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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Posts Tagged ‘Copywriting’
Creative copywriting – the rude approach
Tuesday, December 20th, 2011The 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.”
Paperback for good.
Thursday, October 13th, 2011
I’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.
The tweet from the chaff. Why Twitter means so much to copywriters.
Thursday, June 2nd, 2011
Anyone who thinks Twitter is just the social network that isn’t Facebook simply hasn’t been paying attention.
Right now, there at least two items of headline news focused on the service. Breaking stories are appearing on the site before they reach the 24 hour, rolling news channels, let alone the newspapers. One fortunate fellow just sold Tweetdeck, a facility that lets you use Twitter on a desktop, for £25m – the buyer was Twitter. Increasingly television shows are displaying their hashtag – a term largely invented by Twitter – in their opening titles (‘Have I Got News For You’ for example), meaning they are promoting a third party website, free of charge, simply because of that site’s influence, power and popularity.
Twitter is clearly something considerably more significant than just another social hub. And for copywriters, it’s more significant still.
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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Fresh air. Can we save the great radio ad?
Thursday, May 12th, 2011
One of my first jobs in the creative business was one of the most enjoyable: writing and producing radio ads. At the time, almost all advertising platforms relied on the combined skills of an art director and a copywriter, but radio was the sole preserve of the writer. It was our moment in the sun. It also gave me the opportunity to work with some fairly famous folk like Christopher Lee (Dracula) and John Hannah (now the voice of the Co-Op).
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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Eye jewellery: the look you’re looking for?
Monday, April 4th, 2011
Eye jewellery. Jewels in your eyes. Yes, I said JEWELS IN YOUR EYES. Apparently, it’s out there. Turns out that I (and everyone else I’ve asked) must be behind the times because I only heard about this last week and yet there was a warning about it on a news website in 2004. At least that means it hasn’t really taken off, I suppose – which is just as well because it actually makes me feel queasy just thinking about it. So perhaps my decision to blog about it is akin to immersion therapy, because for me this would be like a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. Or worse.
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So you still want to be a copywriter …?
Thursday, March 31st, 2011
Last year I wrote an article for CreativePool called ‘So You Want To Be A Copywriter?’.
The intention was to provide a very basic guide for anyone considering a career in … well … copywriting. I thought it might attract a modest response, but the feedback was astonishing. In fact, the piece still generates enquiries – I had an email from someone who had read it only two days ago.
But perhaps the most impressive outcome was the success one reader has had in pursuing her writing ambitions. I am absolutely certain it has been her determination and talent that have carried her forward, but if the article gave her a bit more confidence or helped things along in any way, I couldn’t be more delighted.
Who’s killing copywriting?
Thursday, November 24th, 2011(more…)
Tags: account handler, Advertising, agency, amends, brand, client, Copywriting, corrections, legal, Magnus, Magnus Shaw, Magnus Shaw blog, project, syntax, today, vocabulary
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