Doing business without advertising is like winking at someone in the dark. You know what you are doing, but no one else does.” Advertising Copywriters are the word wizards who write advertisements to entice their targets into doing the things they want them to do. Continue Reading
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Explore Career What are the typical responsibilities of an Advertising Copywriter?
An Advertising Copywriter would typically need to:
You may work in an office, at home, or wherever you have access to a computer. Advertising Copywriters may be required on TV shoots, radio recordings, casting, and editing suites. They may have to visit clients, undertake research in public areas, or visit different locations to help with creativity.
Most top agencies are based in large cities, but many have regional offices as well. Creatives have plenty of latitude concerning the dress code, but they always have to remember that what they wear is a form of Advertising. There are some of the unwritten rules that need to be followed.
Working hours are generally 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Advertising Copywriters may need to work evenings and weekends to produce something acceptable for an editor or client. Part-time work and secondments may be difficult to obtain.
Self-employed or freelance writers and authors may face the pressures of juggling multiple projects or continually looking for new work.
Agencies and specialist recruitment consultancies may advertise jobs for Advertising Copywriters on their websites. Entry-level jobs are seldom advertised; speculative approaches help. Copywriting can also be done on a freelance or per-project basis. Other routes into Copywriting are possible via recruitment and business-to-business (B2B) advertising.
Advertising Copywriters are generally employed by:
Professional associations and organizations are a key resource for Advertising Copywriters interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more looks great on your resume to bolster your credentials and qualifications as an Advertising Copywriter.
Advertising Copywriters who write commercials for radio and television may belong to unions like the Writers Guild of America. They may belong to several trade associations that bring them together with other creative people, advance their careers, and offer seminars and courses.
Few graduates of creative Advertising get a job straight after graduation. Occasionally, students are offered a work placement after exhibiting their work at their college end-of-year degree show.
If you are in an undergraduate or postgraduate program in Advertising, you will usually form a partnership with an art director. You will compile a good 'book' (portfolio) of your work and get it critiqued by creative directors at meetings and interviews. This often involves cold-calling, emailing, and physically taking your book to the agencies.
If an agency likes your 'book,’ they may offer you a work placement. Your book needs to be of high quality and well presented, as some employers view this as being more important than qualifications. Agencies look for fresh ideas, so make sure your examples are innovative.
Many magazines and newspapers also have internships for students. Interns may write stories, conduct research and interviews, and gain extensive publishing experience.
Experience can be gained through internships, but any form of writing that improves skills, such as blogging, is beneficial. Some of this writing may lead to paid assignments regardless of education, because the quality of writing, the unique perspective, and the size of the potential audience are the greatest determinants of success for writing.
A college degree in creative advertising, English, communication or media studies, journalism, and public relations may help successfully launch an Advertising Copywriter’s career. A vocational postgraduate course in Advertising may be worth pursuing, particularly if your degree is in an unrelated subject.
Some postgraduate courses offer work placements as part of the course.
Certification can demonstrate competence and professionalism, making candidates more attractive to employers. Certification can also increase opportunities for advancement for an Advertising Copywriter.
Voluntary certification from an objective, credible, and reputed organization is often seen as evidence of an individual’s drive and motivation, giving them a leg up for raises and promotions.
You begin as a Junior Copywriter and gain more experience through working on bigger and more important briefs to become a Senior Copywriter, a 'middleweight' before progressing to 'heavyweight' creative.
In larger companies, an Advertising Copywriter may become Group Creative Director, overseeing a handful of creative teams. You may go on to become a Creative Director with responsibility for the entire creative department. This usually takes at least five to ten years of experience working on high-profile campaigns and winning industry awards. The effectiveness of your campaigns is vital to raising your profile, bringing you industry recognition, and increased demand for your work. Further progression normally involves a move to another employer.
Many successful Advertising Copywriters go freelance, working across several agencies and clients, or set up their agency, often in partnership with colleagues from the same original agency. There may also be opportunities to work internationally, especially for Advertising Copywriters skilled in writing for specific industry sectors.
Stiff competition is expected for most job openings, given that many people are attracted to this occupation. Competition for jobs with established newspapers and magazines will be particularly intense because employment in the publishing industry is projected to decline. Advertising Copywriters who have adapted to online and social media and are comfortable writing for and working with a variety of electronic and digital tools, should have an advantage in finding work.
Larger advertising agencies may offer some formal training, but most of the training is delivered on the job. Many agencies encourage junior Advertising Copywriters to undertake external training. This may include the IPA Foundation Certificate, an online course for junior advertising professionals, covering the entire brand communications process. Other relevant qualifications include Communication, Advertising and Marketing (CAM) foundation diploma in marketing communications, which has an advertising module.
Advertising is a dynamic area, and it's vital to keep up to date with industry news and trends. Reputation and recognition are essential for the professional development of an Advertising Copywriter. Recognition within the industry comes from making a mark with original work and is often acknowledged in the trade press and through prizes and award ceremonies.
Advertising Copywriters multi-task in smaller/regional agencies and move from the account-handling side of the industry. Creatives are often recruited and hired in pairs (a creative partnership of a Copywriter and Art Director). Advertising Copywriters often work with clients to produce advertising themes, jingles, and slogans for TV, film, or radio commercials. They might also create ‘viral’ video ads to promote products across social networking sites like YouTube. They may find their work challenging and highly stressful but exciting and rewarding at the same time.
An Advertising Copywriter pursues a wonderfully terrifying occupation; feedback that rocks you to your core triggers a full-blown identity crisis and makes you seriously question your profession. Every day is a new battle against procrastination, the blinking cursor, and that irrepressible visceral siren, which reiterates you don't know what you are doing. But when you see a commercial you wrote being aired or printed, there's nothing quite like it!
Copy is a direct conversation with the consumer. Make it simple...make it memorable...make it inviting to look at...make it fun to read!
Copywriters bring in serious money. Like billions (with a B) of dollars annually. One particularly effective copy that was spot-on generated a 64 percent increase in conversions.
What do Advertising Copywriters do?
An Advertising Copywriter would typically need to:
Accredited
$105,142
