Copied 100 competitor ads, but still can’t create a viral hit? Here’s where you’re going wrong.

Why does your ad performance fluctuate?
You’re running a campaign for a mid-range massage cushion.

Then you copy competitors’ ads:

• Competitor A says “Massage anytime, anywhere”
• Competitor B says “Relieve pain”

• Competitor C says “The perfect gift for parents”

Last week’s ROI was 3.2, this week it dropped to 1.5.

You don’t know why.

You ask AI to generate 5 ad copies for each of these three directions.

Start testing.

A week later, some groups have decent CTR but no conversions, others have very low CTR.

You still don’t know why.

Where’s the problem?
You’re not lacking copywriting skills—you’re lacking direction.

“Massage anytime, anywhere,” “Pain relief,” “Gift-giving”—which of these three directions should you focus on?

Copying competitors won’t help, because:

• You don’t know why they chose that direction
• You don’t know if that direction is optimal for your product
• You don’t know if your audience is the same as theirs

No matter how good AI copywriting gets, it can’t save ads that are heading in the wrong direction.

Because:

• AI doesn’t know which desire is strongest in the market
• AI doesn’t know which pain point your product should address
• AI can only generate copy that “sounds good,” but it doesn’t know “which direction is right”

This is why you need to learn about Mass Desire.

It’s the first chapter of the BA book, and also the most crucial one.

Only by understanding this will you know which direction to test.

What is Mass Desire?

Eugene Schwartz opens his book with this statement:

“The power, the force, the overwhelming urge to own that makes advertising work, comes from the market itself, and not from the copy.”

The power that makes advertising work comes from the market itself, not the copy.

To be more specific:

“Mass Desire is the public spread of a private want.”

Mass Desire = The public dissemination of private desires

What does this mean? Let me give an example.

In 2019, you wanted to work from home alone. This was your private desire.

Few people in the market shared this need, so the advertising ROI for adjustable desks and ergonomic chairs was mediocre.

In 2020, the pandemic forced hundreds of millions worldwide to work from home.

Media coverage, corporate discussions, and social platforms were flooded with photos of “WFH setups.”

The need for “quality equipment for home offices” transformed from a private desire into a public, mass-market demand.

This is Mass Desire.

The result? Massively increased ROI for FB ads promoting standing desks, ergonomic chairs, and monitor stands.

It wasn’t because the copy suddenly got better—it was because Mass Desire was amplified.

⚠️ What does this mean for you?
If you try to create a desire that doesn’t exist:
❌ CPM will be high (FB can’t find the right audience)

❌ CTR will be low (people aren’t interested)

❌ Conversion rates will be low (even if they click, they won’t buy)

❌ You’ll endlessly swap copy, creatives, and audiences

❌ But the data just won’t improve

If you tap into an existing, rising desire:
✅ CPM will be normal

✅ CTR will be high (because it hits the pain point)

✅ Conversion rates will be high (because they were already ready to buy)

✅ Your tests will validate quickly

This is what BA refers to as the “Amplification Effect.”

Advertising isn’t a desire-creating machine—it’s a megaphone amplifying existing desire.

Your job isn’t to invent desire, but to identify it, intensify it, and channel it toward your product.

How strong must a Mass Desire be to qualify as strong? Three Dimensions
BA states that for a Mass Desire to become a genuine market opportunity, it must be sufficiently strong across three dimensions:

① Urgency — How pressing is this need?
Examples:

• Painkillers (needed immediately when in pain) vs. Vitamins (can wait to purchase)

• The former has high urgency, high conversion rates, and no delay

What this means for you: The higher the urgency, the greater the likelihood of impulse purchases.

② Staying Power — Will this need disappear quickly?
Examples:

• Hunger (disappears after eating) vs. desire to stay healthy (permanent)

• The latter has high persistence and repeat purchase rates

What this means for you: The higher the persistence, the higher the LTV, making it worth pursuing long-term.

③ Scope (Scale) — How many people have this need?
Examples:

• Left-handed scissors (niche) vs. relieving back pain (mass market)

• The latter has greater scale and a larger lookalike audience pool

What this means for you: The larger the scale, the easier it is to scale up.

Product Selection Insights
A good product should score high in at least two of these areas (4 points or above out of 5).

If all three are below 3 points, the product is likely difficult to succeed with.

Copywriting cannot create desire
BA used the Ford Edsel case to illustrate this point.

The failure of the Ford Edsel

Background (1957-1958):
In 1957, the U.S. economy entered a recession, and gasoline prices rose.

Consumer desires began to shift:

• No longer wanting large, luxury cars (for show)
• Starting to want small, fuel-efficient cars (for affordability)

This was an emerging Mass Desire. The tide of the market was turning.

What Ford Did with the Edsel:
Ford launched the Edsel, positioning it as:

• A large vehicle (long, wide, heavy)
• High fuel consumption
• Expensive
• Emphasizing “luxury” and “prestige”

Ford invested the largest advertising budget in history, hired the best advertising agency, and conducted a nationwide campaign.

The result: A complete failure.

Why?
Because Edsel fought against the emerging mass desire.

When the tide of market demand flowed toward “fuel efficiency and affordability,” Edsel insisted on “luxury and prestige.”

Consumers saw the ads and thought: “With gas prices this high, why would I buy a gas guzzler?”

No amount of advertising budget, no amount of clever copywriting, no amount of polished visuals could counter the market’s direction.

What does this mean for you?
If your product goes against market trends, you’ll find:

You test 10 ad sets, and every one performs poorly:

• High CPM (FB can’t find precise audiences, so it spams random targets)
• Low CTR (People see it but don’t click)

• Low conversion rates (even clicks don’t lead to purchases)

You’ll blame your copywriting, visuals, or targeting.

But that’s not the real issue.

The problem is: you’re swimming against the current.

You’re trying to convince people who simply don’t want this product.

The tide of the market always holds more power than the pen of a copywriter.

Copywriting doesn’t create desire—it only channels desire that already exists.

Where Does Mass Desire Come From? Two Major Forces
If desire isn’t created by advertising, where does it actually come from?

BA says two types of forces create Mass Desire. Understanding these forces helps you determine:

• Whether a Mass Desire is temporary or long-lasting
• Whether it’s rising or declining
• Whether you should enter now or wait

Permanent Forces

① Mass Instincts (Basic Needs)
Humanity’s eternal desires:

• Desire for health (avoiding pain, maintaining vitality)
• Desire for beauty (especially among women)
• Desire for strength (especially among men)
• Desire for recognition, security, and comfort

These needs are everlasting and will never fade.

Examples:

Skincare Market: From Dabao to SK-II to domestic beauty brands, products evolve, formulas change, technology advances—yet the desire for “good skin” remains unchanged. Women 20 years ago wanted good skin; women today want good skin.

Fitness market: From gyms to Keep to Fiture Magic Mirror, the formats evolve, but the desire for a great physique endures. That’s why fitness equipment, meal replacements, and protein powder always have a market.

Pain relief market: From aspirin to ibuprofen to various therapy devices, products iterate, but the desire to avoid pain remains constant.

What this means for you:

This type of mass desire market will always exist and never go out of style. But competition will always be fierce.

Your task is to find a unique angle that makes your product stand out from the crowd.

② Unresolved Technical Challenges
Certain issues persist without a perfect solution.

Examples:

Lower Back Pain: No definitive solution exists, leading to an endless stream of massage chairs, massage pads, therapy devices, and ergonomic chairs. Each new product claims, “This time it really works.”

Hair Loss: From hair tonics to hair transplants to various therapies, products keep emerging because the problem remains unsolved. Every year brings new “cutting-edge technologies.”

Phone Battery Life: From power banks to fast charging to wireless charging to graphene batteries, technology keeps evolving because the “not enough power” problem persists.

Insomnia: Melatonin supplements, sleep aids, meditation apps, smart mattresses… New products emerge annually because many still struggle to sleep well.

What this means for you:

Users are willing to continually try new products because they hope “this time it will finally work.”

Your new product has potential, but you must offer a differentiated mechanism—clearly articulate “why this time is different.”

Forces of Change
① Trends
Shifts in lifestyle.

Example A: Remote work (2020-present)

The definition of the “office setting” has changed. Previously, work was confined to the office, but now home has become an office too.

This has fueled demand for home office supplies: height-adjustable desks (standing while working is healthier), ergonomic chairs (comfort is essential for long hours of sitting), monitor stands, noise-canceling headphones, and heated massage mats (to relieve pain).

These products existed before, but demand wasn’t this strong. The trend of remote work has amplified Mass Desire.

Search “home office chair” on Google Trends to see how search volume skyrocketed after 2020.

Example B: “Punk Health” and Health Anxiety (2020s)

Starting wellness routines at 25 is no longer a joke.

They pull all-nighters while applying the priciest face masks. They order takeout while sipping wellness teas. They sit for hours while buying massage pads.

Young people are willing to invest in health but have limited budgets. Thus, $30-$50 wellness gadgets hit their sweet spot: portable juicers, smart water bottles, neck massagers, sleep-tracking wristbands.

Example C: 2024’s “Neck Massagers” and “Portable Juicers”

These two categories exploded in 2024 not because copywriting suddenly improved, but because the collective consciousness of “punk wellness” amplified. Social media was flooded with “survival guides for office workers” and “must-haves for desk-bound folks”—this is Mass Education at work.

What this means for you:

Such mass desires emerge swiftly and fade just as fast. Seize the opportunity to capitalize on the trend—miss it, and you’re too late.

Your action plan: Monitor Google Trends, track social media hotspots, and observe what KOLs are promoting. When you spot an emerging trend, pivot quickly.

② Mass Education
The influence of media, advertising, and KOLs is gradually reshaping people’s standards.

Examples:

Skincare bloggers on Xiaohongshu and Douyin are educating “ingredient enthusiasts.” Previously, people bought skincare based on brand; now they focus on ingredients. How did terms like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and retinol gain popularity? It’s the collective effort of all bloggers and advertisements educating the public.

Fitness influencers are educating audiences on “what constitutes effective training.” Terms like “core training,” “compound movements,” and “progressive overload” are now widely recognized—all thanks to this educational push.

The cumulative impact of all advertising is elevating public “standards.” Today’s consumers demand far higher product quality than those of 50 years ago.

What this means for you:

This is a slow yet relentless force. It subtly reshapes consumer expectations.

If your product aligns with this educational trajectory, you’ll see conversion rates steadily improve. If you go against it, you’ll find success increasingly elusive.

Practical Application: Which Mass Desire Should You Target for a Heated Massage Pad?
Now that we’ve covered the theory, let’s dive into a real-world scenario.

Suppose you’re launching a Model Product: a wireless heated massage pad.

After analyzing five competitor ads, you notice they each emphasize different selling points:

• Competitor A: “Massage anytime, anywhere” (Convenience)
• Competitor B: “Relieves back and waist pain” (health)
• Competitor C: “The perfect gift for parents” (gifting)
• Competitor D: “Relaxes body and mind” (comfort)
• Competitor E: “More affordable than massage parlors” (cost savings)

Which one should you test first?

Let’s analyze it using the BA framework
Score across three dimensions (max 5 points * 3 = 15 points)
Horizontal dimensions: Urgency, Persistence, Scale
Vertical dimensions:
Pain Relief 4+5+5=14
Relaxation & Comfort 2+4+4=10
Gift-Worthy 1+1+3=5
Convenience 2+3+3=8
Cost Savings 2+3+4=9

“Pain Relief” scores highest (14 points).
Why?

High Urgency (4 points): When pain strikes, immediate relief is sought—no delay. When your back aches, you want instant solutions, not “I’ll wait till tomorrow.”

High Persistence (5 points): Chronic back pain rarely resolves completely, often recurring and requiring long-term management. A single treatment isn’t enough—ongoing relief is needed.

High Scope (5 points): Nearly everyone experiences it—desk workers (programmers, designers, accountants…), long-distance drivers (truckers, sales reps…), homemakers (bending, standing…), middle-aged and elderly individuals (degenerative issues)…

Recommendation:
Prioritize testing based on score ranking.

“Pain Relief” scored highest and should be prioritized for testing. If ROI proves favorable in this category, then test “Relaxation & Comfort.”

Other Mass Desire Points:

• “Convenience” can be incorporated as a bonus feature in copywriting, but not as a primary selling point.
• “Cost Savings” can serve as a secondary argument (vs. $50 per session at massage parlors).
• “Gift Potential” should only be tested during specific periods (Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas).

Analysis of Two Real Facebook Ads
I’ve selected two authentic Facebook ads to analyze using the BA framework.

Disclaimer: Ad formats vary, and no single approach is universally correct. This provides insights from a BA perspective—you’ll still need to test to find the optimal combination for your product.

Ad A: Bug MD Flea Repellent Spray
Mass Desire: Protecting Pet Health (Permanent Power: Instinct)

Approach: Problem Aware Stage + Stage 3 (Mechanism Focus: “Natural Essential Oil Formula”)

Advantages:

✅ Opens with a direct pain point: “Tired of dealing with fleas?”
✅ Clear differentiation: Natural essential oils vs. Chemical pesticides
✅ Social proof: User testimonials

Potential issues:

• Copy is lengthy, may cause reader fatigue
• Too many selling points, risk of reader retention issues

This doesn’t mean the original version is ineffective. They may have tested it and found longer copy converts better. Or their audience simply prefers detailed product information. Testing remains essential.

Ad B: DeepFlex Massager
Mass Desire: Relieve muscle soreness (Permanent Power: Instinct)

Approach: Solution Aware Stage + Stage 2 (Amplified Effect: “professional-level relief”)

Advantages:

✅ Concise copy—just 3 sentences
✅ Contextual: Post-workout/Post-work
✅ Rhythmic flow: Recharge. Relax. Recover.

Potential Issues:

• Too generic, lacks differentiation (What defines “professional-level”?)
• May lack impact if market is already in Stage 3 (mechanism competition)

That said, this doesn’t mean the original copy is flawed. Their audience might respond better to emotional messaging without heavy technical details. Concise copy could also yield higher CTR. Testing remains essential.

Summary
Today’s core takeaway:

Mass Desire isn’t something you create—it already exists in the market.

Before writing copy, copying competitors, or using AI to generate content, do this first:

List all possible Mass Desires → Score them across three dimensions → Test based on score order

This way, your testing isn’t random. You know which direction to pursue.

When your ads perform inconsistently or you’re unsure which direction to test, return to this framework:

• Which Mass Desire are you targeting?
• How does this Mass Desire score across the three dimensions?
• Are there stronger Mass Desires you haven’t tested yet?

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