It is one of the biggest changes in the world of direct response marketing from 20 years ago.
There was a time, not that long ago, when a client or employer would say to the copywriter, “You know what we sell. You know how we sell it. Now come up with a concept that will generate more (better) results than we get today from the people we sell to now – or even a market we never considered!”
That challenged the copywriter to read over the current and historical campaign asset library.
It forced the copywriter to read and research the competition’s campaigns.
It made the copywriter read – or listen to – customer complaints, compliments, and questions.
And a copy brief was at the core. It told the details of the product or service, and the limits of the promotion, but did not limit the creativity of the offer. That brief might be 10 pages long. I once received a copy brief that was 300 pages!
Copywriters were expected to be creative in their approach, but practical and mindful of the marketing realities (price points, cost of production, etc.)
And from that environment, some of the most exciting, entertaining, and effective copy was born.
But that seems like a different universe from the one a copywriter faces today.
The copy brief is nowhere to be seen.
The copywriter is told exactly what the offer is, who the audience is, how long the copy should be, how many sub-headlines there will be, where they will be placed, and every other detail of the promotion.
In other words, the copywriter is turned into a typist.
There was a time when the copywriter was responsible for crafting the USP (Unique Selling Proposition.)
Now, the USP is rarely even mentioned.
Direct Response copywriting is a unique combination of art and science.
So, why has the art been removed and only the science left?
It’s up to the Marketing Directors, marketing Managers, and Creative Directors to give the copywriter the freedom to create.
Set your Copywriter FREE!
You will see results that will put a smile on your face as you run to the bank to deposit all that money from sales (and get some out to pay your copywriter!)
Peter T. Britton
Idea Generator. Wordsmith. Resultant.
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