I watched one of my favorite movies July 4th:
“The Longest Day”
It’s the tale of D-Day and it uses a blockbuster cast to the hilt, with names like John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Richard Burton, even Red Buttons.
I appreciate the film for the way it handles both sides, Allies and Axis, by giving the behind the scenes look at what the day presented to those involved.
What made the film so much “fun” (and I put scare quotes around fun because even though it’s entertaining, it portrays a deadly serious and important moment in history) was the fact that I was watching it the evening of the 4th.
Local fireworks celebrations had been cancelled, so there really wasn’t anyplace nearby to watch any kind of traditional display. And I’m not much for shooting off my own firecrackers and the like, I guess I have this weird affinity for maintaining possession of all my fingers.
But true to form, my neighborhood carried the torch of gunpowder-empowered revelry. In fact, the house literally shook from the non-stop barrage of nearby explosions.
And watching a war movie, documenting the counter-assault to free Europe from the Axis, was a perfect accompaniment to the evening’s raucous celebrations.
As I watched the boys scale the heights of Pointe Du Hoc – a 100 foot sheer cliff that had to be taken that day – it reinforced the power of guts.
D-Day took guts.
They had a mission. They would not be stopped. Many paid the ultimate price. Eventually, their sacrifice provided salvation.
Winning took guts.
On a much smaller level, it’s a real challenge to write sales copy. It requires risk. To put something out there, knowing it could well be rejected or even worse ignored.
Copy takes guts too.
So this Independence Day, I salute those who serve to protect and preserve the freedoms we enjoy.
And I salute you for the service you provide – in a mission to empower business and success.
That shows guts.
Write Faster. Write Better. Right Now.
– Jack Turk
“World’s Fastest Copywriter”