Posts Tagged ‘Copywriting’

Where have you bean? Heinz roll out new TV spot, copywriting saved.

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012

I felt sure if we waited long enough, someone would grasp the nettle and prove that the art of copywriting isn’t dead, just having a lie down. The fact that this little miracle has been achieved by one of the nation’s best known (and best loved) brands, is just the icing on the cake. Or at least the sauce on the beans.

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We’re all writers now. How recession damages copywriting.

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

There are many signs that something is going wrong. The scarcity of invitations to join the staff of a particular agency; the lack of requests to pencil out dates in your diary and the distant memory of those top-dollar, overnight emergency briefs.

Only fool wouldn’t come to the conclusion that the industry’s finances are sinking faster than Simon Le Bon’s yacht. Still, any seasoned freelance copywriter has seen all this before. Recession follows boom as surely as a belch follows a can of cola and things will surely come right. And they will.

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Creative copywriting – the rude approach

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

Work at this time of year often slows down, which can make things tough for freelancers who don’t have a steady stream of work from a steady stream of clients. So sometimes one needs to get a bit creative in order to win a pitch…or even pitch for work which doesn’t actually exist. However outstanding the CV, it seems to me that employers often simply don’t have time to scour it or read the carefully worded covering letter, or click through to online links to one’s work or portfolio. So how can you grab the attention of a potential new employer instantly? Well, there are many ways, but a golden key to it lies in your creativity. And, if you want to be a creative copywriter, you should be brimming with ideas.
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The art of the slogan. Dave Trott, ‘Lipsmakin’ Pepsi and Emperor Rosko.

Friday, October 14th, 2011

A few weeks back, Creative Review invited people to put forward their favourite slogan.

The visual communications magazine said, “Slogans are the epitome of the copywriters’ art: the hopes, aims and very essence of a campaign or an organisation distilled into a pithy, catchy phrase of exactly the right number of words. A great slogan…can be an enormously powerful thing. Slogans become part of our everyday lives, like the catchiest tune, they worm their way into our brains.”

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Paperback for good.

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

Alex PearlI’ve always been a huge admirer of The Big Issue. Not only is it a thumping good read, its purpose is both uplifting and completely unique. It strikes me that handouts, while obviously helpful in the very short term, rarely address the problems which cause and perpetuate desperate situations. The Big Issue is very different. By giving the vendor an income and a useful role it restores self-esteem, hope and something of which to be proud.

In short, when a creative endeavour meets a good cause the outcome is often far more productive and satisfying than a straightforward cash donation. And so it is with the new book by Alex Pearl.

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Copywriting: not quite what it says on the tin?

Monday, May 16th, 2011

Earlier on this year, you may have read Magnus Shaw’s excellent blog posts So you want to be a copywriter? and the sequel, So you still want to be a copywriter? If you haven’t read them and you want some straight-talking advice about the pitfalls, pros, cons, difficulties, requirements and endurance of will needed to be a copywriter, go read them. But now I’m going to add something else into the mix too. My recent experience of talking to recruiters has demonstrated that, unless you want to focus completely on being a copywriter in a creative agency or you are happy to take your chances freelancing for whoever comes along, then you need several other strings to your bow.
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Whatever you do, do NOT read this

Monday, April 18th, 2011

No, no, seriously – I really mean it. Stop reading NOW. It’s for your own good. This blog post will not change your life, it will not help get you a job if you don’t already have one, and it will not increase your productivity if you do. And, unlike some blog posts you may have read here on Creativepool, it does not contain an interesting interview, nor does it offer job-seeking advice – or, indeed, offer any opinions of any significant value. In short, it is five minutes of your life you will never get back. It will, however, make you more attractive to the opposite sex…
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