Schwartz argues that ads cannot create mass desire; they can only channel and direct existing "hopes, dreams, fears, and desires" from the market onto a specific product.
Schwartz categorizes prospects by how much they know about the product and the problem. Tailor messaging to each stage: breakthrough advertising by eugene schwartz pdf
Here is how Schwartz breaks it down:
The most common mistake marketers make is trying to convince people to want something they don’t care about. Schwartz flips this on its head in the opening chapters. Schwartz argues that ads cannot create mass desire;
Breakthrough Advertising Eugene Schwartz is widely considered a foundational text in direct-response marketing and copywriting. Originally published in 1966, its principles focus on the psychology of mass desire and market maturity rather than just writing techniques. Core Philosophies Schwartz flips this on its head in the opening chapters
The prospect knows they want a specific result but doesn't know your product provides it.
According to Eugene Schwartz, an advertiser’s job is not to manufacture a need. Instead, you must identify a powerful, pre-existing desire—such as the need for status, safety, or health—and show how your product is the inevitable solution for it.