--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unsuccessful headlines were not written…" description: "\"Unsuccessful headlines were not written without a strong appeal, but it was the wrong appeal for that product and that audience.\" — John Caples" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/john-caples-19948_appeals_unsuccessful-headlines-were-not-written_3027284.jpg" --- # Unsuccessful headlines were not written without a strong… ![“Unsuccessful headlines were not written without a strong appeal, but it was the wrong appeal for that product and that audience.” quote by John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/john-caples-19948_appeals_unsuccessful-headlines-were-not-written_3027284.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/john-caples-19948_appeals_unsuccessful-headlines-were-not-written_3027284.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/john-caples-19948_appeals_unsuccessful-headlines-were-not-written_3027284.jpg) > “Unsuccessful headlines were not written without a strong appeal, but it was the wrong appeal for that product and that audience.” [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective headlines need strong appeal matching product and audience. **In simple terms:** Headlines must align appeal with product and audience. Key Takeaway Craft audience‑specific headlines. Themes marketing copywriting psychology communication Mood critical creative Type educational practical When to use this quote - ad campaign planning - A/B testing - brand positioning Key Concepts appeal targeting message framing consumer behavior Questions to Reflect On - How to test headline appeal? - What metrics indicate success? A Different Perspective Risk of misreading audience preferences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) ## Related quotes > [The most frequent reason for unsuccessful advertising is advertisers who are so full of their own accomplishments (the world's best seed!) that they forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/the-most-frequent-reason-for-unsuccessful-advertising-is-advertisers/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [Like we sittin on a bench, nigga don't really play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/like-we-sittin-on-a-bench-nigga-don-t-really-play/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [Unsuccessful people get up whenever they feel like it and the first thing they do is watch television, read the paper, or check email.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/unsuccessful-people-get-up-whenever-they-feel-like-it-and-the-first/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [Unsuccessful candidates for the Presidency should be quietly hanged as a matter of public sanitation and decorum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/unsuccessful-candidates-for-the-presidency-should-be-quietly-hanged/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [When people with power see things happen of which they disapprove, they drop bombs and send in tanks. When people without power see things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-people-with-power-see-things-happen-of-which-they-disapprove/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person who is hurt by jealousy is you... Eliminate that word from your life... it may not make you unsuccessful selling your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-white/the-only-person-who-is-hurt-by-jealousy-is-you-eliminate-that-word/) [Jack White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-white/) > [“Be a pro at what you do. No one shows-up to meetings of the Unsuccessful Skydivers Club.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-lilly/be-a-pro-at-what-you-do-no-one-shows-up-to-meetings-of-the/) [Ryan Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-lilly/) > [Nothing is so common as unsuccessful men with talent. They lack only determination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/nothing-is-so-common-as-unsuccessful-men-with-talent-they-lack-only/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [Someone asked me...how it felt and I was reminded of a story that a fellow townsman of ours used to tell--Abraham Lincoln. 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They are unsuccessful because they don't DO what they know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-duncan/most-people-aren-t-unsuccessful-in-life-because-they-don-t-know-what/) [Al Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-duncan/) > [I refer to the misunderstanding of Soviet Russia as an aggressive power, militaristically and ideologically bent upon world domination 'seeing', to quote a recent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enoch-powell/i-refer-to-the-misunderstanding-of-soviet-russia-as-an-aggressive/) [Enoch Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enoch-powell/) > [I was so unsuccessful for so long. I was used to the word no. I was used to you're not good enough or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamar-braxton/i-was-so-unsuccessful-for-so-long-i-was-used-to-the-word-no-i-was/) [Tamar Braxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamar-braxton/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) ## More by John Caples > [A long headline that really says something is more effective than a brief heading that says nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/a-long-headline-that-really-says-something-is-more-effective-than-a/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [If the headline is a good one, it is a relatively simple matter to write the copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/if-the-headline-is-a-good-one-it-is-a-relatively-simple-matter-to/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [Every single element in an advertisement - headline, subhead, photo, and copy - must be put there not because it looks good, not because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/every-single-element-in-an-advertisement-headline-subhead-photo-and/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [The best headlines are those that appeal to the reader's self-interest, that is, headlines based on reader benefits. They offer readers something they want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/the-best-headlines-are-those-that-appeal-to-the-reader-s-self/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [If you are going to emphasize certain words in the headline, be sure that they are the words that say something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/if-you-are-going-to-emphasize-certain-words-in-the-headline-be-sure/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [The business of judging a headline AFTER you read the copy is wrong. It takes for granted that everybody reads the copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/the-business-of-judging-a-headline-after-you-read-the-copy-is-wrong/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [Even today you can look through almost any consumer or professional publication and find headlines that possess not a single one of the necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/even-today-you-can-look-through-almost-any-consumer-or-professional/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [Every copywriter knows what it is to struggle with a copy for hours, for days - fixing it, polishing it, rearranging it. We have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/every-copywriter-knows-what-it-is-to-struggle-with-a-copy-for-hours/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [The most frequent reason for unsuccessful advertising is advertisers who are so full of their own accomplishments (the world's best seed!) that they forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/the-most-frequent-reason-for-unsuccessful-advertising-is-advertisers/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [Remember that the headline and the appeals are ONE AND THE SAME. In successful ads, the appeal is almost always expressed in the headline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/remember-that-the-headline-and-the-appeals-are-one-and-the-same-in/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [The purpose of the headlines must be to convey a message to people who read headlines, then decide whether or not they will look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/the-purpose-of-the-headlines-must-be-to-convey-a-message-to-people/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [The advertiser's logotype at the bottom of the ad can be considered as part of the headline. After reading the headline, the reader instinctively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/the-advertiser-s-logotype-at-the-bottom-of-the-ad-can-be-considered/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [An advertisement will be a good one - that is if the headline is really a "stopper."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/an-advertisement-will-be-a-good-one-that-is-if-the-headline-is-really/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [You can write a 1st paragraph that continues the same thought you expressed in your headline. If you stop a reader with a headline…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/you-can-write-a-1st-paragraph-that-continues-the-same-thought-you/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) > [Remember that the reader's attention is yours for only a single instant. They will not use up their valuable time trying to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/remember-that-the-reader-s-attention-is-yours-for-only-a-single/) [John Caples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) [Explore all 31 John Caples quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/) ## More Appeals quotes > [Quotations can be valuable, like raisins in the rice pudding, for adding iron as well as eye appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/quotations-can-be-valuable-like-raisins-in-the-rice-pudding-for/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [If Robert Heinlein is more to your taste than George Lucas: “If you are part of a society that votes, then do so. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/if-robert-heinlein-is-more-to-your-taste-than-george-lucas-if-you-are/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/all-the-cliches-of-glamorous-sophistication-have-little-appeal-to-me/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [It's an appeal as old as America and its presidency: This is an extraordinary country populated by hard-working, big-dreaming, freedom-loving people graced by God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-fournier/it-s-an-appeal-as-old-as-america-and-its-presidency-this-is-an/) [Ron Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-fournier/) > [I liked wrestling a lot better than boxing. I remember thinking at that time that wrestling was a pure demonstration of strength, which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-carpenter/i-liked-wrestling-a-lot-better-than-boxing-i-remember-thinking-at/) [Scott Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-carpenter/) > [As a social and as a personal force, religion has become a dependent variable. 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Their outcast status was part of their appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hari-kunzru/in-my-early-teens-science-fiction-and-fantasy-had-an-almost-total/) [Hari Kunzru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hari-kunzru/) > [The fact is that there is a profound spiritual hunger in the western world which, for a variety of reasons, its church is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-phillips/the-fact-is-that-there-is-a-profound-spiritual-hunger-in-the-western/) [Melanie Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-phillips/) > [People can talk about punk all they want, but after new wave put that down, metal is the voice of the disenfranchised and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/people-can-talk-about-punk-all-they-want-but-after-new-wave-put-that/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [Appeal to all scholars of stupidity in the world. 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An animal perfectly in harmony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-law-of-nature-we-overlook-that-intellectual-versatility-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 1,420 Appeals quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Unsuccessful headlines were not written without a strong appeal, but it was the wrong appeal for that product and that audience.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Caples" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/unsuccessful-headlines-were-not-written-without-a-strong-appeal-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Appeals" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/unsuccessful-headlines-were-not-written-without-a-strong-appeal-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/john-caples-19948_appeals_unsuccessful-headlines-were-not-written_3027284.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/john-caples-19948_appeals_unsuccessful-headlines-were-not-written_3027284.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ce/john-caples-19948_appeals_unsuccessful-headlines-were-not-written_3027284.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Unsuccessful headlines were not written without a strong appeal, but it was the wrong appeal for that…” — John Caples", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Caples", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-caples/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Unsuccessful headlines were not written without...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/unsuccessful-headlines-were-not-written-without-a-strong-appeal-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-caples/unsuccessful-headlines-were-not-written-without-a-strong-appeal-but/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```