you want to write your own ad, you can get inspiration from the swipe file. It can provide you with ideas. Writer's block? Pull out your swipe file.

Sounds good, doesn't it?

Well, too bad. Here's why swipe files suck.

At first I thought a swipefile would be helpful. I even thought: Why limit it to copy? Couldn't I use the swipe file for... well, everything? Now I've come to the conclusions that swipe files will do more harm than good.

First, your swipe file sets the bar.

It shows you how "worldclass" copy looks like. You will try to imitate that and you strive to write copy similar to your swipe file. This inevitably leads you to become just another clone in your market. It's hard to be innovative or set a new standard when you are student and practioner of the old methods.

Second, conditioning.

You become your environment. And thus, a swipe file binds you to the work of others. When you see your own swipe file multiple times, it conditions you each time a bit more. When you started a new job, you saw a lot of things in the beginning and wondered, "Why?" But after a few months, you don't even notice them anymore. A swipe file works the same, you will become blind.

Third, imitation.

I was talking about inspiration. But inspiration is thinly-veiled imitation. And you imitate the original as closely as possible. Some people try to put their own spin on it. But that's still imitation - just with a twist.

And let's not forget the real reason you want a swipe file:

You are anxious.

You want to feel safe and hope that with just another tool and the knowledge of other people, you can accomplish much more than if you were on your own. That is the great tragedy of not believing in yourself. And at the same time, hold other people's work in high esteem.

So what?

Maybe you're trying to be Pareto-effective and you're happy with mediocre performance? Just keep doing what you're doing.

Just write copy. Build a solid foundation of understanding. Then try out foreign methods.

This protects you a little from toxicity because you can see through the bullshit before you start.

Everything leads to this conclusion:

Either you're brave.

And ditch the swipe file.

Or be mediocre.

And use it.

P.S.:

Everything competitors do is part of a toxic culture. This invalidates benchmarks, competitor analysis, market positioning, product comparisons, and more.

Don't trust competitors.

Don't trust experts.

Trust only yourself.

Or do you write from fullness?

If you write because you lack something,

your writing will betray your intents.

“I’ve got a new Pikachu bikini!”

“Republicans should go to hell!”

“I’d do anything for you!”

Your writing tells others,

if you need attention.

if you need approval.

if you are desperate.

But if you write from fullness,

you stop writing about yourself.

And you start writing about the truth.

And everyone else just by accident.

False creation does neither benefit the creator.

Nor anyone else.

False creation is forced.

True creation cannot be forced.

Not even by a gun to the head.

False creation focuses on the result.

True creation focuses on the doing.

Nothing is deadlier to true creation than a motive.