Weekly Round Up #120
Your once-a-week digest filled with copywriting insights, AI tips, must-read articles, pretty cool copy examples, and much more!
Welcome to the 120th edition of the Weekly Round-Up — your once-a-week digest filled with copywriting insights, AI tips, must-read articles, pretty cool copy examples, and more!
In this week’s issue:
Copy Tip: How to Break the Rules
AI Tip: When and when not to use Claude Cowork
Stacked (vs single) discounts work better (via Science Says)
The Resurgence Of Brand Loyalty (via Branding Strategy Insider)
The Cheerleader Effect: Why Things Look Better in Groups (and How to Use That in Your Emails)
The One Thing AI Can’t Learn, No Matter How Good Your Prompts Get (via The Copy Minimalist)
Podcast Pick: “These two words increased sales by 18%.”
Swipe File Additions
Copy Tip of the Week
Most copywriters learn the rules.
Great ones learn why the rules exist.
There’s a reason “don’t start a sentence with And” became a rule. It’s because most writers lean on conjunctions as a crutch — stitching together loose thoughts instead of building real momentum.
But once you understand that’s what the rule is protecting against, you can break it intentionally.
And when you do, it hits different.
(See what I did there? Haha)
That’s the whole game though. Rules aren’t arbitrary — they’re guardrails built around a principle. Master the principle, and the rule becomes optional.
Here’s a quick test: next time you’re told a rule in copy (e.g. no passive voice, keep sentences short, always have one CTA), ask yourself: what goes wrong when this rule gets broken?
That answer points back to the principle.
Once you’ve got the principle, you’re not following rules anymore. You’re making decisions.
AI Insight of the Week
Cowork earns its keep on tasks with clear inputs and measurable outputs — research, formatting, drafting, processing, organizing.
Give it a well-defined job and it executes without friction.
But some tasks look like execution and are actually judgment.
Editing for voice. Picking the right angle. Knowing when a draft is done.
Those aren’t steps in a process — they’re the product. Automating them doesn’t save time. It moves the cleanup downstream.
Ask yourself before handing anything to Cowork: Is the value here in completing the task, or in how I think through it?
If it’s the latter — stay in the chat.
Must-Read Articles
Stacked (vs single) discounts work better (via Science Says)
🔗
https://app.sciencesays.com/p/stacked-vs-single-discounts-work-better
Why I recommend it: A 25% discount split into stackable parts (15% sale + 10% coupon) drove nearly 16% higher purchase intent than the same 25% as a single discount. The reason: stacking feels rare, makes shoppers feel smarter, and creates urgency — science you can apply to your next promo structure.
The Resurgence Of Brand Loyalty (via Branding Strategy Insider)
🔗 https://brandingstrategyinsider.com/the-resurgence-of-brand-loyalty/
Why I recommend it: Repeat purchases and true loyalty aren’t the same thing — one is habit, the other is commitment. This makes the case that 10% of your most loyal customers can drive 50% of profits, and why deal-chasing strategies erode the brand equity that gets them there.
The Cheerleader Effect: Why Things Look Better in Groups (and How to Use That in Your Emails)
🔗 https://holisticemailacademy.com/2026/02/10/how-to-use-the-cheerleader-effect-in-email-marketing/
Why I recommend it: Your brain rates things as more attractive in groups than alone — it’s called the Cheerleader Effect, and it applies to your emails too. Group your testimonials, curate product collections, and use team photos instead of solo headshots to subtly boost perceived value and trust.
You Might Also Like:
THE NUDGE PODCAST
“These two words increased sales by 18%.”
🎧 Listen on iTunes | Listen on Spotify
Why I recommend it: A Chinese restaurant chain added two words to their menu and increased sales 18% — no price change, no new product, no redesign. This episode breaks down the social proof principle behind it and how to apply it to your own marketing.
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KULFI BEAUTY
Format: Email
Spotted By: Email Love
Why I like it: The hero makes it almost feel like a UGC ad of sorts, but the flow of the email (build your own lip bag) with a “subscribe & save” callout at the end is brilliant.
BELLROY
Format: Email
Why I like it: Sometimes when you have a product category with too similar products, it’s challenging for your customers to know which is the best for them. The “Packs well for” distinction throughout the campaign is a great way to make it clear.
COOPER TIRE
Format: Headline
Why I like it: What’s not to like?
HOWLER BROS
Format: Email
Why I like it: The CTAs were pretty catchy, but especially the last one as it also conveyed a core (very obvious) difference between their shorts and pants. It made me LOL.
That’s it for this week! If you have questions or comments — drop a note below.
✌️
Matt
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