What is copywriting?
Professional copywriters are often asked this question:
What is copywriting, and what do copywriters do for a living?
The act of copywriting should not be confused with copyright registration. Copyright refers to the official registration of patents, intellectual property and brand logo usage rights.
Having determined what copywriting is not, how would one go about explaining the functioning and purpose of this creative role?
Copywriting defined
Copywriting is in the first instance the creative process of conceptualising advertisements and marketing devices such as events and other platforms promoting brands or services.
Giving birth to the Big Idea
Copywriters are tasked with conceptualizing or "hatching" the Big Idea. Coming up with a creative concept that sells is a very involved and energy consuming process. It's more than just writing a few words; it is a lot more complicated than churning out a quick headline and a few paragraphs of body copy.
What is copy?
In advertising, copy refers to the text, or words, used in an advertisement. The body copy is the actual paragraphs of supporting text adding additional facts and benefits to the headline and greater concept, in the instance of a print ad. Where a television ad is concerned, the body copy would manifest in dialogue, the announcer's script, etc.
Copywriting and the Golden Thread
Good copywriting features the so-called Golden Thread, the one characteristic that brings cohesion and a level of uniformity to an advertising campaign. The Golden Thread makes an ad instantly recognisable as part of a greater campaign and enables the audience to develop a framework of reference regarding the advertised brand and its values.
Copywriting glossary 101
Copywriting speak includes phrases like concept and copy, concept crafting, conceptualisation, proofing, layouts, colour proofs, and final signoff. Then there is also on-strat and off-strat, creative review, traffic, status and creative awards.
Copywriting and creative awards
The latter is what fuels the ambition of any copywriter, and awards like the Loeries, Assegais and the Pendorings for Afrikaans copywriting are some of the biggest accolades a South African copywriter can earn. So, in short, copywriting is concept and copy, it is jingles, slogans and headlines, it is payoff lines and nasty deadlines, it's creativity in motion and it's a tool in service of sales... but it's also a whole lot more!
Ask your nearest copywriter for more details or contact us for more information if you've ever wondered: "What is copywriting about?"