The Art & Science of a Headline
I bet you have a go-to family dish so ingrained in your memory that you could cook it blindfolded, right? It's like… you know you can make a tasty lasagna because you have made it 100's of times before.
But what if one day, you said, "screw it"—and had the confidence to spice things up? Suddenly, you're fearlessly tossing in a pinch of smoked paprika, sun-dried tomatoes or a handful of aged Gruyère into the mix this time.
And when it turns out to be even better than the OG—that's when you realize recipes are just culinary *guidelines,* and it's your dash of playfulness that turns a good meal into a personal signature dish.
That's when cooking transcends instructions and becomes art. You know the "science" of it, so now you have creative freedom to be playful. To add spice, flavour, fun.
That's how I feel about writing—and more specifically, copywriting, of course.
For me, it's all about layering the *right* blend of high-conversion strategies (science) and creativity (art). IMO, the best of the best of the best copy and marketing intertwine *both* art and science in a Gordon-Ramsay-esque masterful way.
Because mastering the rules of anything arms you with the boldness (and confidence) to bend them. To reimagine. To invent. To create something new.
And in copywriting, when you know the “rules” so well—you can start to think outside the limitations of overused formulas. You start mixing metaphors like a delish Irish spice bag, adding in your unique personality, and sprinkling in story-telling elements that resonate deeply.
That's how you end up crafting ‘lasagna copy’ – a layered dish of persuasive prose that takes your reader on a mouthwatering journey from headline to CTA.
And just like that family favourite lasagna, it's all about the perfect blend of ingredients. The perfect balance of art and science.
So this week, I'm dissecting the art and science of an ad that stopped my scroll.
Here's the ad. The Improv Masterclass with Amy Poehler:
The ad reads:
"Prepare to be Unprepared
Comedy icon Amy Poehler teaches you how improv principles can help you push past fear, find your people and go all in on the life you want."
Alrighty, let's dig into the art and science of this ad and why I love it:
Starting with the headline: “Prepare to be unprepared.”
Umm okkk, masterclass! I see youuuu layering ethical emotional triggers (science) with a hint of poeticism (art) in this headline ⬇️
The Science:
First, this headline evokes a sense of paradox and intrigue:
Prepared to be unprepared? Huh? Prepare for what? I need to read more!!
This taps into the emotional/psychological triggers of curiosity and uncertainty. You see how this “opens a loop” in the our mind and motivates us to keep reading so we can resolve our curiosity or uncertainty?
That's the science of a headline at play.
The Art:
(When I say “art" I'm speaking to elements of poeticism, inventiveness, patterns, deep intentional and contextual meaning)
This headline fits PERFECTLY within the context of this improv masterclass. It suggests that something unexpected or unpredictable is about to happen (hello, definition of improv!).
It also adds a lil Salt Bae sprinkle of poeticism because of it's contradictory nature, matched with repetition of the word “prepare.”
So to recap:
Your headline has *one* job. To evoke enough emotion to motivate the reader to *keep* reading.
Your headline does not need to be jam-packed with outcomes, grandiose transformations or lengthy sentences. It doesn't need to be a marathon of words. Just a sprint of the right ones.
Short and sweet can 100% work if you know the primary emotion you'd like to evoke within your audience—in this case it was curiosity. Once you know that, THEN you can add a dash of art/creativity.
And listen…this copy lasagna gets 3 Michelin stars from me ⭐️⭐️⭐️
K, let's break down the rest of the ad copy:
"Comedy icon Amy Poehler teaches you how improv principles can help you push past fear, find your people and go all in on the life you want."
Here's the breakdown:
“Comedy icon”: A power-packed phrase that establishes authority, instantly.
“…Teaches you”: The 'what' — what you'll learn during this masterclass
“…Can help you”: The 'why' – why you should care about learning this skill
And then, the triple treat I like to call - 'ditch, develop, and delight':
Ditch something (fear)
Develop something (find your people, aka friendships)
Delight (go all in on life)
No jargon, just plain clear language that hits home. Zero confusion.
Now for the cherry on top:
The Retargeting Ad
Now, if you've ever clicked on an ad before, you know this ALL too well….I am straight up accosted by This retargeting ad 'til this day ⬇️
But bloody hell* I'm low-key not mad about it 'cause they did it again.
“Think faster on your feet with Amy Poehler"
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
They've successfully turned the niche hobby of improv—directed at drama enthusiasts—into a universal deep benefit: Think faster on your feet.
I hae to give them “props” for that. Because I've never once thought about joining improv in my life. Now I wanna buy a masterclass about it.
THAT'S the power of overcoming your audience's objections and leading with the science of deep universal benefits, friends.
But listen: Copy isn't rocket science—it's a delish dish of neuroscience. Layer the science of sales psychology with the art and creativity of poeticism, intentional meaning, honesty, humour, and personality—and see what happens to your biz (and bank account).
Moral: When you have the fundamentals (rules/methods/formulas—tomato, to-mah-to) of copywriting down, the world of the written word is your aphrodisiac-infused oyster.
K, now I'm hungry.
*PS: I lived in Australia for three years, I can say “bloody hell” right? Right??
hey, i’m holle!
Head word nerd at Tonica and I’m here to help you shift how you show up with buzzworthy brand messaging strategy that you and your clients are obsessed with.
Hey, I’m Hollie!
Website & Launch Copywriter for creative slashies
Whether you need help developing your target audience, writing your home page, your course’s sales page, a story-led email newsletter or figuring out (and building!) your client-winning offer ecosystem—you’re in the right place.
The Copy Edit Blog is where entrepreneurs, business owners, personal brands and course creators can learn how to resonate with your right-fit clients and students through the art and science of high-converting copy.
