When it comes to news, I’m generally a pretty serious individual. I read the top stories from most of the major newspapers on a fairly regular basis, a habit that goes back to my days as a journalist (although now, of course, I’m reading them online). However, I have long harbored a dark secret: I love – LOVE – the Weekly World News. In fact, if there was one dream job that I could have had (other than this one, of course!), it would have been to be a writer for the WWN. Heck, I’d have been happy just to write those headlines!Alas, it appears this dream is not to come true. American Media, the parent company of the WWN, has recently announced that it’s shutting down publication of the tabloid at the end of this month.
This is sad news indeed. While other tabloids, such as the Star and the National Enquirer, give lip service to oddball stories, the WWN pulled out all the stops. Not only did they never let the truth get in the way of a good story, they never even considered doing so. Whether it was an Elvis sighting, an alien presidential endorsement, or a romance with Bigfoot, the WWN shamelessly invented stories that struck a universal chord and tugged at our psyches.
They were the professional wrestling of the publishing world.
So, what does this have to do with online marketing?
Well, I’m tempted to say “nothing,” and just claim that I wanted to use the pending closure as an excuse to wax nostalgic about my favorite supermarket publication, but that simply wouldn’t be true. Here’s the takeaway from this:
Hyperbole sells. The WWN knew it, but they didn’t invent it. Any kid who ever bought a comic book off the shelf knows that the cover is always a little more scintillating than the actual contents. And this is something you can use in your marketing materials.
For instance, maybe all your company did last month was install a single set of accounting software licenses for a chain of grocery stores. You can write up a press release that says, “Our Company Sold Some More Accounting Software Licences.”
Or, you can say, “Our Company Helps Our Client Bring in the Cabbage!!!” It’s more direct, it’s more engaging, and it’ll encourage visitors to your site to read a little more.
I keep the WWN approach to headline writing in mind whenever I’m preparing marketing materials, so it’s truly sad to see this paragon on BS disappear from store shelves.
And yet, on August 27, the Weekly World News will be no more.
Or, will it?
I’ve heard from a reliable source the Weekly World News has been spotted at a Burger King just outside of Lexington, Kentucky, enjoying a Double Whopper and Fries. It’s totally true!!!
‘Til next time,
Loren
