One of the surest ways to improve any skill set is to identify the people who are the best at doing what you want to do. If you’re an actress, watch other great actors and actresses perform. If you’re an artist, study the works of other great artists. But where do you go if you’re a copywriter?
One of the interesting things about copywriting is that it’s kind of a “behind-the-scenes” job. The work that we do is out there in the world, and might even become famous for doing it, we usually stay anonymous.
That said, though, there are still ways to find out who is behind the ads you love—and, therefore, there are ways to learn from the copywriting greats (and have an answer to that arguably unfair interview question).
Find Out Who’s Behind the Copy
Here’s you pro tip for learning from the, well, pros: Start by finding an ad you really like. It could be a magazine ad, commercial, direct mail piece, or anything else.
Then, the googling begins. You need to find out which agency is doing the work for the company that ad represents. Google the company and then “ad agency.” You might also want to check Ad Age or AdWeek to see if they have info about which ad agency is working for that company.
Then, dig down deeper. First, check out the agency’s website. You’ll probably find some other pieces of creative from that campaign, as well as plenty of other examples of their work.
Next, find out who the creatives are on that account. Who wrote the copy for the ad you love? Back to the old Google—now find that copywriter’s online portfolio. (Because all real professional copywriters have online portfolios, remember? You think I’m making this up every time I say it. I’m not!)
Hey, guess what? You just found some new favorite copywriters and ad agencies! Start collecting their work and analyzing what you like about it. What makes it so effective? Clever? Funny? Emotional? And then, of course, ask yourself how you can apply some of what you’ve learned to your own ads.
Read More: Books by Copywriters
Our team pulled together a list of books by famous copywriters. Well, they are copywriters who became famous from their books. There aren’t a lot of “famous” copywriters our field since it’s extremely collaborative and the best ad concepts often come about from multiple inputs. Check out our recommendations here >>
Your Turn
Who’s writing your favorite ads? Which are your favorite ad agencies? (And how did you find them?) Let us know in the comments below!
Last Updated on December 6, 2023
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