... with a serious, buttery baseline...
I love food. Some cheeky monkeys may even say I have a passion for it. I love copywriting. Should go without saying, that one. And I have been known, on the odd... very odd... occasion... to love a bit of fun.
So when I came across this marvellous mix of the three I had to share it.
I could listen to Greg Wallace and John Torode talk about food all day long. I maybe couldn't listen to this all day long, but for two short minutes of wordplay magic, it tickles my funny bone as much as my taste buds.
But it's not just about wordplay. Copywriters could learn a lot from the way this video is edited. When trying to engage your audience, it's important to think about the pace of your copy.
Vary it.
Then draw them in again. Make your points then get your hooks in all the right places. Watch the film all the way through and hopefully you'll see what the heck I'm waffling on about.
Hmmm.... waffles...
It's from Swedemason and it was brought to my attention by Helen Reynolds or if you want to track her down on Twitter, @HelReynolds.
Thanks all round. Bring on the base. Or the bass... oh... pass me a choccy digestive will you.
Showing posts with label copywriting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label copywriting. Show all posts
All work and no play...
That's because you have to write a fictional story in 330 words or under and be brave/emboldened enough to stick it up in the public domain.
Not that easy. But great on a number of counts:
1. It really hones your editing skill. An invaluable arrow to have in your copy quiver. The quicker and more efficient your become at editing, the easier it is to deal with your own copy critiques and those of your colleagues and clients.
2. It provides a breath of valuable fresh air; prevents your keyboard from becoming a mill stone round your neck and you from becoming a money-making extension of your keyboard.
3. It opens up your writing/ your work/ your pleasure (if you like) to public critique which can provide you with a completely new view on your skills - and give you another layer of thick skin, which never goes amiss in a creative industry.
4. Writing fiction is a great way for a copywriter to improve his or her copy. It provides new constructions, different ways to pace prose and of course provide a new outlet for fun - especially if you're starting to see copywriting as merely a job (God forbid).
Whether you're a copywriter or not, I'd recommend giving it a go.
You'll find the blog here.
You can follow the 330 Words people on Twitter here.
You can find a couple of my efforts here and here.
Parental advice: you might find a couple of naughty words amongst all that lovely fiction.
Go on... see if you can do better. But that's really not the point. :)
The oxymoron of the fresh approach
- some shiny looking fruit, preferably sliced and with a good few drops of water
- sometimes just a splash of water will do the trick
- any kind of cleaning product; soap, detergent, coca-cola, that sort of thing
- or, if you're really trying to be ca-rayzee, try the odd stylised dandelion - always synonymous with fresh stuff.
The 'fresh approach' gambit always comes in handy when the following has happened:
- your client has sold you short on what makes his or her product or service great
- your account manager has sold you short on what makes his or her client's product or service great
- neither of the two parties has ever heard of a proposition.
...In which case you can do one of the following:
- just go with it. Bang out the creative, artwork it up, send it off, go home and take two, preferably three showers followed by three stiff gins, knowing your work will join a kazillion other ubiquitous fresh approaches in the same lame league
- refuse to even touch any so-called 'concept' with the remotest allusion to a fresh approach and ride out the 'creative strop' storm
- strongly advise the client of the irony of this tactic and the fact that not only does it probably not do their offer any justice but that it also treats the customer like a corn-fed automaton.
the marketing moron.
* Yes, yes, for the pedants I realise 'fresh approach' is not an oxymoron in the true sense of the word, but the proposition of presenting 'fresh approach' as a new idea mostly definitely is!
57 campaign lines in one post? The answers.
As promised here are all the lines which appeared in this recent Drum post and their respective brands - possibly in a somewhat higgledypiggledy order:01. Don’t leave home without it - American Express
02. Nothing acts faster – Anadin
03. Impossible is nothing – Adidas
04. Just do it – Nike
05. Good things come to those who wait – Guinness
06. Moving at the speed of business – UPS
07. I’m only here for the beer – Double Diamond
08. Any time, any place, any where – Martini
52. You can trust your car to the man with the star – Texaco
53. Think big – IBM
54. Think small – VW
55. Think different - Apple
56. Take care – Garnier
57. Schhh - you know who - Schweppes
57 campaign lines in one post on messaging? Now that's variety!
A while back I posted on The Drum about getting the messaging right - especially as today's consumers are more savvy than ever before.
Here's the post, with 57 campaign lines hidden within. Can you spot them all? As promised on The Drum the answers will appear sometime soon.
Attitude. As one of today’s customers, I don’t leave home without it. And because I know the average person is exposed to somewhere over 1500 marketing messages a day, I make damned sure I’m anything but average. When it comes to rubbing me up the wrong way, nothing acts faster than an ill-timed pitch, or bland statement to make the prospect of a sale impossible. ‘Is nothing sacred any more?’ I ask myself as I try to get through the day without being labelled an A, B or C1. Don’t know why I feel like there’s a million marketeers with hands in my pockets, I just do. It’s one of the reasons I’m fickle, brand-disloyal and downright difficult to please.
I’m only here for the beer but I can get another one any time, any place, anywhere.
I know good things come to those who wait but I prefer moving at the speed of business.
I’m not into jazz but I understand why eight out of ten cats prefer it.
And when the man from Del Monte says ‘Yes’ I often prefer to say it with flowers.
That’s right – I’m no longer interested in whether it’s probably the best beer in the world; I want to know it definitely is, why it is and how you’re going to prove it.
It’s all well ‘n’ good empowering the Internet generation but stop sending me those infernal emails. I’ve heard of Viagra. It’s what your right arm’s for.
Isn’t it? I can’t quite make out the small point size on the instruction leaflet.
I’m high on multiple online reviews and I’ve got the lowdown on what’s best for me.
Yeah, I know a little dab’ll do ya, but sometimes I just want to splash it all over.
And when I’m on the go and thirsty, I could drink Canada dry – whatever they’re serving. Call it liquid engineering – and remember I’m running on a hybrid engine.
I could drink camp – it’s they best they say. And while I’d love a Babycham, I’ve heard it makes you feel like the man you are.
Oh yeah – we’re today’s hard-to-please consumers. And you know what, some of our best men are women. So watch it.
Someone once asked me, ‘Have you ever had a bad time in Levi’s?’ No, but I know life’s good – if not better – out of your Levi’s too.
So sell me jeans with a fluffy yellow puppet by all means, but I think you’re on the make. Believe me, I really do.
And while every little helps, I can’t help feeling smug at wotalotIgot.
I don’t want my bank to be the listening bank, I just want my bread wi’ nowt taken out.
There’s no doubt it’s good to talk but have you ever wished you were better informed?
I have. That’s why my media is super social. That’s why you’d better be as sociable as me – and millions of others like me. Because word on the street is there’s no hiding place anymore.
And they say that when the tide’s in, dirt’s out. If that means make-up to make love in is only good for half the day, I’m not that interested, thanks.
More interestingly, Beanz Meanz Heinz apparently – but if they’re over fifty pence a can, beans means own brand to me.
And sometimes, just sometimes I’d actually prefer my nice, relaxing massage on the go. After all, it’s a lot less bovver than a hover and a lot of small talk.
It could be you – it really could be down to you that I’m rebelling against this brand bashing – but it’s got to be Gordon’s fault, whoever the heck he is!
Whatever happens I’ll make, up my own mind, thanks.
Just imagine what you could achieve if you stopped treating me like a demographic and more like a person.
Yes, I’ll listen to people purporting to be saving you money every day, but because I’m also interested in the true definition of luxury, yours is no easy task these days.
In fact, someone, somewhere wants a letter from you. It says, ‘Sorry for disturbing you in such a grey, stagnant fashion.’
AB1? Yeah, that’s right, ‘Awkward Bugger that one’.
Advertising: it’s everywhere you want to be – so you marketing bods better think local, act global and be as relevant and timely as possible.
Crikey, with ads on a roll I’m even being sold to in the loo. Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is just to pull the chain down, my pants up and get the hell out.
Yep, you’d better stay cool in the high-pressure world of meeting your targets and budgets. Because once you pop you just can’t stop.
And once those shiny new campaign alloys start coming off, you really will realise the beauty of all wheel drive.
Yup, I’m afraid we’re a truly unfathomable, fussy, crowd we consumers, but we’re sure you’re going to like us.
Eventually.
Oh yeah, I love what you do for me today, but tomorrow I’ll be cold as ice. That’s why I want to come home to a real fire – real benefits, real features sold in with zeal, truth and integrity.
You see, nothing runs like a deere old beloved campaign, but nowadays, you’ve got to really reach out and touch someone.
Because life’s complicated enough these days you, the marketer, have to be smarter, fitter, tougher than the next marketer and remember one thing: trust. Just as you can trust your car to the man with the star, chances are you can trust your creative to your agency – and the copywriter to get the messaging right.
Yes, I’m one of today’s modern punters and if you’re in marketing you’d be wise to think different. Think big, think small – but whatever you do, think customer.
Because once you take care of your customer they might… just might, start taking care of you.
o
oo
ooo
o
Schhh – you know who put 57 kinds of strapline and campaign line in this post? Me neither, and as a modern consumer of blogs, I’m really not that bothered.
o
ooo
oo
Propositions built on sand
If you caught my last Thomson rant about the use of the word 'passion' you'd be forgiven for thinking I had it in for them.I haven't.
I've got it well and truly in for lazy copy and even more idle propositions. And because I've written a few ads, brochures and emails for a couple of Tui brands, I do feel somewhat emotionally involved.
This banner that popped up while I checked my emails online is a case in point.
Often, when creating a proposition for an offer, a campaign or indeed a whole brand, it's worth sense-checking it with the question, 'So what?' Okay, if you're in marketing, that's a given in most cases. But it's also very worth while, once you've created your proposition, asking a further question:
'As opposed to what?'
If the answer to the above question is something you should definitely not be doing then you need to take your proposition back to the drawing board. Because more than likely, you'll have created a proposition that merely covers off something you should be doing anyway. It's something often called the hygiene factor by those with 'Marketing' in their job title and you can bet your bottom dollar it's not really pushing a USP (unique selling proposition or point). A USP that will create your own little (or hopefully, big) space within a market that's shark-infested with your competitors.
Let's just think about 'Holidays built with you in mind'.
Aside from the fact I don't really want my valuable time off constructed for me, I'd like to know this: if Thomson are now indeed creating holidays with customers as the sole focus - what the hell is everyone else in the travel industry doing?
Holidays built with the annoying couple that'll latch onto you on the first night and never let go until you land back home in mind?
Holidays built with the rest of the family you really don't get on with that loves it when you spend more than a week away in mind?
Holidays built with slimy pickpockets waiting to fleece you of your Euros in mind?
Oh no... I guess they would have to be built with 'you' in mind. After all, 'you' fits in a 160x600 banner a little better.
And if they are now built with you in mind what the hell where Thomson doing before?
You'll find these kind of propositions on the same shelf as marketing no-nos such as 'passionate'.
Why? Because you could apply this kind of proposition to just about every product on the planet.
iPhones built with you in mind.
Houses built with you in mind.
Wallpaper built with you in mind.
That's right, wallpaper - just like this type of proposition - a proposition that's built with anything but you in mind.
Tweet
Copywriters: never mind who's the Daddy, who's the market?
A tweet from a very nice bloke I follow on Twitter reminded me of something I've wanted to spout off about for ages.But first, the tweet that jolted me into action - and words.
As you'll hopefully see from the screenshot, it was from @BestWordsmith, a bloke called Doug - a very good copywriter from what I've read and, as far as I can tell, (as much as you can tell via sociable media) a thoroughly decent chap. Go on, give him a follow. Then check out the other copy monkeys I follow - they're all good people and well worth a sneak up behind. (If you're a writer and don't currently appear on my list, it's nothing personal... well it is... personally, I'm crap at keeping my lists up to date - so please give me a shout below and I'll gladly add your name).
Doug's tweet directed me to a big long list of copywriting tips from a fellow marketing hack called Bill. If you're a writer, you'll have heard of him - Bill Fryer - a Big Daddy amongst the Copy Club.
Now Bill's obviously pretty successful. He's one of the breed of copywriters who's utterly, totally, completely commercially focused.
'What?' I hear the writers scream. 'To be a decent writer (of the marketing copy variety) you are inherently commercial.'
Yup. But I'm talking about being commercial in terms of marketing yourself as opposed to being commercial about marketing your clients.
And here comes the other 'but'. And the thing I've been meaning to mention for ages:
Just who does this breed of copywriter think they are marketing to?
Take a look at the link - if you haven't already.
As I said, a great big long list of copywriting tips. For copywriters.
Now writers, I don't know about you, but my market is not a bunch of copywriters looking for tips on how to improve their skills. My market is a bunch of marketing bods and business bods looking to improve their bottom line.
I'm not talking about posts on SEO, discussions on grocers' apostrophes and debates on copy style - the benefit of a potential client reading those is obvious. They show the writer has more in-depth knowledge; they show the writer thinks beyond wasting pixel ink; they show the writer cares about their craft.
And they show the writer to be someone who can add far more value than the client who can merely string words together.
You know that client. It's the client that forces their version upon you. The cart horse client who drafts their idea of how the copy should be, challenges you to beat it and after you duly knock it into shape and beat its potential pulling power out of sight, still doesn't drink the water.
The client who really shouldn't be writing copy.
So are Bill's tips for that client? Because they seem like tips for writers to me.
Which begs me to ask, 'Is it all a little bit of peacocking?' (Yup, you're allowed to invent new words on your own blog by the way.)
Or is it misdirected marketing?
I've not made up my mind yet but at least I've got it off my chest.
I dunno, you tell me.
Tweet
Fresh meat, Billy Bob? Copy that!
Howdy pardner,Lost your way some?
Doan worry nun, weycome to de deep sowth!
A place where families stay real close-knit. Where love is free 'n' eezy and where, if you don't know yo way roun' a good ole country choon on a banjo... well... you won't fit in that good.
But hell, doan worry nun, we'll always find a way to fit in you!
An' yo sho weycome to try our homecooked food anytime. We like ta mosey on down to our local store, Billy Bob Morrison's. Oh he doan run the show no more... hell, he six feet in the groun'. But his boy Ken... boy oh boy... he be turning out some gooood shit on those shelves.
Aint that far away too.... 'bout 12 miles up yonder track. We can git up there lickety-split on the back o' Bertha. She's our prize sow an' she sho goood at taking a fine ole load from time to time, if ya get ma drift.
Anyhoo, we cooking up some damn fine sausage right now pardner... real thick 'n' juicy.
An when ah say thick... ah'm talkin' girth... oh boy... that's right... pork thick!
PORK THICK... ya hear?
Not beef thick.
Not lamb thick.
That's right pardner, PORK THICK. Six of 'em too.
An' doan let a liddle thing like a missin' full stop put you off. Lots a shit go missin' roun' these parts, aint no shame.
Now, sho ya won't stay an' join us?
Off the shelf, completely off the money
I just walked past a Thomson travel agents in north Leeds. I got as far as the entrance of the bank next door. Then a lightening bolt struck. Something pulled me back. Something a bit Star Trekky... an unfathomable force, a magnetic field that sucked me, frowning and bewildered back to the travel agents - and to the banner you see here.
This dark force then proceeded to swirl around my right hand. Still not quite believing my eyes, the hijacked hand took out my phone and made me capture the banner in all its glory.
Now that strange energy is making me stick a post up about the event.
What is it exactly? I've always said to myself don't become one of those copywriters who bangs on ad infinitum about apostrophe abuse, split infinitives and copy cliches.
But I can't help myself. The Shelf Monster is making me do it, completely against my will.
You see, the Shelf Monster comes from a planet called Thatull Do, is a hairy beast of immense power and, once disturbed, can cause destruction of universal proportions - especially to otherwise well-intended marketing campaigns.
And boy, has someone pissed off the Shelf Monster with this humdinger.
Someone, perhaps a young marketing director, possibly also from Thatull Do, or a young copy monkey travelling the galaxy in search of inspiration has seen fit to sneak into the Shelf Monster's cave and nick one of the beast's most prized possessions: the word, 'passionate'.
Oh boy, that big fella's pretty damned annoyed now. So pretty damned annoyed, he's gonna rip the head off the campaign's impact, take a huge dump on its response rates and trample all over the Thomson brand for weeks to come.
Carnage.
My advice to anyone naive, lazy or pressed-for-time enough to even think of foraging around in the Shelf Monster's cave for effective copy?
Don't. It aint pretty. Then watch this short piece of film from the erratically brilliant David Mitchell.
You'll then hopefully never think of entering the Shelf Monster's domain - ever.
For more cliche-riddled nonsense, take a wander over to The Drum to see what Gabriella Cilmi has to say on the subject.
Tweet
What next? Pen versus butter knife?
I've being doing a stint with a bunch of lovely people in a converted mill north of Leeds lately. It's made me come over all office-workery again.
And when I came across this in the fridge, it made me realise that, in terms of office food security, the butter knife is far mightier than the sword.
Communication letting you down?
Apologies if I've just wedged that annoying Spandau Ballet tune in your head.
My excuse is I just had to mention a breakdown in communication I suffered today on that most majorist of major communication channels, Twitter.
No need for much explanation; the screenshot of the conversation, reading from bottom up, should do the trick (just click to enlarge if you're as blind as me).
I guess the words by the cursor say it all really and I guess it also just goes to prove at least two points:
1. I'm not half as funny as I thought I was and should probably scrap the childish, copywriter-based jokes.
2. If you're on Twitter to market your wares, do the thing that all those social media gurus go on about ad infinitum: engage.
Yup, sometime soon, 'engage' will become a very dirty word but if there's one medium in which you can actually have a conversation, get to know who you're talking to and do away with all those bludgeoning 18-wheel inarticulated sales techniques, it's Twitter.
Use it wisely, my sales friends.
