Every now and then you come across something that is just pure marketing genius and simply far too good not to share.

And one example that we couldn’t resist giving a mention has not only left many people in fits of laughter but has also served as the perfect illustration of how to make creative use of advertising copy and get 5-star publicity in the process.

The case in point is a hilarious Craigslist ad for a secondhand car, which used every copywriting trick in the book to make a clapped-out 1995 Pontiac AM GT with a blown head gasket look like the most desirable car on the planet.

The ad describes driving the sickly teal-coloured American automobile as better than your last four romantic encounters combined and that never in your life has a car made you so appealing to the opposite sex.

It follows up the claim with a fake testimonial from ‘Every woman since the dawn of 1995’ stating ‘There are three things I want in a guy: Tall, dark and drives a f***ing teal Grand Am’.

The advertisement states an original asking price of $199.999 for the privilege of owning a car that is the embodiment of masculinity and the zenith of Pontiac car design.

But for anyone who is stupid enough to buy such an ugly old banger, the ad offers the car at a ridiculously discounted price of just $700.

It is not yet clear whether the seller has managed to get shot of the vehicle, although it is believed that his telephone number has been permanently engaged ever since the ad went viral and eventually became a worldwide internet sensation.

What’s more, once Craigslist got wind of the story, it promptly banned the advertisement from its classified listings, only serving to compound the hype and simply attract even more public attention.

However, you’d have to say that sales of the antiquated Pontiac model are unlikely to increase as a result of the publicity, although demand for the copywriter that was behind the ad most certainly will.