Why do some words make you click, buy, trust, or remember? Odds are, one of the greatest copywriters in history put them there. Behind every iconic ad, unforgettable slogan, or killer headline is a writer who didn’t just write—they engineered emotion and action.
These aren’t just writers. They’re masters of persuasion, fluent in the psychology of attention, timing, and human behavior.
In this guide, you’ll meet 20 copywriters who changed the game—each with a trademark move, a distinct voice, and a takeaway that still sells.
If you write for a living (or just want your words to hit harder), this list is your cheat code.
1. David Ogilvy
David Ogilvy didn’t invent advertising, but he sure made it look like a well-dressed science. Known as the father of modern advertising, Ogilvy brought British wit, research obsession, and a maniacal focus on headlines to Madison Avenue.
His work for brands like Rolls-Royce and Dove set a new standard for persuasive, intelligent copy that respected the reader’s time, and intelligence.
He believed clarity was king. Headlines weren’t decorations, they were dealmakers. One of his most quoted lines, written for Rolls-Royce, promised silence at 60 miles per hour. That wasn’t just clever. It was positioning disguised as a fact.
Ogilvy’s greatest trick wasn’t charm, it was making every single word carry its own weight.
Most Iconic Work: “At 60 miles an hour…” Rolls-Royce ad, Dove’s “Only Dove is one-quarter moisturizing cream” campaign, and the book Confessions of an Advertising Man
Lesson:
The smartest copy often sounds simple. Ogilvy proved that if you treat your reader with respect and write with brutal clarity, persuasion stops being a mystery and starts being measurable. Craft your headline like your job depends on it, because it does.
2. Eugene Schwartz
Eugene Schwartz was the king of long-form sales copy before landing pages were even a thing. His ads looked like mini-novels, but they worked, generating millions in mail-order sales.
Schwartz understood human desire at a molecular level, and he knew how to turn curiosity into momentum, line by line, until the reader had no choice but to say yes.
He didn’t believe copy created desire. It tapped into what already existed in the market’s mind and gave it shape. That’s what made his book Breakthrough Advertising a masterclass in timing, psychology, and offer awareness.
He proved that when you speak to a reader’s state of mind, not just your product’s features, you write a copy that feels like prophecy.
Most Iconic Work: Breakthrough Advertising (1966) – Still considered the Bible of direct response copywriting
Lesson:
Don’t try to invent demand, channel it. Schwartz’s approach reminds writers that the magic isn’t in describing the product; it’s in matching the message to what your audience already wants, fears, or dreams about.
3. Claude Hopkins
Before A/B testing had a name, Claude Hopkins was running experiments in newspapers and tracking responses with coupons. He believed advertising should be measurable, repeatable, and rooted in customer behavior, not clever turns of phrase.
His campaigns for Pepsodent and Schlitz Beer turned mundane features into irresistible selling points by simply explaining their benefits better than anyone else.
Hopkins was obsessed with what worked. He gave people reasons to act. then tested, tweaked, and scaled them with cold precision. His legacy isn’t about flashy ads; it’s about results that didn’t lie. He made sure every line had a job, and if it didn’t earn its keep, it didn’t stay.
Most Iconic Work: Pepsodent “You’ll wonder where the yellow went” campaign; the book Scientific Advertising (1923)
Lesson:
Creativity means nothing if it doesn’t move people to act. Hopkins showed that copy should be built on truth, tested in the real world, and focused on results, because the best copy isn’t the most clever, it’s the most effective.
4. Gary Halbert
Gary Halbert wrote like he was talking directly to you, with zero pretense and maximum punch. He wasn’t trying to impress anyone with big words; he was trying to make money with simple ones.
Halbert made direct mail irresistible, turning sales letters into personal, emotional, almost hypnotic experiences that people couldn’t stop reading.
He was a master of building tension and pacing. His famous “coat of arms” letter didn’t just sell, it created an emotional spark by making the reader feel seen.
Halbert’s gift was getting past people’s filters and into their gut. If most copy is noise, his was a whisper in your ear, deliberate, intimate, and too curious to ignore.
Most Iconic Work: The “Boron Letters” series; The Coat of Arms direct mail campaign
Lesson:
Sales copy doesn’t need to be complex, it needs to be personal. Halbert showed that simple, emotionally grounded writing delivered with confidence will always outperform clever fluff. If your copy doesn’t sound like a human wrote it for another human, it’s already lost.
5. Joe Sugarman
Joe Sugarman was the rare copywriter who could sell high-tech gadgets with charm, curiosity, and an almost playful tone. He didn’t just explain products, he told stories that made them come alive.
His work on BluBlocker sunglasses made a no-name product into a household hit, proving that enthusiasm and emotional resonance matter more than industry buzzwords.
What made Sugarman stand out was his commitment to flow. Every line existed to pull you to the next, creating a momentum that made stopping feel unnatural. He respected the reader’s attention by rewarding it, not with gimmicks, but with rhythm, pacing, and logic wrapped in storytelling.
Most Iconic Work: BluBlocker Sunglasses campaign; the book Triggers
Lesson:
Great copy isn’t written, it’s built. Sugarman taught that writing should follow an emotional progression, guiding the reader step-by-step through interest, trust, and action. If your first sentence doesn’t pull them into the second, the rest doesn’t matter.
6. Rosser Reeves
Rosser Reeves was a ruthless strategist in an age of showmen. He believed every ad should revolve around one thing: a clear, repeatable promise that no one else could claim.
While others chased style, Reeves zeroed in on the message, and that’s what made him one of the most commercially successful ad men of his time.
Most Iconic Work: Anacin’s “Fast, fast, fast relief” TV spots; the book Reality in Advertising
Lesson:
Repetition isn’t lazy, it’s strategic. Reeves proved that one bold, consistent message beats a dozen clever ones. If your reader can’t explain your ad in a single sentence, it’s time to simplify and sharpen the core idea.
7. Bill Bernbach
Bill Bernbach didn’t just change how ads looked, he changed how they felt. As the creative force behind Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB), he helped usher in the “creative revolution” of the 1960s, combining art directors and copywriters into collaborative teams.
His work broke the mold with honesty, wit, and a deep respect for the consumer’s intelligence.
Most Iconic Work: Volkswagen “Think Small” and “Lemon” campaigns; Avis “We Try Harder”
Lesson:
Creativity without empathy is just noise. Bernbach proved that truth, humility, and humor can do more to win trust than polished sales pitches ever could. When you respect your audience’s intelligence, your copy cuts deeper, and lingers longer.
8. Leo Burnett
Leo Burnett didn’t write ads, he built icons. He gave the world Tony the Tiger, the Marlboro Man, the Pillsbury Doughboy, and a long list of characters that still influence branding today. His approach was simple: find the “inherent drama” in the product and express it with warmth, storytelling, and visual power.
Most Iconic Work: The Marlboro Man campaign; creation of brand mascots like Tony the Tiger and the Jolly Green Giant
Lesson:
The most powerful stories are already in the product,you just have to uncover them. Burnett showed that when you combine emotional truth with timeless storytelling, your brand stops being a product and starts becoming part of someone’s life.
9. John Caples
John Caples didn’t waste time on fluff. He was all about results, headlines that punched you in the brain, and copy that made the sale before you finished the first paragraph. His most famous ad, “They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano”,is still studied as a masterclass in emotional buildup and curiosity.
Most Iconic Work: “They Laughed When I Sat Down at the Piano” ad; the book Tested Advertising Methods
Lesson:
Curiosity is a force multiplier. Caples proved that if you can make someone want to read the next line, you don’t need gimmicks, you need structure. Great copy doesn’t just persuade; it pulls.
10. Drayton Bird
Drayton Bird has been in the trenches of direct marketing for decades, and he’s one of the few who still writes like a hungry junior. A protégé of David Ogilvy and a living legend in his own right, Bird has worked with companies like American Express, British Airways, and Microsoft.
His secret? He never stopped focusing on the fundamentals: clarity, structure, and relentless relevance to the customer.
Most Iconic Work: Commonsense Direct and Digital Marketing (book), multiple direct marketing campaigns for international brands
Lesson:
Fundamentals never go out of style. Bird showed that mastering the basics, like knowing your audience, tightening your structure, and focusing your message, will beat trendy gimmicks every time.
11. Dan Kennedy
Dan Kennedy is the no-nonsense guru of direct response and one of the most commercially successful copywriters of the last 40 years. His work spans print, TV, and email, but it always hits the same notes: urgency, clarity, and unapologetic selling.
Kennedy didn’t just write ads, he built sales machines that generated millions and trained thousands to do the same.
Most Iconic Work: The Ultimate Sales Letter and Magnetic Marketing (books); large-scale direct response campaigns in health, finance, and coaching
Lesson:
Copywriting is a business tool, not a creative outlet. Kennedy drilled into people that if your copy doesn’t create cash flow, it’s just decoration. Think like a seller first, writer second.
12. Bob Bly
Bob Bly is what happens when an engineer becomes a copywriter: you get persuasive writing with the precision of a blueprint.
With more than 100 books and thousands of campaigns under his belt, he’s built a career on logical, well-researched, conversion-focused copy, especially in B2B and technical industries. His approach favors clarity over cleverness and structure over flash.
Most Iconic Work: The Copywriter’s Handbook (book); B2B and financial copy for IBM, Intuit, and Boardroom Inc.
Lesson:
Precision persuades. Bly reminded us that great copy doesn’t always need to dazzle, it needs to deliver the right message, to the right reader, in the clearest possible way. If your message is confusing, you lose.
13. Joanna Wiebe
Joanna Wiebe is the modern voice of conversion copywriting, and she’s loud in all the right ways. As the founder of Copyhackers, she’s taken what used to be a vague mix of persuasion and instinct and turned it into a science backed by research, data, and repeatable frameworks.
Her writing pulls directly from voice-of-customer data and focuses relentlessly on user intent.
Most Iconic Work: Copyhackers platform, email and UX copy for companies like Wistia, Shopify, and Intuit
Lesson:
Copy isn’t written, it’s assembled from the customer’s own words. Joanna proved that mining user feedback and using their exact language can create conversion rates that no clever headline ever could. Listen harder, and your copy practically writes itself.
14. George Lois
George Lois didn’t care what anyone thought, and that’s exactly why he made history. Best known for his work on Esquire magazine covers and provocative ad campaigns, Lois brought raw energy and cultural friction into advertising.
His ideas didn’t whisper, they grabbed you by the collar and made you pay attention.
Most Iconic Work: Esquire covers (1962–1972); “I Want My MTV” campaign; Xerox ad campaigns
Lesson:
Safe is invisible. Lois taught that copy needs guts to be remembered, and the ones who break things (intentionally) often rewrite the rules of what works. If no one hates your ad, no one loves it either.
15. Roy H. Williams
Roy H. Williams, also known as “The Wizard of Ads,” doesn’t just write to sell, he writes to enchant. His storytelling-driven approach has helped businesses build customer loyalty by emotionally anchoring their message.
He’s one of the few who blends poetic writing with commercial strategy without losing the sale.
Most Iconic Work: The Wizard of Ads trilogy; branding and radio campaigns for independent businesses across the U.S.
Lesson:
Storytelling isn’t fluff, it’s leverage. Williams showed that when you connect with people emotionally, you don’t just earn attention, you earn loyalty. That kind of bond lasts longer than any discount.
16. Barbara Nokes
Barbara Nokes is one of the quiet giants of advertising, a writer who shaped brand voices so seamlessly that people forgot they were being sold to. As co-founder of the legendary agency BMP, she crafted campaigns in the UK that blended intelligence, emotional resonance, and a refusal to talk down to audiences.
Her work proved that subtlety, precision, and trust in the reader could be more powerful than any hard sell.
Most Iconic Work: British Airways “We’ll Take More Care of You” campaign; Volkswagen UK campaigns
Lesson:
Simplicity isn’t weakness, it’s power with purpose. Nokes showed that when you choose the right words, and only the right ones, you give your message room to land without distraction. Strong writing doesn’t need volume, it needs control.
17. Luke Sullivan
Luke Sullivan is the brutally honest teacher behind one of the most beloved books on creative advertising, blending decades of agency experience with no-nonsense insight.
A former creative director at Fallon and GSD&M, Sullivan’s work and teachings helped countless copywriters ditch fluff and focus on what truly lands. He writes the way good ads work: clear, bold, and unafraid to push past safe.
Most Iconic Work: Hey Whipple, Squeeze This (book); campaigns for United Airlines, Miller Lite, and Time Magazine
Lesson:
Being clever won’t save you, being clear and bold will. Sullivan reminds us that good creative isn’t about showing off; it’s about earning attention fast and keeping it with truth. Don’t entertain at the expense of meaning.
18. Sally Hogshead
Sally Hogshead turned brand differentiation into a personality-driven science. A former award-winning agency copywriter, she developed a system to help brands become fascinating by leaning into what makes them naturally magnetic.
Her writing blends psychology, punch, and structure in a way that makes even traditional industries feel vibrant and edgy.
Most Iconic Work: Fascinate: How to Make Your Brand Impossible to Resist; campaigns for MINI Cooper, Godiva, and Coca-Cola
Lesson:
Different is better than better. Hogshead proved that the most effective copy doesn’t try to win by comparison, it redefines the rules of the conversation. In a crowded market, bold individuality is often your best strategy.
19. Ann Handley
Ann Handley brings warmth, wit, and wisdom to content that usually gets ignored. As Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs and a bestselling author, she’s helped thousands of brands sound more human, more helpful, and way more interesting.
Her secret isn’t flair, it’s structure, consistency, and speaking to readers like real people with real lives.
Most Iconic Work: Everybody Writes (book); long-form content and newsletters with a human voice for MarketingProfs
Lesson:
You don’t need to be flashy to be unforgettable. Handley proved that when your copy is useful, honest, and infused with genuine voice, people don’t just read it, they trust it. Relevance is your most powerful hook.
20. Dave Trott
Dave Trott doesn’t waste words, and he doesn’t want you to either. A creative director, strategist, and writer, Trott became known for distilling complex marketing truths into sharp, memorable, street-smart wisdom. His copy doesn’t ask for attention, it grabs it and makes you glad it did.
Most Iconic Work: Predatory Thinking and Creative Mischief (books); campaigns for Toshiba, Ariston, and Holsten Pils
Lesson:
Attention is earned, not assumed. Trott reminds us that a great copy doesn’t wait politely to be read, it demands to be noticed and delivers something worth remembering. You don’t need more words, you need sharper ones.
What Great Copywriters Really Leave Behind
The greatest copywriters don’t just sell products. they shape how people think, feel, and act. Their words live on not because they were catchy, but because they were built on strategy, insight, and deep understanding of human behavior.
From old-school direct response to digital-first microcopy, these writers changed the rules by mastering the fundamentals and then breaking them on purpose.
What they all prove is this: a great copy isn’t about hype, it’s about clarity, empathy, and knowing what matters most to your reader. If you want to write like a legend, you don’t need a clever hook or fancy format.
You need to listen harder, simplify ruthlessly, and show up with something worth saying. The tools are already in your hands, the rest is practice.
Frequently Asked Question
Can someone become a great copywriter without formal training?
Absolutely. Many top copywriters are self-taught, relying on practice, reading, feedback, and studying proven campaigns. What matters most is the ability to connect with readers and sell ideas clearly, not a degree or certificate.
How do great copywriters handle writer’s block?
Most top copywriters treat writer’s block as a signal, not a stop sign. They rely on proven structures, research, voice-of-customer data, or even freewriting to break through creative resistance and keep producing at a high level.
What’s the biggest mistake aspiring copywriters make?
Focusing too much on cleverness and not enough on clarity. Many new writers try to impress instead of connect, but experienced copywriters know that simplicity, empathy, and structure are what actually drive results. Clever copy that doesn’t convert is just noise.
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