Branding
If you are a keen watcher of FRIENDS, the tv show, then you’ll know that as the seasons go on, Chandler Bing finally gets a job when we understand what he does. It does take until Season 9, but it’s a great watch when he lands the role! However, he still manages to make the tasks seem so difficult. Getting a job as a junior copywriter at an advertising and marketing agency, Chandler’s wit should make him perfect for the job. However, we all know that cringey scene. You know, the one when he tells Monica about his straplines. That’s right, when we’re all cringing behind the sofa. As a team of marketers, we know the pain both Monica and Chandler are going through. We’ve been there on both sides.
Luckily, as a branding and marketing agency, we like to think we can offer some advice though. Although no one wants to grow up being Chandler, they do want to be copywriters. Keep reading below as we share some tips on becoming a copywriter.
Think Clearly and Don’t Rush It
Okay, this is often seen as a bit of life advice. It has also never been more relevant than in marketing though. When marketing agencies are tasked with coming up with branding and straplines, the temptation is to force it. It doesn’t always have to be a play on words though. Sometimes it is appropriate. Koobr has worked on many branding projects in the past when a play on words for the slogan is suitable. Other times, however, it just needs to be relevant.
Let’s take probably the worst catchphrase (in our opinion) that Chandler comes up with. – ‘Cheese, it’s milk that you chew’. – It was funny to watch but for those who work in the industry of copywriting, it was cringeworthy. It seemed incredibly forced and forgive us for the sense of humour bypass on that bit. For those of us screaming at their screens shouting ‘IT IS ONLY A TV SHOW’, WE KNOW! In the same way, any person who rates themselves as a footballer gets really annoyed at the choreography in football films. If it is in your profession, you want to recognise that on TV. Once more, for the final time, we know it is a comedy television show.
Ask for advice from others in your Marketing Agency
Teamwork makes the dream work. Never has this been more relevant. Chandler has a brainstorming session (albeit with Monica). If you are a copywriter working in a marketing agency, then you should be able to rely on experts in their fields. It’s amazing what a brainstorming session can do. You can bounce off ideas of people who actually can provide feedback and an insight into the marketing world. It doesn’t even need to be a team of copywriters either. Branding agencies like Koobr boast professionals in all aspects of marketing. A graphic designer, for example, will be used to seeing so many catchphrases, intros and straplines. Whilst it may not be their forte, the experience they have can be unrivalled.
They will have likely been in meetings and appointments which have gone well… and others not so much. The faces of clients who have seen cringe-worthy straplines and have not been impressed will always stick with them. However, they will also always remember the good times when a branding pitch has gone well. With their mind also being focused on the consumer mindset, they should have a keen idea of what you are going for. A good marketing and branding agency will have a team willing to help each other out to ensure the project is successful. So, our piece of advice for anyone looking to become a copywriter, talk to your team members.
Analyse your Competitors
Competitor analysis is important for any marketer. If you’re working in PPC, then you need to be able to bid higher or lower, and on the products in demand. Check out what your competitors are doing and see how you can beat them. The same applies to Organic Search. You need to learn which keywords you are competing for and where to focus your energy. Search volumes, backlinks and keyword difficulty are all aspects you should be analysing when trying to steal a march on your competitors. The thing is, your competitors will also be looking at you.
A copywriter has to write better and more targeted content than anyone else. The way Google’s algorithm works, content is king. So this is why copywriting and content writing are so valued. A copywriter will be worth their salt as they can get you to rank number one on Google with the right content.
Although Chandler doesn’t go directly against his competitors, he is competing against other people for his job. So he still has to come up with the best straplines and catchy advertising slogans to beat others to the job. Being a copywriter in a marketing agency means you have an advantage as you have the job already, and you have the time and most likely software, to be able to critique and analyse your competitors. Copywriting now is so much more advanced than it was on FRIENDS, but competitors analysis still has the same principles.
Copywriting in a Marketing Agency – Is it hard?
Essentially, copywriting is not as hard if you work in a marketing agency. Why? Well, you can learn as a team about what the best methods are. You should never be afraid to try anything with copywriting. With brainstorming, thinking clearly and logically, and competitor analysis, you should be in a position to steal a march with your copywriting. Chandler makes it look hard in FRIENDS, but he didn’t have the technology and software we do today. He was also on his own.
Lastly, it was a TV show, so it wouldn’t have been funny if he was any good at his job! Don’t let Chandler’s first foray into copywriting put you off being a creative revolutionary.
