Using Transubstantiation in sales copy
Posted: January 17th, 2021, 6:54 pm
When it comes to copywriting I'm always interested in new and unusual ideas (as long as they actually make sense, and work).
The other day I was hanging out at one of the other forums I sometimes visit, and a thread was started with the title "Using Transubstantiation In Your Sales Copy".
The OP, Tony, was asking what it means and how it works in sales copy.
Of course I never heard of the word before, so I had to go look up the actual meaning of Transubstantiation.
Based on what I learned (with about 5 minutes of research) apparently it has a Roman Catholic origin, and it stands for the conversion of the substance of the Eucharistic elements into the body and blood of Christ at consecration.
Basically, bread being the body of Christ - and wine being his blood.
So how does all that relate to copywriting?
Well, I guess we could say transubstantiation is another way of putting a new spin on a common item to make it seem bigger than it is. Or finding a unique hook to repackage an old idea.
One example I used, in my response at the other forum, is from a few years ago when a fat boy named Jared lost a couple hundred pounds and became a spokesman for Subway sandwiches.
Basically, Subway took a foot long loaf of bread layered with lunch meat and cheese, and turned it into a weight loss diet. (Although they neglected to mention that Jared also walked 5 miles a day to and from the sandwich shop).
So turning a submarine sandwich into a weight loss diet might not have been all that miraculous, but it does seem to fit the definition of Transubstantiation... At least when it comes to advertising and copywriting.
Thought for the day...
The other day I was hanging out at one of the other forums I sometimes visit, and a thread was started with the title "Using Transubstantiation In Your Sales Copy".
The OP, Tony, was asking what it means and how it works in sales copy.
Of course I never heard of the word before, so I had to go look up the actual meaning of Transubstantiation.
Based on what I learned (with about 5 minutes of research) apparently it has a Roman Catholic origin, and it stands for the conversion of the substance of the Eucharistic elements into the body and blood of Christ at consecration.
Basically, bread being the body of Christ - and wine being his blood.
So how does all that relate to copywriting?
Well, I guess we could say transubstantiation is another way of putting a new spin on a common item to make it seem bigger than it is. Or finding a unique hook to repackage an old idea.
One example I used, in my response at the other forum, is from a few years ago when a fat boy named Jared lost a couple hundred pounds and became a spokesman for Subway sandwiches.
Basically, Subway took a foot long loaf of bread layered with lunch meat and cheese, and turned it into a weight loss diet. (Although they neglected to mention that Jared also walked 5 miles a day to and from the sandwich shop).
So turning a submarine sandwich into a weight loss diet might not have been all that miraculous, but it does seem to fit the definition of Transubstantiation... At least when it comes to advertising and copywriting.
Thought for the day...
