Build the Launch Copy: Casper's Lightweight Topper
Objective: Write a complete PAS Google Search ad and a complete AIDA Meta primary text for a new Casper product launch, then run both headlines through the 4 Us filter.
You're the junior copywriter on Casper's launch team for a new lightweight mattress topper built for hot sleepers. Search and Meta both need finished, ready-to-run copy by end of day.
Draft PAS for Search, AIDA for Meta, then quality-check both headlines with the 4 Us filter before handing off.
Before you start
What you'll need
Free path (everything below is enough to finish)
Free, no account friction, easy to share with a reviewer
The process
3 steps
Step 01 of 03
PAS names the exact pain (Problem), makes it feel bigger (Agitate), then presents the product as the obvious fix (Solution). It's the strongest framework for Search, where the person already named their problem in the query.
The target searcher is typing queries like 'mattress topper for hot sleepers.' Write a Google Search ad (2 headlines + 1 description) in PAS for the new Casper lightweight topper.
Procedure
- In the Problem column, write the exact discomfort ('waking up sweaty and flipping your pillow at 2am')
- In the Agitate column, make the cost of inaction concrete (bad sleep, groggy mornings, buying yet another cooling pillow that doesn't work)
- In the Solution column, present the topper as the direct fix, keeping Headline 1 under 30 characters
Headline 1 (Problem): Waking Up Sweaty Again? Headline 2 (Agitate): Every Hot Night Wrecks Tomorrow Description (Solution): Casper's cooling topper pulls heat away all night. 100-night trial, free shipping.
Healthy
Headline 1 names the specific discomfort; the description states the fix without listing materials or specs.
Unhealthy
Headline 1 reads 'Shop Mattress Toppers' — a category label, not a problem, so PAS never actually starts.
What this means
If a reader can't tell what pain the ad is speaking to within the first 5 words, PAS has collapsed into a plain product ad.
So what do I do about it?
| Symptom | Action | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Headline states the product category instead of a problem | Rewrite Headline 1 to name the exact discomfort the searcher already feels | 5 min |
Step 02 of 03
AIDA moves a reader through four states in one longer-format ad: Attention (interrupt the scroll), Interest (give them a reason to keep reading), Desire (make the outcome feel personal), Action (one clear CTA).
Write a full Meta primary text (3-5 sentences) for the same topper launch, using all four AIDA stages in order.
Procedure
- Attention: open with a surprising stat or direct question about hot sleeping
- Interest: add one sentence of context on why normal toppers fail to fix it
- Desire: describe the specific outcome, waking up rested instead of drenched
- Action: end with a single CTA and remove any competing links or asks
Attention: 67% of hot sleepers say they wake up at least once a night to flip their pillow. Interest: Most 'cooling' toppers trap heat within a week. Desire: Casper's topper actively pulls heat away, so you fall back asleep in minutes, not hours. Action: Try it for 100 nights, free returns. Shop now.
Healthy
Each sentence maps cleanly to one AIDA stage in order, and there's exactly one CTA at the end.
Unhealthy
The copy opens with 'Introducing the new Casper Topper' (a flat announcement) and ends with two competing CTAs ('Shop now' and 'Learn more').
What this means
A flat product announcement skips Attention; multiple CTAs dilute Action and cost clicks.
So what do I do about it?
| Symptom | Action | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Copy has more than one CTA | Cut to a single CTA and delete the second link entirely | 5 min |
Step 03 of 03
The 4 Us is a quality filter, not a writing formula: score any headline on Urgent, Unique, Useful, Ultra-specific. A headline hitting 3-4 is worth testing; 1-2 needs a rewrite.
Score both headlines from Steps 1 and 2 against the 4 Us. Any headline scoring below 3/4 gets one rewrite pass.
Procedure
- Score each headline Yes/No on Urgent, Unique, Useful, Ultra-specific
- Total the score out of 4 for each headline
- Rewrite any headline scoring below 3, then re-score the rewrite
Headline 1 'Waking Up Sweaty Again?': Urgent-No, Unique-Yes, Useful-Yes, Ultra-specific-No. Score 2/4. Rewrite: 'Stop Waking Up Sweaty By Tonight': Urgent-Yes, Unique-Yes, Useful-Yes, Ultra-specific-Yes. Score 4/4.
Healthy
The rewrite adds a concrete timeframe ('by tonight') and now scores 4/4.
Unhealthy
A headline stays at 2/4 after 'rewriting' because only word order changed, not the missing Us.
What this means
A rewrite that doesn't add a number, name, deadline, or specific detail hasn't actually fixed an Ultra-specific or Urgent gap.
So what do I do about it?
| Symptom | Action | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Rewrite still scores below 3/4 | Add one concrete detail (a number, deadline, or named outcome) rather than rephrasing | 5 min |
Final deliverable
One finished PAS Google Search ad, one finished AIDA Meta primary text, and a 4 Us score (with rewrite if below 3/4) for both headlines — ready to hand to media buying for the Casper topper launch.
See a reference example
Allbirds launch copy (excerpt) SEARCH AD (PAS) Headline 1: Sneakers That Smell By Noon? Headline 2: Every Sweaty Commute Adds Up Description: Allbirds' new merino blend stays fresh all day. Free shipping, 30-day trial. 4 Us SCORE Headline 1: Urgent-No, Unique-Yes, Useful-Yes, Ultra-specific-Yes. Score 3/4.
Success criteria
You're done when you can:
- PAS ad names a specific problem in Headline 1, not a product category
- AIDA copy moves through all four stages in order with exactly one CTA
- Both headlines are scored against all 4 Us with any sub-3 headline rewritten and re-scored