People often say that ‘writing is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration’ when talking about the writing or copywriting process. In other words, you have to put in the hard graft before you start the first draft. Once you do the hard graft of research and thinking,...
Copywriting is a brilliant profession. We’re in the business of words, after all. And the English language has so many glorious words to choose from. Like panacea. And voluptuous. And some less glorious. Like moist. And sputum. And with all these words to choose from, the...
John Lewis’s latest print ad to catch our commuting eyes is, in my humble opinion, an example of great copywriting. Maybe not the kind of copywriting that wins Cannes Lions awards—although who’s to say it won’t—but the deceptively simple kind of copywriting that builds brand loyalty. The...
This copywriting enquiry landed in my inbox the other day: “Dear sir, I’m looking for a copywriter to provide content for a new tech start-up website. How much do your services cost?” They might as well have said 'Help, I need a copywriting quote. That is...
I don’t think I’ve met a professional copywriter who was a full-on extrovert. Those I’ve met through the years have had a calm disposition, an air of introspection, a sniff of mental anguish. Maybe it’s because copywriting, for the most part, is a solitary endeavour; or...
I recently read a comment on Linked In that said some of the best copywriting has no call to action. None. Really? As a commercial copywriter who writes to sell, I have to disagree. I could understand if they were referring to the clever and pithy prose...
It’s the question that won’t go away…like automated calls for PPI claims, or Joey Essex. Over the past few weeks I’ve been working with a designer, let’s call him Rob, on a global marketing campaign. With just minutes to spare until we had to present our...