Of Course Good Spelling and Grammar Matter
In this 200 Word Post (the first of 2012), Andy explains that despite what you may have read, spelling does actually matter. You fools.
5 Apocalyptically Bad Topics I Don’t Want to See in 2012
2012 is finally here. The year of the London Olympics, the Golden Jubilee and, most concerningly, the end of the world. If the misinterpreted non-prophesies of a dead Mesoamerican civilisation are to be believed (they're not), then the world will end in some horrible manner on December 21 2012 (it won't).
You’re Not a Ninja, You’re a Fool
Names and titles are important. When you've got a split-second to make an impression, you need to explain clearly and concisely just what it is that you can do for a client.
Are You Sitting Comfortably?
It sounds like you're nice and comfy. Which is a shame if you're about to start writing. Because if you want to write well, being comfortable isn't good for you.
‘Inappropriate’ Ads – Is This Advert Worse Than Barnados?
The advert above just won a Silver Lion at the Cannes Lions International Festival. And I have to say, it's memorable.
But it's memorable for all the wrong reasons.
When Is A Coach Not A Coach?
Do you want to hear a really bad joke? Here you go:
When is a coach not a coach?
Insulting, Self-Deprecating, Mistargeted: The Joy of Rule-Breaking Copy
I'm one of those sad people. I read the back of cereal boxes, the blurb on DVD cases and the labels on beer bottles. And they all tend to follow the same boring copywriting rules. And then I cracked open a beer I hadn't tried before. And it told me to put the beer down...
Why Tweeters Can’t Be Beggars
Have you ever sent a Tweet like this?
"Help! I need 500 followers by noon! Please ReTweet this!"
If you have, you're doing yourself more harm than good. Read on to find out why desperation won't win you any friends, or any followers.
KFC Copy – Fist Bitin’ Bad
If you're selling a healthy alternative to your MSG-laden grease chunks, you might want to try and avoid mentioning "reproductive harm".
Can You Afford To Use These Strapline and Headline Cliches?
Straplines. Some people are brilliant at them. They just leap out of bed thinking "Where do you want to go today? Premier Inn? Everything's premier but the price. Just do it! I'm lovin' it."
I am not one of those people.
The Best Paragraph You’ll Read This Year
I know I’ve taken time here to mock people like PETA, the Daily Mail and really bad PR companies, but their crimes against marketing and writing pale in comparison to something I saw this morning. A piece of copy so confusing, so overwrought and so terrible, that professionals don’t even know what it means. Ladies...
The Best (and Worst) Marketing Ploys of the Noughties
The most tragic thing about the Sea Kittens campaign is that Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall showed campaigners how to make people think about where their food comes from with his anti-battery chicken crusade. Wouldn't farmed salmon swimming in their own shit have made a more effective image than this?
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