Bow Tie Kreative Writing System
Run the engine

Rules / copywriting

CPY-013 Hard constraint layer: sentence

Urgency must be factual

IF urgency or scarcity is claimed, THEN verify the real deadline, quantity, capacity, or consequence and disclose material conditions ELSE remove it.

Why the rule exists

False urgency is deceptive and destroys long-term trust.

Condition

The rule fires when this evaluates true. Paths marked below must be present in the fact base; the engine reports the rest rather than guessing them.

  • copy.urgency_or_scarcity.exists eq true

Facts this rule reads

PathSource
copy.urgency_or_scarcity.exists You supply it

Then

  1. verify — target copy.urgency_or_scarcity
  2. disclose — target copy.urgency_or_scarcity.conditions
  3. delete — target copy.urgency_or_scarcity

Else

  1. retain — target current_text, No triggering condition is present.

Test cases

TST-018 · [object Object]

Before
Only three spots left!
After
Three onboarding appointments remain for September; booking closes when they are filled.
Reason
Use only when operations verify the capacity and period.

LAKA

Smallest sufficient intervention
Yes
Primary axes

Sources

  • Advertising and Marketing Basics — U.S. Federal Trade Commission link
    Advertising claims must be truthful, non-deceptive, fair, and appropriately substantiated.
  • Advertising Substantiation Policy Statement — U.S. Federal Trade Commission link
    Objective claims require a reasonable evidentiary basis before dissemination.
  • Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion — Robert B. Cialdini
    Evidence-based principles of influence and ethical persuasion.
The raw rule record

Verbatim from 16-copywriting-rules.json. Also available at /v1/rules/CPY-013.

{
  "id": "CPY-013",
  "name": "Urgency must be factual",
  "domain": "copywriting",
  "layer": "sentence",
  "strength": "hard_constraint",
  "human_logic": "IF urgency or scarcity is claimed, THEN verify the real deadline, quantity, capacity, or consequence and disclose material conditions ELSE remove it.",
  "when": {
    "path": "copy.urgency_or_scarcity.exists",
    "operator": "eq",
    "value": true
  },
  "then": [
    {
      "action": "verify",
      "target": "copy.urgency_or_scarcity",
      "against": "operational_fact"
    },
    {
      "action": "disclose",
      "target": "copy.urgency_or_scarcity.conditions"
    },
    {
      "action": "delete",
      "target": "copy.urgency_or_scarcity",
      "when": "unverified"
    }
  ],
  "else": [
    {
      "action": "retain",
      "target": "current_text",
      "reason": "No triggering condition is present."
    }
  ],
  "unless": [],
  "because": "False urgency is deceptive and destroys long-term trust.",
  "diagnostics": [],
  "examples": {},
  "source_ids": [
    "WEB-012",
    "WEB-013",
    "BK-035"
  ],
  "laka": {
    "smallest_sufficient_intervention": true,
    "primary_axes": [
      "scope",
      "depth",
      "magnitude",
      "reversibility"
    ]
  }
}

Other copywriting rules

  1. CPY-001 Start from market awareness IF writing persuasive copy, THEN classify the audience as unaware, problem-aware, solution-aware, product-aware, or most-aware before choosing the message ELSE request research. Hard constraint
  2. CPY-002 Match lead to awareness and evidence IF awareness is known, THEN select a lead type that bridges the reader’s current state to the offer ELSE do not default to a hype lead. Context default
  3. CPY-003 Headline makes one credible promise IF a headline is used, THEN make its audience relevance, benefit or curiosity, and credible scope legible ELSE revise. Hard constraint
  4. CPY-004 Mechanism explains the promise IF the promise is unfamiliar, counterintuitive, or in a sophisticated market, THEN explain why and how the offer produces the result ELSE keep the mechanism concise. Context default
  5. CPY-005 Translate feature into buyer outcome IF copy names a feature, THEN connect it to functional benefit, practical outcome, and relevant emotional meaning when supported ELSE remove the feature. Context default
  6. CPY-006 Specificity earns credibility IF a claim uses generic superiority language AND verifiable specifics exist, THEN replace the generic phrase with the relevant specific ELSE qualify or remove it. Heuristic
  7. CPY-007 Proof appears after or near the claim IF a material sales claim is made, THEN attach the strongest appropriate proof close to it ELSE weaken or remove the claim. Hard constraint
  8. CPY-008 Testimonial is real, typicality-aware, and specific IF a testimonial is used, THEN verify identity permission, authenticity, result context, and any required typicality disclosure ELSE remove it. Hard constraint