Whatever happened to long copy?

Obviously I'm using this argument as a way to showcase some of my work in the hopes of you saying "That's not bad. We'd like to hire him for some freelance projects and pay him more money than he'll know what to do with." To which i'd reply, "Let me think about it!" in an attempt to look all cool and such. Only to say "yes!!!" exactly 3.8 seconds later. That aside though, the argument is something I believe in. So here we go. 

The internet should have been a godsend for long copy. Isn't it supposed to be a place for the immersive experiences? Case studies talk about more minutes of engagement with the brand as a measure of success. And yet, long copy (the best of which can be deeply engaging) is dying. Or are we just incapable of reading more that 140 characters anymore?

I developed a theory after judging a big award show some time ago. We had a few days to judge something like 15,000 pieces of work. We could barely get through them all. A casualty of this was long copy. We just didn't have time to read it and do it justice. Consequently, no long copy ads were awarded. I've judged a few other big shows since then. Same problem. We just didn't have time to really read them. If the headline wasn't brilliant, it was out. Which isn't entirely fair given many headlines are paid off by the copy. So no long copy were awarded for  at those shows either.

Here's my theory; if we don't award long copy ads, will people go through the trouble (and it is trouble) of writing them. i mean why research and craft a long copy ad when you could write a short one in a third of the time (if that)? Because long copy just in its presence speaks to having something say.

When Neil French spoke of his long copy ads for Chivas Regal in Asia, he said when there are two groups of people who liked them. Those people who've read them and those who say they've read them. Either way the brand looked like it had a lot to say. It was rich with attitude and authority. The copy made the brand seem smarter and more sophisticated without the lavish and expensive lifestyle props of european cars and jewelry seen in most spirit ads out there . This in turn, indirectly made the the consumer seem smarter and more sophisticated too.  

Raffles was an old hotel in a country where sparkly new one were popping up almost weekly. It was a brand steeped in history and character in a country whose sheer success and expansion was causing it rapidly was destroy and build over most of its past. Unlike all those new hotels Raffles had had a rich history of what seems like a more romantic time, with bigger more interesting characters.  We wanted to capture that and create a tone and authority for the grand old lady.  While writing the ads, Jim Aitchison drew me a picture or a monocled stuffy Englishmen and told me to write in that voice. I sunk myself into character and tried to write them as Peter Ustinov.  I think, marvelous art direction aside, having that much copy was a statement in what was (and still is) a largely visual market (Singapore). it says we have a lot to say. it says we have stories. Rich stories. And they do. 

Creative Directors: Antony Redman, Jim Aitchison

Writer: Kash Sree

Art Director: Andy Fackrell