"Copywriting is sooooo easy." Says anyone who is not a copywriter.
Knowing the proper ways to twist language, turn a phase, add some personality,
pluck the right synonym and set the perfect cadence is an effing skill. Don’t
let anybody tell you otherwise.
The same way art directors and designers have an eye for colour and
type, writers have an eye, ear and wrist for words, connotation and wit.
This blog post below shows exactly how it may totally seem easy to just
write a line and promote a product and people will just love it and everything
will be amazing and you will be promoted to Chief Creative Officer. That’s how
it works because copywriting is soooooo easy.
Below is a hilarious reality check that takes lyrics from rap songs
and real-life client feedback that shows the heartbreak challenges that
copywriters face.
Copywriter:
Biggie Smalls
Client:
Nintendo
Nintendo
Copy:
Super nintendo, sega genesis.
Super nintendo, sega genesis.
When i was dead broke, man, I couldn’t picture this.
Feedback:
Don’t know if you perused the company values guide we included in your packet, but Super Nintendo entertainment systems are quite affordable, and we’d like you to underline that. You’ve made it sound as if only wealthy people can play Super Mario Kart or NBA Jam. This is dangerous misdirection. Also: please do not mention Sega. They’re our biggest competitor. We don’t see any reason to put their name in people’s ears.
Don’t know if you perused the company values guide we included in your packet, but Super Nintendo entertainment systems are quite affordable, and we’d like you to underline that. You’ve made it sound as if only wealthy people can play Super Mario Kart or NBA Jam. This is dangerous misdirection. Also: please do not mention Sega. They’re our biggest competitor. We don’t see any reason to put their name in people’s ears.
Copywriter:
Kendrik Lamar
Client :
Mercedes Benz
Copy:
Girl, I’m Kendrick Lamar,
A.k.a. benz-is-to-me-just-a-car.
Feedback:
If you refer back to the creative
brief, you’ll see that we view every Mercedes Benz as more than just a car.
It’s a marker of status, an escape from the ordinary, the pinnacle of
engineering, and a beacon of excellence. Simply put, our cars represent a
better way of life. Please change the copy to reflect this. Our a/b testing
suggests that the following copy would resonate more deeply with our target
demographic.
Girl, i’m Kendrik Lamar,
A.k.a. Benz-is-to-me-just-an-exquisite-automobile.
[Warning, explicit language.]
