St Albans society girl and three-times winner of ‘Best Siobhan from 2012 Impression – Home Counties region’, our Caroline recently announced her engagement to her boyfriend, Rich. (No, not her rich boyfriend – sheesh, not everyone’s a stereotype, you know). What wonderful news! So, naturally, we immediately sent a dispatch to Konditor & Cook asking for some suitably… [ MORE… ]
So, a few weeks back (hey, I’ve been busy) I was being creative. Which, as industry insiders will be aware, means sitting in a small room with an Art Director whining about the inadequacy of the brief. I was working with a super-smart freelancer called Sara. (I promised to change her name, so I’ve dropped the ‘h’). We… [ MORE… ]
As you can see, I’m not immune to the occasional hilarious pun myself. But not when it’s so carelessly deposited in such a cat litter tray of Crayzee Advertising Copy as this. And especially not when it’s devoid of meaning (since ‘day’ traditionally encompasses both morning and afternoon anyway). Let’s face it, life’s way too short to have… [ MORE… ]
One of our copywriters asked for a chat the other day. He’s very talented. But quite inexperienced. And looked rather anxious. “It just feels like I’m winging it. And, worse, that at any minute now I’m going to get found out.” I laughed. Not the most sensitive response to an earnestly expressed insecurity. But I couldn’t help it;… [ MORE… ]
From time to time I like to pimp my colleague Neil’s (known affectionately as the business poet) most excellent creative writing workshops. This time, I thought I’d leave the pimping to some feedback forms from an overseas client of ours who just completed one of his sessions. A few choice comments then: “Thank you! Would like to see… [ MORE… ]
You know that poster you just composed? Lose the last line. You know that presentation you just created? Take out every second bullet point. You know that email you just wrote? Cut the word count in half. Strike that. Quarter it. You know that ad you just crafted? Delete that clever intro you’re so proud of. You know… [ MORE… ]
A friend of mine recently finished an eight-week acting job in a very time-honoured and reputable Christmas show in Norfolk. Every year, coachloads of men and women of advanced years migrate to a tiny East Anglian village which has been transformed into a winter wonderland for their entertainment. And the spirited relinquishment of their grey pounds. It’s also,… [ MORE… ]
Some Like It Hot, some like The Ashes, Matt likes petrol-station pasties. I’m learning how to write.
How many people would show up for their first day at work after being invited by their boss to join 22 colleagues in a Bath? Now I didn’t graduate from the Joan Holloway School of sex-gets-you-everywhere, but I didn’t want to offend anyone before I’d even sat down at my desk. Imagine my relief when I realised I… [ MORE… ]
I’ll be popping on a more constructive post shortly, but sometimes something catches your eye you just have to share. In this instance, it’s the intro copy to an app for a certain well-known vendor of American college-wear. Before going any further, I strongly recommend you brace yourself. Whiplash from the inevitable cringe reflex is a real possibility.… [ MORE… ]
A neat little bon mot from one of the many creative how-to guides (apologies to the uncredited coiner) goes as follows: “At all costs resist the urge to start writing.” That is to say, only start executing an idea when you’ve thought it through properly. If you have, the copy will flow easily because you know exactly the… [ MORE… ]
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