- Go for quality, not quantity. If you tell me I have to write so much in a week, I'll do it. But it won't be my best work. Good copy shouldn't be measured. Seriously. Cut that shit out.
- When I really think about it, it seems funny to me that copywriting is a noun.
- Write copy. Edit to cut number of words by half. Walk away. Edit to cut number of words by half. Then... throw it away. First drafts always suck.
- A copywriter who consistently chooses writing creative ads at the expense of writing ads that sell, will soon be writing cover letters.
- Some days, writing copy is kind of like hitting yourself in the hand with a hammer. It feels good when you stop.
- Keep a notebook by your bed. No matter how great you think it is, "I'll remember that!" NEVER works.
- When a writer looks like he's doing nothing, he's working. If he looks like he's doing something, he's goofing off.
- Sitting down to write copy is kind of like going on a road trip: You better know where you're going before you start.
- Running spell check does not constitute editing.
- Sometimes it's what you DON'T include that makes your copywriting more effective.
- Content is to copywriting as Go Fish is to Poker; they're played with the same deck, sure... but there are different rules and levels of thought involved in each.
- Writing copy is like being a butcher... you have to trim away the fat to get to the meat.
- A great paradox of copywriting is that when writers look active, they're goofing off. But really, they're just working through writer's block.
- Write with your soul. Edit with your brain.
- Write the first draft with your heart and the second with your head.
- All I really needed to know about copywriting, I learned in 4th grade creative writing. TELL A GOOD STORY.
- Sometimes it's best to shut the hell up and let readers think for themselves.
- If at first you don't succeed, take a long lunch. Walk around the park. Go to a bookstore. Or a museum. Listen to music. Play catch with your design partner. It'll come.
- Mix it up. Nolan Ryan didn't just throw hard; he had a great curve as well.
On Advertising
- Ads are like jokes: If you have to explain them, chances are no one gets it.
- How many times do you see an ad & think, "I could do better," but really mean "I wish I would've thought of that?"
- From a client, "HOW DID you come up with that?" means "It's GOLD!" while "How did you come up WITH THAT?" from a creative director means "It's CRAP!"
- Meg Ryan isn't starring and it's not a romantic comedy. It's a commercial about insurance. Get to the damn point.
- Great advertising occurs when you orchestrate a mash-up between creativity and sales.
- If you want to know if your campaign will be effective, answer this: Are you shooting a shotgun, or throwing a dart?
- There's no shortage of bad advertising being created. It's bad. It's advertising. It's badvertising!
- Working in advertising is either A) writing or business B) art or science C) play or work D) creativity or production E) all of the above
- The big difference between working in advertising and other professions is the amount of time we can justify daydreaming at the computer.
On Marketing
- Using an ampersand on every line of your website because you've got it in your name does not equal branding. Unless your name is "&."
- "That's how we've always done it" does not equal branding.
- I'm of the opinion that any employer who says “if you want loyalty, get a dog" isn't worth my loyalty.
- Branding is more organic, and drives the marketing. Marketing supports the brand. Kind of chicken and egg, but just barely.
- It's fine that you think the goal of the ad is to "go viral," but it better move some damn product, too.
- Corporate branding is just as permanent as its Old West cattle-marking namesake.
On Social Media
- It's not that hard. In fact, it's really easy. Chances are, you're over-thinking it.
- Doing it badly is worse than not doing it at all.
- With the exception of respective branding aspects, profitability and vision, the biggest difference between Facebook and MySpace is that no one will do a movie about the founding of MySpace.
- To me, old school as I am, guerrilla is using the medium in unconventional ways. Or creating a medium where none existed. Twitter isn't guerrilla.
- In college, I learned word-of-mouth is the best form of advertising. Well, social media is the new word-of-mouth.
- If you work in social media and have ever thought, “I can’t believe they pay me to mess around on Twitter and Facebook all day,” you’re not a professional. You’ll never move up and you sure don’t understand the strategy involved in using social media in branding. It’s time to put on your big boy pants and think big picture or find something else to do.
- Most people wouldn't know creativity if it bit them on the ass, and had a name tag that said "Creativity" on it.
- If I ever need a pick-me-up, I watch kids playing. It's pure creativity at work. They let their thoughts fly with no filter. It makes writing ads about detergent easier.
- The conflict between love and money in advertising is that creativity is our love, but it's the client's money.
- Caffeine is the go-go juice of creativity.
- The ratio of vacation days to days playing catch up is roughly 2 to 1. It's 1 to 1 if others attempt to do your job while you're gone.
