Copy-Writer

Job overview
Copy-writers put the words in advertisements with the aim of persuading potential consumers to buy the product being advertised.

What do people do in this job?
Advertising agencies usually provide copy-writers with a written brief, giving information about the section of the populace to whom the advertisement must appeal and the advantages of the product being advertised, compared with those of rival brands.

The brief should specify what type of response is required from those who see the advertising.

Does the advertisement aim to present a new product?

Does it change or reinforce an existing attitude towards a product or does it aim to elicit a response from the reader, such as filling in and returning a coupon?

Copy-writers work in a? "?creative team?" ?with art directors.

Both are responsible for ideas, but copy-writers take responsibility for the words and the art directors for the visual treatment.

In addition to writing the headline and detailed? "?body copy?" ?of advertisements appearing in the print media, copywriters will also play an important part in selecting the type of voice and any specific sound effects used in television and radio commercials

Communicating effectively is much more important for copy-writers than writing in an academically, grammatically correct style.

This means writing in a way that reflects the spoken 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.

What kinds of people are suitable for this job?
Copy-writers need a lively and creative imagination and the enthusiasm and energy to go and dig out information on any subject, much of which may be of no personal interest to them.

Good copywriters are people with an “ear?”? to the ground?" ?who are able to pick up changes in?  ?the use of language, fashion, music and other elements of popular culture and taste.

Copy-writers need to be highly critical of their own work, constantly striving to write better and more effective advertisements.

As copy-writers will be facing the criticism of the rest of the team and of the clients for whom the advertisements are being created, a fair share of emotional resilience and persistence are necessary.

Copy-writing can call for long and unusual working hours, but it can be fun and intellectually stimulating.

What qualifications are needed?
There are no set qualifications, but clearly a good grounding in the language(s?) ?to be used in the advertisements is a good starting-point.