The Marketer's Guide to Getting Copy Right

A while back, I wrote about basics of design that brand/marketing/sales people should consider while reviewing creatives from their visualizers.

Here's the second article in this series on understanding principles of writing & good content.

First up, copy is extremely powerful. Do not for a moment be led to believe that visual image is the only lever of powerful advertising or marketing.

Briefing a copywriter or content reader: Marketers never directly brief the content team - they always receive a second layer briefing from our friends in client servicing. If you want spectacular copy - spell it out. Your servicing partner knows that your brand tonality is sober - but might just change to be relevant to your Twitter content. Spell. It. Out. Just like every brief - it's best to not presume that your team intuitively understands what you have imagined in your head.

Location, Location, Location: Where is this going? There is a world of difference in your website 'About Us', Facebook 'About Us' and Brochure 'About Us'. Do not even get me started on your Instagram bio.

Audience, Audience, Audience: Who is reading your copy? 18-25 SEC A youth tells me very little. It could be a final year female student in IIT Madras or a male model who's a triathlete. Draw your audience out.

Good content can be universal: . Think Different. Just Do It. It's fingerlickin' good.

Good content can be hyper-targeted: Swiggy Food Order Delivery | Up To Rs.100 Off. Use Coupon Code BINGE50. Order Now!

The above two serve different purposes. Identify the purpose FIRST. Content does not have to be beautiful or witty always. It needs to get its job done.

Preferably have ONE purpose. McDonald's has said "I'm lovin' it" for YEARS. It does not say 'Healthy & Lovin' it' or 'Lovin' it for the taste' or 'Love it like McDonald's'. The one purpose funda is relevant to not just taglines but your emailers, Facebook Ads and Outdoor Hoardings.

Purpose with emotion: Always let your writer/team know what you want someone to FEEL. I could demonstrate efficiency in 500 different copies. But till they don't know how to evoke efficiency. Warmth. Humour. Cold-blooded professionalism. Your content will not have soul. This is where most marketers really go for a toss. L'oreal says 'Because you are worth it' to invoke vanity/self-esteem needs that translate into purchasing its products. There is an emotion there. There is no emotion behind "The World's Leading Beauty Brand"

Surprise is good. Have you seen people who write crazy like krazy? It might be terrible English but an effective attention seeking mechanism just like 'The Pursuit of Happyness.' There's too much copy out there. Being a grammar nazi can take you away from attention seeking tactics.

Copywriters are not proofreaders. Unfortunately they are supposed to do both in the content world. It's best if the writer is not the reviewer but not something a brand custodian can control. Make sure that your client team does not ship copy blindly (especially for documentation like Annual reports & long form content).

Grammar is often abandoned for the sake of good execution. That's okay!

Always see copy with creative but judge them both: (1) simultaneously (2) in isolation. Copywriting is not high-school English. It is okay to not capitalise or use + instead of & / and. It is all about attention & audience & what your ad intends to use. 'This juice has fruits + veggies!' sounds way better than 'This mixed juice contains fruits and vegetables.'

Give your agency feedback not copy. Prescriptivist grammar users were not made for creative writing. They were made to be lawyers. If you are telling your agency what to write instead of how you want it to be written - either become a creative writer or a lawyer. Seriously, your job is to give feedback, brief & teach 'brand' to your partners. Not. write. copy.

Everything is a guideline, not a rule. Grammar. Tone. Voice. The essential to good copywriting is to experiment and for a client to see if it works for you.

Sometimes being drab and dull is part of the course. Creative writing doesn't always mean to feature in the best taglines of all-time. Sometimes it's just to get the job done!

Parting shot:

What sounds better?

The Best Car You've Ever Had.

The Best. Car. Ever. (That you can have)

Best. Frickin'. Car. Ever.

BEST car you’ve EVER had!! Buy now at a limited one-time-only price!

(Let your copywriter/creative always explain to you the why)

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