Design insights from the inside by Crecept

NOVEMBER

2011

Copywriting

EA D! R
Given the multitude of articles you are probably bombarded with, I hope this title caught your eye, enough for you to be reading on.

you have to

Copywriting you have to read! Attention!

Attention!
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etting a readers attention is tough enough in a print medium, much more so in the hyper-connected world of the Internet. Reading habits are increasingly cursory and readers are more fickleminded than ever. If you are ready to move on from this article, I am at least consoled that you made it this far. But really, what do you want to read and how do you want it presented? In the context of corporate identity collaterals such as brand manuals, corporate brochures, product brochures, websites, and advertisements, once the design has caught your eye, what sort of copywriting would keep your interest in flipping the page or even elicit a reaction?

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Copywriting you have to read!

Do you
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Remember?

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entally run through the numerous corporate brochures and leaflets that you have seen before. I prefer the use of the word seen, and not read because there is probably little recollection of how long the company has been around, how many people work for them, where their offices are, how much their turnover was last year, and etc. However, these are things the firm really wanted you to bear in mind. Otherwise, they wouldnt spend good money on these collaterals to tell you all about their business. If you do not recall those content, would you have your companys brochures written and presented similarly?

Copywriting you have to read!

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I
I

like

reading

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Textbooks,

no?

firmly believe that theres a difference between good academic writers and effective copywriters. Academic writers expound upon their subject topic and will write to provide as much information as possible, like in textbooks and theses. Copywriters, on the other hand, write to elicit a response; to pique the curiosity of the reader so that they will want to find out more. We write to tease, to evoke emotions, to interest you sufficiently, but not to state everything explicitly such that you have no need to probe on.

Copywriting you have to read!

Write
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Right!
lways keep in mind the foremost purpose of communication collaterals: to interact with your intended audience. Interaction requires more than one sides participation. If your website or advertisement is well-communicated, your intended audience will react. There are no templates for corporate designs or corporate copywriting. The important thing to note is who your intended audience is for each type of collateral. Brand manuals are meant for staff and internal circulation. Does this imply that a certain rigidity should be implemented into the design and the tone of the copy? The brand manual is the brand bible and should be read and re-read by staff. Having it written textbook-style will result in it being abandoned in some office cabinet. Corporate brochures are meant for prospects and external circulation. You are a customer and client too. Reading a corporate brochure with detailed but plain description and statistics about a company, might satisfy your need to learn about their business, but it will not strike a chord nor linger in your mind for long. Content in your brand manual and brochures, are meant to be read and assimilated. If it lacks appeal to the intended reader, how is it effective communication?

it

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Copywriting you have to read!

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Ok,
B

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Be Serious.
ut corporate information should be conveyed and taken seriously, you say. The monotony of communicating such information is inevitable. Cold hard statistics and straightforward information can hardly be imparted engagingly, right? Serious does not equate boring. I agree with being serious, but not being dull and unvaried. This article is serious, but not boring since you have been reading up to this point. The next time you pick up a brochure that you are not compelled to read on, think about why it is so. Then remind yourself of these reasons when planning your next branding design execution.

Copywriting you have to read!

Lets
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Converse.

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thoroughly enjoy discussions, serious or otherwise, as long as they are not boring. Drop me a line, a paragraph or two, if you have been inspired by this article in any way. It would be delightful if this article stimulates interaction, because then I would have gotten my point across.

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