Definition and Nature of the Work
Advertising copywriters work closely with other members of an advertising team to create snappy, unified, eye-catching advertisements. The team usually includes an account executive, an art director, and a media expert. The account executive asks the client or advertiser what he or she would like the advertisements to accomplish. Then, when the guidelines are established, the team members think up new ideas or concepts that will achieve the client’s goals.
A concept is simply a new way of looking at or presenting a product or service. It is a way of telling readers, listeners, and viewers what the product will do for them. Several concepts are often suggested and presented to the client for approval.
Once a client approves a particular concept, the team starts to create the ad. The media expert decides whether a print medium, such as magazines or newspapers, or a broadcast medium, such as television or radio, would work best to promote the product. The art director decides how the ad should look and provides the necessary visual support. The copywriter writes the “copy,” or words that make up the advertising message.
The client normally provides the basic information that must appear in the advertisement; however, researchers, and sometimes copywriters, may gather additional information about the product and why people buy it.
Copywriters write the captions, the headlines, and the text for print advertisements. For radio and television commercials, copywriters write the actors’ scripts. They may also manage the actual production of the advertisement.
Most copywriters work for advertising agencies that provide services to companies with a product to sell. Some work for companies that handle their own advertising. Still others work for large stores with special advertising departments or even for firms that carry advertising, such as magazines and television or radio stations. Copywriting can also be done on a freelance or per-project basis.
|
