I’m keen to get up to Trafalgar Square to see Yinka Shonibare’s wonderful new sculpture Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle. When I was a kid, my grand-dad gave me a ship in a bottle, and ever since then I’ve been fascinated with the things. To my mind, Shonibare’s sculpture is like a good piece of […]
There are a lot of things you’re not allowed to do in advertising and marketing. “You can’t say that – the Advertising Standards Authority won’t allow us.” “Can’t show the product, the government forbids it.” “Stick to standard banners, the client can’t afford rich media.” Or “You can’t shoot the ad, we don’t have the […]
I often freelance in part of the M&C Saatchi group called LIDA, where I’ve been privileged to write copy for their Porsche client. Each time, I learn fascinating stories and facts about Porsche cars. The ad below, which is currently running in many UK newspapers and magazines, is based on one of those facts. Click […]
Below is a news item about a very powerful piece of outdoor advertising for road safety, by Colenso BBDO, New Zealand. I wish I’d created the billboard, but I also wonder: is it so strong that it’s likely to cause a road accident?
There’s certain technology us freelance copywriters can’t do without. Internet-enabled laptops for example. We need them for writing long copy, emailing and research. When it comes to playing around with ideas though, we usually resort to good old pen and paper. (Any paperless copywriters or art directors reading, please tell me how you manage.) Even […]
I almost forgot. There’s a national election here in the UK this Thursday. That’s how busy I’ve been. Most of the ads I’ve seen have been online. That’s made me wonder: did the “posters” actually appear on the hoardings? Or were they just scams? After all, there’s been a lot of DIY advertising, usually satirical. […]
The other day, I was talking with some fellow copywriters and art directors about a hilarious, surreal TV ad from about 10 years ago. A huge blob chases a man through urban streets while a sinister voice over taunts him: “Belly’s gonna get you!” We all agreed the ad was great. Then someone asked a […]
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