AWARD COPY SCHOOL: IT'S ALL ABOUT THE WORD
Twelve students, each in Sydney and Melbourne have completed Australia’s leading copywriting course, Fairfax AWARD Copy School.
In its second year and led by Ray Black, the course aimed to give young writers the specialist skills necessary to be great writers.
Says Black: “The trend today seems to overlook the value of the persuasive power of great copywriting. Great copy, long or short, is the backbone of great advertising. That is what we want to encourage.”
Students travelled from around Australia and New Zealand to listen to advice from some of the best writers in the country.
Sydney’s tutors: Jay Furby, Paul Fishlock, Ted Horton, Shaun Branagan, Tom McFarlane, Christine Blackburn (Strategic Planner), Richard Jinman (Sydney Morning Herald), Graham Nunn and Mark Sharman.
Melbourne’s tutors: Paul Taylor, Sean Cummins, Ant Keogh, John Silvester (The Age), Andrew North, Nigel Dawson, Michael Newman, Philip Webster, Dylan Stephens and John Box.
“To peel away the gloss that sometimes starry eyed young creative hopefuls have about the industry is the greatest lesson they can learn. Copy School gives them the warts and all reality,” says Sean Cummins, principal of Cummins & Partners, Melbourne.
“Art Directors beware. After this course, you’ll have more writers convincing you to do long copy ads. I’ll be one of them,“ adds Jon Coles, NZ student.
Pens were downed at the end of the week when tutors joined students at lunch to celebrate yet another successful Copy School.
To register your interest for Copy School 2007 email award@awardonline.com
Melbourne Copy School Photograph:
Andrew North (Celmenger BBDO), John Silvester (The Age), Shelly Dodds (Clemenger Proximity), Ashley Braun (CSM), Kat Gwilliam (Y&R, Auckland), Damien Whelan (Advertising Associates), Miriam Sleiman (Whybin TBWA), Simon Bagnasco (Publicis Mojo), Tina Lilley (SO&M), Andrew Bensley (Clemenger BBDO, Adelaide), Ant White (Clemenger BBDO), Vladimir Ivanovic (See), Jon Coles (freelance, Auckland) and Ray Black.
posted by CB @ 1:21 PM
22 Comments:
Hats off to Ray and all the tutors.
The course was great. It's not every day you get to sit down with people that have acheived so much in the industry and pick their brain.
Sorry Jon Coles, one little course isn't going to convince a bunch of creatives to do long copy ads.Consumers haven't the time to read.
Let the bloging begin.....
AH good on 'em. At least they learnt more in 3 months than they would have in 3 years at RMIT
youse can bit my balls
Dear 8:07. As an art director you're already on thin ice when it comes to the use of words. So you should tread carefully.
Initially, you would do well to at least get your spelling right before committing yourself to print.
People reading newspapers or magazines are actually looking for interesting things to read. And those articles are composed mainly of, yes, words. Ads, like editorial, may or not be read if they are or aren't interesting enough.
I presume from the tenor of your piece that you are a fan of the current fad in print and press advertising which is to have a nice little wordless picture puzzle to make the consumer try to guess what it is your ad is trying to say. An intruiging and obscure visual idea which actually does its best to make the proposition difficult to work out. Perhaps a well-concealed caption in the lower right hand corner beside the tiny logo to assist the hard-of-thinking.
Newsflash: If they don't get it straight away, most people can't be bothered. So they move on. Not to the next ad, like the award jury to which your esoteric masterpiece is directed, but to the next article.
Whether it's on Brad & Jen's new baby or something a little more worthwhile, the item will be comprised of words. Long copy.
Yes, I expect this opinion to receive a savage backlash from the largely illiterate consumers of and contributors to this blog.
I expect that I will be labelled a fossil and told to fuck off and get back to your gardening grandpa, though possibly in less than erudite terms than that.
And you know what? I won't give a rat's arse. Because at least I can string a few words together in an interesting way.
And I am no longer a constituent of the cozy, self-obsessed ad fraternity.
If you DO wish to engage me on any of the above points, try doing it with a bit of persuasive argument.
Though I won't be holding my breath.
Dear 1:37, can you contact me via email? I have something I want your advice on regarding an article in CB on long copy.
michael@campaignbrief.com
Dear Grandpa,
When did Brad and Jen have a baby?
You had at least one typo too.
'though possibly in less than erudite terms than that.'
Initially, you would do well to at least get your grammar and facts right before committing yourself to print.
But Lynchy likes you, so what do you care.
I think your (1.37) use of capitals in DO is questionable, but I agree with the central tenets of your argument. Given that Campaign Brief has largely been responsible for popularizing wordless ads via the Seen & Noted category, it will be interesting to see what tack Lynchy takes in his putative article.
fucking rubbish, the lot of you. long copy is for schmucks. why bother? if you want to write something, write a short story or a fucking poem. brochures and long copy are all boring!!!!! I mean who really gets a kick about writing about a camera or new mazda? fuck, if you do get a hard on from that, you're pretty lame.
ps. I am copywriter and a good one but bollocks to long copy.
Hey bitter 3:13pm,
You of all people, took the time to read the hideously long blog argument, which was about just that...
So I think you lost.
3:13. In every genuine Persian rug there is one deliberate mistake made by the rug maker to show Allah that the humble tradesman is not as perfect as The Great One.
Well that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.
I guess you're operating on the principle that if you live by the sword you should be prepared to die by it.
Fair enough.
Have a nice life.
Peoples, here's your free lesson for the week:
if you think ‘writing’ is limited to print you are missing out on about 90% of the gravy.
XOXO
Capt. America.
Bravo 1:37. I couldn't agree more.
Dear 5:11pm, you're obviously not as confident in your opinion, or your ability as you'd have us believe, if you feel the need to put a post script that reads thus...
"ps. I am copywriter and a good one but bollocks to long copy."
I could quite easily write that I'm the world's best tiddlywinks player, but why should anyone believe me without proof. Sadly, I suggest you get off your high chair and go have a calming Camomile tea.
5:11, you are not a copywriter.
Bunging four or five words at the bottom of a picture that requires a caption to explain itself does not a copywriter make.
From your shrill outbust my guess is that you struggle to compose anything more sophisticated than a text message.
Dear Captain America.
Fuck off.
Contrary to commonly accepted knowledge, Oscar Wilde is alive and well.
Obviously it was he who blogged at 3:59.
3:59, let me guess, you went to a private school and went into advertising rather selling real estate or used cars.
you did award school now you are an 'ad guru' who is saving up your beans to lease an audi and buy a bag of coke you will do with a chick who was once a 'model' but now works in a jeans store.
3:47, Oscar Wilde and 3:50 will never ever be confused for each other.
3.59: That's kinda funny, but I get the feeling you've been using that same gag since the 80's.
"... confused with", 3:40AM, "... confused with".
Did Copy School last year. Brilliant.
Best bit was to be around young ad people who are into real non ad stuff. You know... books, magazines, movies, talk radio, art, life, shopping, fucking, sleeping, whatever.
The whole long copy argument is a big time yawn. If you're a good enough writer and you do a good enough job on the copy, readers have no choice but to read to the very last word.
Lots of anonymous posters here. Anyone dare to out themselves? Or is that not the done thing at this blog?
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