Vikki Ross has achieved living legend status in the industry. An amazing person who creates groups (#copywritersunite and @copynights), backs causes and generally raises the bar and pushes the craft forward. Vikki is incredibly talented and also a member of the Future Strategy Club (disclosure: I am an Advisor to FSC). I urge you to watch the Isolated talk at the end of the interview too. Here’s what Vikki advises brands should be doing when it comes to copy during these challenging and turbulent times.
PA: Effective communication is key to the survival of a lot of brands right now thanks to COVID-19. What are they getting right and wrong and what should they be doing next/first?
VR: The big brands are getting their communications right.
They know who they are and what they stand for. And they have strong personalities so they know how to express themselves on any day and in any situation. The story might change but the way they tell it doesn’t.
Nike, for example, wrote If you ever dreamed of playing for millions around the world, now is your chance. They shared that in the early days of global lockdown to encourage everyone to stay at home. Nando’s stay cheeky and say Your place, not ours while they’re shut but offering takeaway. And Durex didn’t even need to change their positioning We’ve been protecting people since 1929 but they built on it with Now it’s your turn.
So strong brands know what to say and how to say it. It feels uncomfortable when they lose their confidence and consistency – their customer wonders why they look or sound different. And that’s what some brands are getting wrong.
In times of panic, it’s natural to panic and to rush to say something – anything. And it’s natural for a brand to mistakenly think they should drop their personality to match the serious tone of serious times. A serious tone often includes cold and formal words. Fearful ones too. That’s not what people need right now. Mainstream media is feeding them tragic stories all day every day. They’re finding it impossible to trust country leaders. There’s a lot of uncertainty. We’re their bank, their supermarket, their mobile phone provider. We’re there to support and serve, so if we can’t be on brand, we should at least communicate with warmth and reassurance.
PA: What should brands ask copywriters before hiring them but never do? How can these relationships be made easier?
VR: Brands should ask copywriters what their process is.
It’s important to be clear on expectations at the start, and to understand each other’s intentions and ways of working. Then brands should give their copywriter as much information as possible – even the things they think no one would be interested in, because everything is interesting to someone new to your brand. The more a copywriter knows, the better they’ll write.
And respect makes every relationship easier. So I would ask clients to remember they commissioned a copywriter because they’re an expert in the craft, and to please respect that. When the copy comes in, give detailed feedback on what isn’t working, but also what is (it’s important to get the good news, as well as the bad because then we know what you like and what you don’t) – this should focus on copy being factually correct and on-brand. This should not be based on whether you like it or not – that is subjective and we should be objective.
PA: God, yes. What's the biggest misconception about copywriting that you wish more people knew?
VR: The biggest misconception about copywriting is that anyone can do it.
Everyone can write, but not everyone can write copy. If everyone thinks they can write copy then the people – copywriters – who really can aren’t valued, and neither is the craft.
PA: The quote question! Burroughs has the semi-famous quote; “Cheat your landlord if you can and must, but do not try to shortchange the Muse. It cannot be done. You can’t fake quality any more than you can fake a good meal.” I think this applies to how many organisations treat copy. Do you agree? How does a brand know their writing needs help?
VR: Not many brands do know their writing needs help.
Most people have been writing every day since they were kids, so they know they can write. They haven’t all been writing copy though, so they don’t know the tricks and techniques that make words work one way rather than another.
The brands who do know their writing needs help are the ones who understand that their messaging can do more than just present information. It can compel readers to think, feel and do too.
PA: How do you recommend younger execs talk to senior execs in the organisation about hiring a copywriter?
VR: Never present a problem without a solution, otherwise you’re just complaining.
If you recognise a need for a copywriter, take the time to put a proposal together that documents when and why. Look ahead at the comms you have planned, then look to your competitors as they may have written similar. Hopefully they used a copywriter – and hopefully it shows – so show examples of how good your comms could be if you used one too.
PA: So true re complaining! Words are going through a rough period. What's the future of the craft?
VR: The future is bright, right?
With everyone online every day, and businesses moving more of their services online, we need words now, more than ever (to use the current cliché). And if you need to persuade people to act, you’ll want your words to work, so you’ll call a copywriter.
PA: It's a dicey time for brands as they struggle with things like the death/murder of George Floyd. What advice do you have for brands who choose to address sensitive topics/times when there is a clear bias towards action? What's the best course of action when it comes to copy?
VR: If you have something relevant to say, say it.
If you don’t have something relevant to say, don’t say anything. Or use your platform for people, brands or initiatives that do. And if you don’t have anything to say but you want to say something, take the time to make sure it’s right. The usual copywriting techniques still apply: put the reader first, and tell them something incredibly interesting.
But don’t say anything unless you’re doing something to back it up. Actions speak far louder than words, and we need a huge amount of action right now.
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NORTH STAR INTERVIEW: Vicky Ross [Rockstar Copywriter]
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Vikki Ross has achieved living legend status in the industry. An amazing person who creates groups (#copywritersunite and @copynights), backs causes and generally raises the bar and pushes the craft forward. Vikki is incredibly talented and also a member of the Future Strategy Club (disclosure: I am an Advisor to FSC). I urge you to watch the Isolated talk at the end of the interview too. Here’s what Vikki advises brands should be doing when it comes to copy during these challenging and turbulent times.
Hire Vicky. Trust me, your brand deserves her.
PA: Effective communication is key to the survival of a lot of brands right now thanks to COVID-19. What are they getting right and wrong and what should they be doing next/first?
VR: The big brands are getting their communications right.
They know who they are and what they stand for. And they have strong personalities so they know how to express themselves on any day and in any situation. The story might change but the way they tell it doesn’t.
Nike, for example, wrote If you ever dreamed of playing for millions around the world, now is your chance. They shared that in the early days of global lockdown to encourage everyone to stay at home. Nando’s stay cheeky and say Your place, not ours while they’re shut but offering takeaway. And Durex didn’t even need to change their positioning We’ve been protecting people since 1929 but they built on it with Now it’s your turn.
So strong brands know what to say and how to say it. It feels uncomfortable when they lose their confidence and consistency – their customer wonders why they look or sound different. And that’s what some brands are getting wrong.
In times of panic, it’s natural to panic and to rush to say something – anything. And it’s natural for a brand to mistakenly think they should drop their personality to match the serious tone of serious times. A serious tone often includes cold and formal words. Fearful ones too. That’s not what people need right now. Mainstream media is feeding them tragic stories all day every day. They’re finding it impossible to trust country leaders. There’s a lot of uncertainty. We’re their bank, their supermarket, their mobile phone provider. We’re there to support and serve, so if we can’t be on brand, we should at least communicate with warmth and reassurance.
PA: What should brands ask copywriters before hiring them but never do? How can these relationships be made easier?
VR: Brands should ask copywriters what their process is.
It’s important to be clear on expectations at the start, and to understand each other’s intentions and ways of working. Then brands should give their copywriter as much information as possible – even the things they think no one would be interested in, because everything is interesting to someone new to your brand. The more a copywriter knows, the better they’ll write.
And respect makes every relationship easier. So I would ask clients to remember they commissioned a copywriter because they’re an expert in the craft, and to please respect that. When the copy comes in, give detailed feedback on what isn’t working, but also what is (it’s important to get the good news, as well as the bad because then we know what you like and what you don’t) – this should focus on copy being factually correct and on-brand. This should not be based on whether you like it or not – that is subjective and we should be objective.
PA: God, yes. What's the biggest misconception about copywriting that you wish more people knew?
VR: The biggest misconception about copywriting is that anyone can do it.
Everyone can write, but not everyone can write copy. If everyone thinks they can write copy then the people – copywriters – who really can aren’t valued, and neither is the craft.
PA: The quote question! Burroughs has the semi-famous quote; “Cheat your landlord if you can and must, but do not try to shortchange the Muse. It cannot be done. You can’t fake quality any more than you can fake a good meal.” I think this applies to how many organisations treat copy. Do you agree? How does a brand know their writing needs help?
VR: Not many brands do know their writing needs help.
Most people have been writing every day since they were kids, so they know they can write. They haven’t all been writing copy though, so they don’t know the tricks and techniques that make words work one way rather than another.
The brands who do know their writing needs help are the ones who understand that their messaging can do more than just present information. It can compel readers to think, feel and do too.
PA: How do you recommend younger execs talk to senior execs in the organisation about hiring a copywriter?
VR: Never present a problem without a solution, otherwise you’re just complaining.
If you recognise a need for a copywriter, take the time to put a proposal together that documents when and why. Look ahead at the comms you have planned, then look to your competitors as they may have written similar. Hopefully they used a copywriter – and hopefully it shows – so show examples of how good your comms could be if you used one too.
PA: So true re complaining! Words are going through a rough period. What's the future of the craft?
VR: The future is bright, right?
With everyone online every day, and businesses moving more of their services online, we need words now, more than ever (to use the current cliché). And if you need to persuade people to act, you’ll want your words to work, so you’ll call a copywriter.
PA: It's a dicey time for brands as they struggle with things like the death/murder of George Floyd. What advice do you have for brands who choose to address sensitive topics/times when there is a clear bias towards action? What's the best course of action when it comes to copy?
VR: If you have something relevant to say, say it.
If you don’t have something relevant to say, don’t say anything. Or use your platform for people, brands or initiatives that do. And if you don’t have anything to say but you want to say something, take the time to make sure it’s right. The usual copywriting techniques still apply: put the reader first, and tell them something incredibly interesting.
But don’t say anything unless you’re doing something to back it up. Actions speak far louder than words, and we need a huge amount of action right now.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Hire Vicky.