Copy-Writer Career Description
Good copy-writers are people who, through their writing, can persuade a defined target consumer to buy the product they are advertising.
What am I going to do in this occupation?
In most advertising agencies copy-writers will work from a written brief, which gives information about the type of people to whom the advertisement must appeal and the relative advantages of the product being advertised, compared to its competitors. The brief should specify what type of response is required of those who view the advertising:
Does the advertisement aim to gain awareness of a product with which the consumer is unfamiliar? Does it change or reinforce an existing attitude towards the product or does it motivate a specific behavioural response, such as filling in and returning a coupon?
Copy-writers do not work alone. They work in a "creative team" with art directors. Both are responsible for ideas, but in the execution of the task copy-writers take responsibility for the words and the art directors for the visual treatment of an advertisement. In addition to writing the headline and detailed "body copy" of advertisements which appear in printed media such as newspapers and magazines, copywriters will be instrumental in selecting the type of voice and any specific sound effects used in television and radio commercials. Copy-writers will be further involved in the production of these commercials, by supervising these aspects to ensure that the quality standard conceptualised by the creative team, is achieved.
It is much more important for copy-writers to communicate effectively than it is to write in an academically, grammatical correct way. This means being able to write in a way that reflects the spoken or ideational/imaginary idioms of target consumers, who are generally ordinary people. Language skills enhance the effectiveness of an advertisement when they do more than simply convey the facts.
Requirements
What kind of personality do I need?
To be successful copy-writers must have a lively and creative imagination and the enthusiasm and energy to go and dig out information on any subject, many of which may be of no personal interest. Good copywriters are people with an ear "close to the ground" who are able to pick up on the way in which the different aspects of our society are changing in the use of language, fashion, music and all other elements of popular culture and taste.
Copy-writers need to be hypercritical of their work, constantly striving to write better and more effective advertisements. As copy-writers will be facing the criticism of the rest of the team, including the clients for whom the advertisements are being created, a fair share of emotional resilience and persistence are necessary. Copy-writing requires long and unusual hours, but the work can be fun and intellectually stimulating.
Where can I work?
Prospective copy-writers are advised to apply for posts at advertising agencies.
Can I work for myself in this occupation?
Experienced and successful copy-writers can start their own advertising agencies, but then they need the necessary capital and motivation as this is a very competitive field and a new advertising agency will have to recruit clients in competition with existing agencies.
Demand for free-lance copy-writers is also increasing. Such copy-writers work for advertising agencies or directly for advertisers.
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