@lucapimenta/copy-chief-black 1.0.0

package/framework/copy-squad/checklists/powers-emotional-dr.md

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+# Powers Honest Advertising Checklist - Emotional DR Quality Audit
+
+> **Expert:** John E. Powers
+> **Tier:** T3_SPECIALIZED
+> **Threshold:** 80/100 to PASS
+> **Use:** Audit any copy for honesty, clarity, and customer-centricity before delivery. Especially effective for trust-dependent markets (health, finance), skeptical audiences, and saturated niches where differentiation through candor creates competitive advantage.
+> **Reference:** `~/.claude/copy-squad/powers.md` for full Voice DNA profile.
+> **Minimum passing scores indicated per section.**
+
+---
+
+## Section 1: Truth & Candor Audit (25 points)
+
+The foundation of all Powers copy. If the copy is not truthful, nothing else matters.
+
+### 1A. Core Truth Test (15 points)
+
+| # | Check | Pass? | Why It Matters |
+|---|-------|-------|----------------|
+| 1 | [ ] **Product conviction present** -- The copy demonstrates genuine belief in the product. You can feel that the writer is convinced of the product's merits, not just performing enthusiasm. | | Powers refused to write for products he did not believe in. Copy written without conviction reads as hollow, and the reader can tell. |
+| 2 | [ ] **Honest limitation acknowledged** -- At least ONE genuine product limitation or imperfection is stated plainly in the copy. Not buried. Not softened. Stated. | | The "rotten gossamers" principle: admitting a flaw builds trust for everything else you say. Copy with zero acknowledged limitations reads as too-good-to-be-true. |
+| 3 | [ ] **No over-promising** -- Every claim in the copy can be verified or demonstrated. No promise exceeds what the product can actually deliver. No superlatives without proof. | | Over-promising creates one sale and one enemy. Powers built REPEAT buyers by under-promising and over-delivering. |
+| 4 | [ ] **Exclusion present** -- The copy explicitly states who should NOT buy or who this is NOT for. At least one "this is not for you if..." statement or equivalent. | | Excluding non-ideal buyers signals confidence. It tells the reader: "We do not need to sell to everyone, because our product is genuinely right for a specific person." |
+| 5 | [ ] **Flaw-as-feature conversion** -- At least one limitation is reframed as evidence of a greater strength (not hidden, not apologized for, but turned into a trust signal). | | "They're not as good as they look, but they're good enough -- 25 cents." The admission of imperfection makes the value claim irrefutable. |
+
+**Score: ___/15**
+
+### 1B. Honesty Depth Test (10 points)
+
+| # | Check | Pass? | Why It Matters |
+|---|-------|-------|----------------|
+| 6 | [ ] **No manufactured candor** -- Every honest statement in the copy is genuinely true. There is no calculated "moment of vulnerability" designed to manipulate. The honesty is real or it is absent. | | Manufactured honesty is the worst form of manipulation. It borrows trust without earning it. Powers' candor worked because it was NEVER tactical. |
+| 7 | [ ] **Pricing is transparent** -- The price is stated clearly. If there are different tiers, the differences are explained honestly. No hidden fees. No "bait" pricing followed by a "switch." | | Honest pricing is the final test of honest copy. If you are honest about the product but deceptive about the price, the trust collapses entirely. |
+| 8 | [ ] **Competitor treatment is fair** -- If competitors are mentioned or implied, the comparison is factual, not manipulative. No straw-man arguments. No dishonest framing of alternatives. | | Powers compared honestly. Dishonest competitor bashing signals insecurity and erodes the very trust that honest copy builds. |
+| 9 | [ ] **No truth-honesty mismatch** -- The copy is not honest about trivial things while being deceptive about important things. The level of candor is consistent throughout. | | Selective honesty is a manipulation technique. Being honest about the packaging while lying about the ingredients is worse than lying about everything. |
+| 10 | [ ] **The "friend test"** -- If you read this copy to a close friend recommending the product, would you feel comfortable with every sentence? Any sentence that would make you hedge or qualify when speaking to a friend should be rewritten. | | Powers wrote as if advising a friend. Copy that fails the friend test is copy that the writer does not fully believe. |
+
+**Score: ___/10**
+
+---
+
+## Section 2: Plain Speak Audit (20 points)
+
+Language clarity is not just style. It is a trust mechanism. Obscure language signals that the writer is hiding something.
+
+### 2A. Language Simplicity (10 points)
+
+| # | Check | Pass? | Why It Matters |
+|---|-------|-------|----------------|
+| 11 | [ ] **10-year-old test** -- The core message of the copy can be understood by a 10-year-old. This does not mean dumbing down the content. It means writing with enough clarity that intelligence is not required to decode the meaning. | | Powers said "fine writing is offensive." Complex language in advertising is not a sign of intelligence -- it is a sign that the writer could not think clearly enough to simplify. |
+| 12 | [ ] **Sentence length check** -- Key selling sentences (headline, subheads, CTA, opening line) are all under 15 words. Body sentences average under 20 words. | | Short sentences communicate confidence. Long sentences communicate uncertainty (the writer keeps adding qualifiers because they are not sure the point is strong enough on its own). |
+| 13 | [ ] **Zero jargon without translation** -- Every technical term, industry term, or specialized word is either (a) replaced with a plain equivalent or (b) immediately explained in plain language. | | Jargon excludes. If the reader has to look up a word, you have lost them. Powers used colloquial English -- the language of the street, not the laboratory. |
+| 14 | [ ] **Anglo-Saxon word preference** -- Wherever possible, short Anglo-Saxon words are used instead of longer Latin-derived words. "Buy" not "purchase." "Help" not "facilitate." "Use" not "utilize." "Start" not "commence." | | Anglo-Saxon words are the language of conversation. Latin words are the language of bureaucracy. Powers wrote like people talk. |
+| 15 | [ ] **Read-aloud test passed** -- The entire copy has been read aloud. Any point where the reader stumbles, pauses, or re-reads has been rewritten. | | The ear catches what the eye forgives. If you stumble reading it, the reader will stumble thinking it. Powers used plain Roman type and colloquial English specifically so the words would flow like speech. |
+
+**Score: ___/10**
+
+### 2B. Clarity Structure (10 points)
+
+| # | Check | Pass? | Why It Matters |
+|---|-------|-------|----------------|
+| 16 | [ ] **No passive voice in selling sentences** -- Every sentence that makes a claim, states a benefit, or asks for action uses active voice. "This product removes stains" not "Stains are removed by this product." | | Passive voice is the grammatical equivalent of looking away while talking. It weakens every statement it touches. Powers was direct. |
+| 17 | [ ] **Zero filler words** -- No "very," "really," "quite," "somewhat," "a bit," "kind of," "sort of." Each one dilutes the message. | | Every word costs the reader's attention. Filler words spend attention without purchasing meaning. Cut them all. |
+| 18 | [ ] **Core message in one sentence** -- The entire copy can be summarized in a single sentence under 25 words. If it cannot, the copy is trying to say too many things. | | Powers limited headlines to a few words. If you cannot state your message in one sentence, you do not understand your message. |
+| 19 | [ ] **Scan-readable** -- A reader who scans ONLY the headline, subheads, and CTA gets the complete sales argument. The body adds depth, but the skeleton sells on its own. | | Most readers scan before they read. If the scan does not sell, the read never happens. |
+| 20 | [ ] **No euphemisms** -- The copy uses direct words for direct things. "Cheap" not "affordable." "Old" not "pre-owned." "Died" not "passed away." "Sells" not "offers a value proposition." | | Euphemisms signal that the writer is uncomfortable with the truth. Discomfort signals that the truth is uncomfortable. This is the opposite of what Powers copy should communicate. |
+
+**Score: ___/10**
+
+---
+
+## Section 3: Customer-Centricity Audit (20 points)
+
+Powers' cardinal rule: "They seek service for themselves." Every sentence must serve the reader.
+
+### 3A. Reader Focus (10 points)
+
+| # | Check | Pass? | Why It Matters |
+|---|-------|-------|----------------|
+| 21 | [ ] **"You" count exceeds "We/I" count** -- Count every instance of "you/your/yours" vs "we/our/I/my." The "you" count must exceed the "we/I" count by at least 2:1. | | Copy that talks about itself is copy that violates the selfishness principle. The reader cares about themselves. Talk about them. |
+| 22 | [ ] **Opening is customer-centric** -- The first sentence addresses the reader's situation, problem, or desire. It does NOT open with the company, the product, the founder, or the copywriter. | | The reader's internal monologue is always "What about ME?" If the first sentence is not about them, they stop reading. |
+| 23 | [ ] **Features converted to benefits** -- Every product feature mentioned is explicitly connected to a reader benefit. "Made with ingredient X" becomes "Ingredient X does [THING] for your [BENEFIT]." | | Features describe the product. Benefits describe the reader's life after buying. Powers wrote about what products DO for customers, not what products ARE. |
+| 24 | [ ] **Objections addressed proactively** -- At least 2-3 predictable reader objections are addressed BEFORE the reader forms them. Not in a FAQ at the bottom. In the body copy, naturally. | | An objection that forms in the reader's mind becomes a wall. An objection addressed before it forms becomes proof that the writer understands the reader. |
+| 25 | [ ] **Service framing** -- The copy positions the product as a SERVICE to the reader, not a SALE. The tone is: "here is how this helps you" not "here is why you should buy this." | | Powers said people "seek service for themselves." Service framing aligns with what the reader actually wants. Sale framing triggers resistance. |
+
+**Score: ___/10**
+
+### 3B. Value Communication (10 points)
+
+| # | Check | Pass? | Why It Matters |
+|---|-------|-------|----------------|
+| 26 | [ ] **Specific service described** -- The copy states EXACTLY what the product does for the reader. Not "improves your health" but "reduces [SPECIFIC SYMPTOM] by [SPECIFIC AMOUNT] in [SPECIFIC TIME]." | | Vague benefits create vague desire. Specific benefits create specific action. |
+| 27 | [ ] **Reader's daily life referenced** -- At least one passage connects the product benefit to a specific moment in the reader's daily life. | | Abstract benefits do not motivate. Concrete life moments do. "You will wake up without [PROBLEM]" beats "This eliminates [PROBLEM]." |
+| 28 | [ ] **Value equation clear** -- The reader can calculate the value: what they get vs. what they pay. This calculation is made EASY, not hidden or complex. | | Powers stated prices plainly alongside honest product descriptions. The reader could make an instant value judgment. |
+| 29 | [ ] **Reason-why present for every claim** -- Every benefit claim is followed (within 1-2 sentences) by a REASON. "This works because..." "This is possible because..." "The reason is..." | | Reason-why is the foundation of the Powers Style. Claims without reasons are assertions. Claims with reasons are arguments. Arguments persuade. |
+| 30 | [ ] **What it does NOT do** -- The copy states at least one thing the product does NOT do or is NOT designed for. This manages expectations and builds trust simultaneously. | | Telling the reader what you cannot do is the fastest way to make them believe what you CAN do. |
+
+**Score: ___/10**
+
+---
+
+## Section 4: Anti-Hype & Restraint Audit (15 points)
+
+In saturated markets, restraint is the most powerful differentiator.
+
+| # | Check | Pass? | Why It Matters |
+|---|-------|-------|----------------|
+| 31 | [ ] **Zero superlatives without proof** -- No "best," "greatest," "most powerful," "revolutionary," "incredible," or similar unless immediately followed by verifiable evidence. | | Superlatives are the cheapest words in advertising. Everyone uses them. They mean nothing. Powers used facts. |
+| 32 | [ ] **Zero exclamation marks** -- Not one. Excitement is communicated through content, not punctuation. | | Exclamation marks are the writer screaming because the words are not strong enough. Strong words do not need volume. |
+| 33 | [ ] **No artificial urgency** -- If there is a deadline, it is REAL and EXPLAINED. "Limited time!" without explanation = manipulation. "We can only hold this price until March 14 because [REAL REASON]" = honesty. | | Artificial urgency insults the reader's intelligence and erodes the trust that honest copy built. |
+| 34 | [ ] **No buzzwords** -- Zero instances of: "revolutionary," "breakthrough," "game-changing," "life-changing," "cutting-edge," "next-level," "transformative," "disruptive," "innovative." | | These words have been emptied of meaning through overuse. They signal that the writer has nothing specific to say. |
+| 35 | [ ] **Tone is calm and confident** -- The copy reads as if the writer does not need the reader to buy. There is no desperation, no pleading, no pressure. Just information, honestly delivered. | | Desperation signals that the product cannot sell itself. Calmness signals that the product does not NEED to be sold -- it needs only to be DESCRIBED. |
+| 36 | [ ] **No ALL CAPS, no excessive bold, no display tricks** -- Emphasis is created by the strength of words, not the weight of type. Occasional bold for key phrases is acceptable. ALL CAPS is never acceptable. | | Powers used plain Roman type. The words did all the work. Visual tricks are admissions that the words failed. |
+| 37 | [ ] **Competitor contrast through restraint, not attack** -- If the copy exists in a market where competitors hype, the contrast is created by being MORE restrained, not by attacking the hype. | | Attacking competitors is a form of hype. Being calm while others scream is more powerful than shouting louder. |
+
+**Score: ___/15**
+
+---
+
+## Section 5: News & Reason-Why Audit (10 points)
+
+Powers treated ads as news and backed every claim with reasons.
+
+| # | Check | Pass? | Why It Matters |
+|---|-------|-------|----------------|
+| 38 | [ ] **Information-first, persuasion-second** -- The copy leads with useful information that the reader values even if they do not buy. It educates before it sells. | | News informs. Advertising persuades. Powers wrote news. The informing IS the persuading. |
+| 39 | [ ] **Timely or contextual framing** -- The copy connects to something current, specific, or contextual. Not "in today's world" (which is a cliche), but a specific event, season, discovery, or change. | | Timely copy feels like news. Timeless copy feels like advertising. |
+| 40 | [ ] **Every "what" has a "why"** -- For every claim ("This product does X"), there is an adjacent reason ("because Y"). The reason-why ratio should be 1:1 or better. | | Reason-why is not optional in the Powers Style. It is the defining characteristic. A claim without a reason is a Barnumesque assertion -- exactly what Powers rejected. |
+| 41 | [ ] **Evidence is specific, not general** -- Numbers, names, dates, institutions. Not "studies show" but "[SPECIFIC STUDY] at [SPECIFIC INSTITUTION] in [SPECIFIC YEAR] showed [SPECIFIC RESULT]." | | Specific evidence feels like journalism. General evidence feels like advertising. Powers wrote like a journalist. |
+| 42 | [ ] **Discovery or novelty element** -- The copy presents at least one piece of information that feels NEW to the reader. Something they did not know before. This is the "news" in News-of-the-Store. | | People read news because it tells them something new. People skip advertising because it tells them something they have heard before. Your copy must contain a discovery. |
+
+**Score: ___/10**
+
+---
+
+## Section 6: Powers Style Consistency (10 points)
+
+The eight qualities of the "Powers Style" as defined by Printer's Ink.
+
+| # | Quality | Check | Pass? | Fail Signal |
+|---|---------|-------|-------|-------------|
+| 43 | **Simple** | [ ] Can a first-time reader follow the argument without re-reading any sentence? | | Requires re-reading = too complex |
+| 44 | **Short** | [ ] Are 80%+ of sentences under 20 words? Are key sentences under 15? | | Long, winding clauses |
+| 45 | **Lively** | [ ] Does it feel like a person talking, not a document being read? | | Academic or corporate tone |
+| 46 | **Cogent** | [ ] Does each point follow logically from the previous one? | | Unexplained jumps in argument |
+| 47 | **Reason-Why** | [ ] Is every major claim supported by at least one specific reason? | | Unsupported assertions |
+| 48 | **Significant** | [ ] Does every sentence add to the selling argument? Can any sentence be removed without weakening the copy? | | Filler, padding, repetition |
+| 49 | **Truthful** | [ ] Can every factual claim be verified? Is every opinion clearly an opinion? | | Exaggeration, vagueness, or unverifiable claims |
+| 50 | **Opinionated** | [ ] Does the copy take clear positions? Does it say "this is better" rather than "this could potentially be an option"? | | Hedging, wishy-washy qualifying, refusing to commit |
+
+**Score: ___/10**
+
+---
+
+## Total Score
+
+| Category | Score | Max |
+|----------|-------|-----|
+| Truth & Candor (1A) | ___ | 15 |
+| Honesty Depth (1B) | ___ | 10 |
+| Language Simplicity (2A) | ___ | 10 |
+| Clarity Structure (2B) | ___ | 10 |
+| Reader Focus (3A) | ___ | 10 |
+| Value Communication (3B) | ___ | 10 |
+| Anti-Hype & Restraint (4) | ___ | 15 |
+| News & Reason-Why (5) | ___ | 10 |
+| Powers Style Consistency (6) | ___ | 10 |
+| **TOTAL** | **___** | **100** |
+
+---
+
+## Decision Matrix
+
+| Score | Decision | Action |
+|-------|----------|--------|
+| **90-100** | **POWERS-GRADE** | Copy embodies the Powers Style. Ship with confidence. The truth is interesting enough to sell. |
+| **80-89** | **PASS** | Ready for market. Minor improvements possible in flagged areas. |
+| **70-79** | **REVISE** | Address specific weaknesses. Re-audit after revision. The copy is not yet honest enough, clear enough, or customer-centric enough. |
+| **60-69** | **SIGNIFICANT REVISION** | Multiple structural issues. The copy may be trying to be something it is not. Strip it back to plain truth and rebuild. |
+| **Below 60** | **REWRITE** | The copy violates fundamental Powers principles. Start over. Begin with the Truth Test (F1 in powers.md). Write what you would tell a friend. Build from there. |
+
+---
+
+## Quick Triage: The 5 Powers Questions
+
+When time is short, these five questions capture the essence of the full audit:
+
+| # | Question | If NO |
+|---|----------|-------|
+| 1 | **Is every word true?** | Stop. Fix the truth problem before anything else. |
+| 2 | **Would a 10-year-old understand it?** | Simplify the language. |
+| 3 | **Is every sentence about the READER?** | Rewrite from the reader's perspective. |
+| 4 | **Does every claim have a reason?** | Add evidence or remove the claim. |
+| 5 | **Could a competitor use this copy without changing it?** | Add specifics unique to this offer. |
+
+If all five answers are YES, the copy is likely in the 80+ range. Run the full audit to confirm and identify precise improvement areas.
+
+---
+
+## Section-Specific Recovery Actions
+
+### If Truth & Candor (Section 1) scores below 20/25:
+
+1. List every claim in the copy
+2. Mark each as: VERIFIED TRUE / PROBABLY TRUE / UNCERTAIN / EXAGGERATED
+3. Remove or rewrite anything marked UNCERTAIN or EXAGGERATED
+4. Add at least one honest product limitation
+5. Add an exclusion statement ("This is not for you if...")
+6. Run the friend test on the revised version
+
+### If Plain Speak (Section 2) scores below 15/20:
+
+1. Replace every word over 3 syllables with a shorter synonym
+2. Split every sentence over 20 words into two sentences
+3. Remove all passive voice constructions
+4. Delete all filler words (very, really, quite, somewhat)
+5. Read aloud and rewrite any stumble points
+6. Have someone outside the industry read it -- if they pause, simplify
+
+### If Customer-Centricity (Section 3) scores below 15/20:
+
+1. Count "you" vs "we/I" -- rewrite until 2:1 ratio
+2. Rewrite the opening sentence to address the reader's situation
+3. After each feature, add "which means [BENEFIT FOR YOU]"
+4. List the top 3 reader objections and address each in the body
+5. Reframe every "we offer" statement as "you receive"
+
+### If Anti-Hype (Section 4) scores below 10/15:
+
+1. Delete every superlative that lacks adjacent proof
+2. Remove all exclamation marks (no exceptions)
+3. Replace every buzzword with a specific, factual statement
+4. Check deadlines -- are they real? Explain why each deadline exists
+5. Read the copy imagining a skeptical reader. Does anything trigger "yeah, right"?
+
+### If Reason-Why (Section 5) scores below 7/10:
+
+1. After each claim, insert "because [REASON]"
+2. Replace every "studies show" with a specific study
+3. Add at least one piece of genuinely new information
+4. Connect the copy to something current or contextual
+5. Ensure the reader learns something valuable even if they do not buy
+
+### If Powers Style (Section 6) scores below 7/10:
+
+1. Re-read the 8 Powers Style qualities in the checklist
+2. Identify which specific qualities are missing
+3. For each missing quality, rewrite one key passage to embody it
+4. Common fix: the copy is too timid (not opinionated) or too long (not significant)
+
+---
+
+## Cross-Reference with Other Checklists
+
+| Checklist | When to Use Together |
+|-----------|---------------------|
+| `hopkins-scientific-checklist.md` | When copy needs both honesty AND measurability |
+| `halbert-bullet-proof.md` | When bullets need Powers-level candor with Halbert-level desire |
+| `bencivenga-persuasion-audit.md` | When the offer needs deep persuasion architecture with honest framing |
+| `collier-entry-diagnostic.md` | When calibrating awareness level before applying Powers voice |
+| `schwartz-awareness-levels.md` | When matching candor level to reader sophistication |
+
+---
+
+## Usage Notes
+
+- Run this checklist AFTER the copy is drafted, not during writing (writing in audit mode kills flow)
+- For VSL/long-form: audit the HOOK and CTA separately, then the full piece
+- For landing pages: audit each block (hero, problem, solution, offer, CTA) separately
+- For creatives: adapt to shorter format -- focus on Sections 1, 4, and the 5 Quick Questions
+- For email: focus on Sections 2 and 3 (plain speak and customer-centricity)
+- Cross-reference with `powers.md` for frameworks (F1-F7) and anti-patterns table
+- Cross-reference with `blind_critic` MCP for automated scoring after manual checklist
+- **Best combined with:** Hopkins (measurability) + Halbert (desire mechanics) + Powers (honesty foundation)
+
+---
+
+*Checklist v1.0 -- Based on John E. Powers' Honest Advertising Methodology*
+*Covers: Truth & Candor (25pts), Plain Speak (20pts), Customer-Centricity (20pts), Anti-Hype (15pts), Reason-Why (10pts), Powers Style (10pts)*
+*Reference: ~/.claude/copy-squad/powers.md (Voice DNA Profile v2.0)*