If you’ve ever watched Mad Men and thought there’s no way a real office job could possibly look like this... Think again. When I first got my job at this advertising agency, I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. Little did I know, I was starting my career in the best possible way. Working at one of the “Big 5” agencies globally has opened my eyes to so many things that I truly never paid any attention to. Working as an advertising copywriter has made me never skip ads on youtube, unmute the TV when there’s commercial breaks, and learn to appreciate the effort that goes out into putting up billboards across the city. Advertising copywriting is the choice I made for my career; read below if you’re interested in finding out if it can be yours, too: 

What is Advertising Copywriting? 

Advertising copywriters use the written word to help sell goods and services. From catchy headlines to compelling copy to the call to action, copywriters can be the key to turning viewers and listeners into buyers. 

Copywriters are responsible for generating the words, slogans and audio scripts that accompany advertising visuals. They work alongside art directors to conceive and complete effective advertisements. Advertising ideas, which typically contain an integrated verbal and visual concept, require both the ability to make an imaginative leap and an intuitive understanding of the public the advert is aimed at.

Copywriters must understand the client's brief; the concept determines the style and character of the ad. Copywriters must be able to write at length and paraphrase highly technical subjects. Advertising copy involves constant detailed revision and rewriting either at the request of the client or to tune up the communication. Advertising copywriting is essentially the art of creating written content that accompanies the visual portion of an advertising campaign. Advertising copywriting is based on the idea of marketing a particular product to a specific consumer audience. Written advertising copy can be found in many different media types, including: 

-       Posters 

-       Television Commercials 

-       Radio Advertisements 

-       Websites 

-       Brochure 

-       Social Media Posts 

-       Billboards 

Strategy

In order for advertising copy to be successful, it must work well with the visual portion of the campaign. Copywriters need a working knowledge of the product, including its strengths and weaknesses, in order to most effectively write copy for a campaign. This also includes using knowledge of consumer behaviour and market segmentation to properly target the advertising copy to a specific audience. 

Execution

The execution of the message is successful only when the advertising copy is styled appropriately to the particular medium in which it is being used. For example, the copy for a radio advertisement would be different from a television commercial because the television copy is accompanied by visual images. 

Creativity

Because we live in an over-simulated world, those in advertising copywriting must employ both creativity and uniqueness in order to successfully draw in the consumer. The challenge is to produce creative copy while also remaining factual. Creative advertising copy that is based on client or market research and works well with the visual portion of a campaign can be invaluable to the marketing of a particular product.