Writing captions and slogans for a brand is quite fun, though not that easy sometimes. Here at Webchutney, we have this internal competition among the copywriters now and then to test our writing skills and see who can win a prize for the best copy. Our CD or ACD acts as the judge.
Recently, I just won a brand new set of 10 blank DVDs!
For the competition, we were handed one very abstract picture, and the instruction was – we had to come up with one KILLER headline/punch-line for five REAL products/brands using the image. Time limit: 1 hour.
Here’s the image:
And here are my creations that won me 10 super duper blank DVDs!
(Psst psst… ok I know 10 DVDs aint that big a deal, but like I said, this is just a simple internal competition and it’s more about skills and recognition rather than the prize)
Submission #1
Submission #2
Submission #3
Submission #4
Submission #5
Fun right? (Do excuse my hastily done photoshop art)
Of course we don’t come up with such lines for real companies in the real world (well, at least not for most brands). This competition is an example of copy adjusting to art, although in most ad agencies, the art itself is visualized by the person writing the copy so that both will fuse and blend in perfectly.
Image plays an important role in advertising. Successful print ads are when people see an image, followed by the headline, and then they go “Ahhhhh! Wow! Nice!”. And of course this can also work in reverse too (they see the line first, followed by the image, and a realization sets in) – It all depends on your strategy and how or where you place the copy.
Image, no matter how “out of context” it may be, will always be noticed by people (even subconsciously).
In my last post [Comon, let’s Carrom Board!], I tried a little experiment to prove this point, and boy was my experiment a success!
I wrote about “Carrom Board” in my entire post. Nothing else but carrom board. And in the photograph, I purposely placed a bottle of Old Monk Rum in the background, though I never mentioned about Old Monk anywhere in the post!
And of course you can see the comments for yourself in that post. Most of the people commented about the Old Monk Rum bottle rather than the post topic itself! Hence proved. The importance of image.
Friends and family that I spoke to on the phone mentioned about the bottle too, and I even had a fight with a certain somebody for displaying the bottle on my blog.
Anyhoo… am off to Delhi this Sunday for an entire week (or even more) due to work. This will be my first official outstation duty and am quite excited about it, but I’ll be going alone (and staying alone in Delhi) so I’m not exactly that comfortable about it. But then, if I can spend 2 months alone with truck drivers in the most inaccessible and noncommercial parts of UP, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa when I was doing my (Sales and Marketing) internship at British Petroleum, then I guess I can face anything
Plus I do know a few people at our Delhi Webchutney office already so it’s not like I will be a complete stranger over there.
Will try coming online during the next one week from our Delhi office, but incase I can’t, then here’s to seeing you all again in a week’s time. Cheers to y’all.
Recently, I just won a brand new set of 10 blank DVDs!
For the competition, we were handed one very abstract picture, and the instruction was – we had to come up with one KILLER headline/punch-line for five REAL products/brands using the image. Time limit: 1 hour.
Here’s the image:
And here are my creations that won me 10 super duper blank DVDs!
(Psst psst… ok I know 10 DVDs aint that big a deal, but like I said, this is just a simple internal competition and it’s more about skills and recognition rather than the prize)
Submission #1
Submission #2
Submission #3
Submission #4
Submission #5
Fun right? (Do excuse my hastily done photoshop art)
Of course we don’t come up with such lines for real companies in the real world (well, at least not for most brands). This competition is an example of copy adjusting to art, although in most ad agencies, the art itself is visualized by the person writing the copy so that both will fuse and blend in perfectly.
Image plays an important role in advertising. Successful print ads are when people see an image, followed by the headline, and then they go “Ahhhhh! Wow! Nice!”. And of course this can also work in reverse too (they see the line first, followed by the image, and a realization sets in) – It all depends on your strategy and how or where you place the copy.
Image, no matter how “out of context” it may be, will always be noticed by people (even subconsciously).
In my last post [Comon, let’s Carrom Board!], I tried a little experiment to prove this point, and boy was my experiment a success!
I wrote about “Carrom Board” in my entire post. Nothing else but carrom board. And in the photograph, I purposely placed a bottle of Old Monk Rum in the background, though I never mentioned about Old Monk anywhere in the post!
And of course you can see the comments for yourself in that post. Most of the people commented about the Old Monk Rum bottle rather than the post topic itself! Hence proved. The importance of image.
Friends and family that I spoke to on the phone mentioned about the bottle too, and I even had a fight with a certain somebody for displaying the bottle on my blog.
Anyhoo… am off to Delhi this Sunday for an entire week (or even more) due to work. This will be my first official outstation duty and am quite excited about it, but I’ll be going alone (and staying alone in Delhi) so I’m not exactly that comfortable about it. But then, if I can spend 2 months alone with truck drivers in the most inaccessible and noncommercial parts of UP, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa when I was doing my (Sales and Marketing) internship at British Petroleum, then I guess I can face anything
Plus I do know a few people at our Delhi Webchutney office already so it’s not like I will be a complete stranger over there.
Will try coming online during the next one week from our Delhi office, but incase I can’t, then here’s to seeing you all again in a week’s time. Cheers to y’all.
Thanks alot bcoz a got something important for me...
ReplyDeleteVery interesting and fun exercise, I'd say - the slogans.
ReplyDeleteMore posts on copywriting and its industry would be interesting and useful to some readers undecided about their profession. What do you think??
Congratulations for winning the set of DVDs! This proves your creativity! How we perceive things has a direct relationship with our frame of mind. People who commented about the Old Monk Rum bottle seems to have a different frame of mind than those who commented on the post topic!:-)
ReplyDeleteOT: Don't be so shocked with 'Maisek' you might be in for more surprises!
Interesting work dah!! creativity can be nurtured ...dats what my proff. use to say, so keep us posted with ya work, it jus might inspire us to make a u-turn :D
ReplyDeleteMaisek reminds me of an old blogger fren ... from sikkim :D very mysterious, if i was a guy, i`m sure i'd go crazy too like KIMA:D
-diddley
Intelligent copy-writing work up there!!!..i would say at least one of them is Luerzers Archive worthy!!!
ReplyDeleteI'll try Old Monk when i'm Older :-).. for now im sticking to Mizo grape "juice" .. and beer..
hey u r extremely talented... ..beautifully spun stories and great imagination for sure...people like u r 1 of a few i wish to be..congrats on ur victory..eh?? 10 blank dvd's rnt tht cheap an award to receive--- all free of cost!!!
ReplyDeleteVery creative! I tried to look at the picture and think up of something myself before I read the rest of your post and I couldn't come up with any. I like the Haiti and the Lawrence & Mayo ones best :)
ReplyDelete(But may I add I never noticed the old monk bottle in the Carrom post :))
I'm a part of the people working on the NLUP. Think I should suggest your company to come up with an advert. I'm sure you will come up with something creative and catchy.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your efforts.
@ Dr_Angel: Thank you :)
ReplyDelete@ Transcription Blog: So true. And I'll definitely look into it.
@ Maisek: I think I already know about the surprise you're talking about :) I did a little investigation from my end too. hihihi... Thanx for "reading" my blog and commenting :)
@ diddley: Thanx dah! :D And I will try my best to make you take a U-turn (like make your son wear an Arsenal jersey instead of Manure... bwahahha)
@ Blind: Thanx buddy :) Lets hope I can get to that level one day...
ReplyDelete@ Grace: Yeah 10 blank DVDs is a sweet reward. I can burn all the latest stuff I've downloaded for free now. lolz. Creativity pays :D
@ jerusha: Thanx dear Jeru. and yes you never did mention about the Old Monk, and yes I did notice that then itself. The trick to this type of work is, not to try coming up with a slogan for the sake of trying, but trying to come up with a slogan because you enjoy doing it. When you bring in the fun element, things get a way lot easier :)
@ dr_feelgood: I really wouldn't mind that! :) Why don't you send me more details about this? :)
Kima, frankly, I am not even aware of the old Monk Rum bottle in the carrom post, perhaps because I had a different state of mind!
ReplyDeleteOT: I would very much like to do a little investigation about you myself! but how did you do it? tell me your secret! :)
cool! (",)
ReplyDeleteHaha, very nice looks like you are also settling down in life :)
ReplyDeleteI love to read your writing but size of the letters were always too small for my aging eyes.
ReplyDeleteOMG BRILLIANT - BRILLIANT... (I never get tired of saying it).
ReplyDeleteObviously you need to be part of my campaigning when I run for presidency.
@ Maisek: lolz. Yes you have good focus :D And about my investigation... well, if I tell you my sources, then I will stop knowing about such stuff, won't I? *Evil Grin*
ReplyDelete@ Cathy: So cool :P
@ kicking.and.screaming: haha, yeah looks like I am close to it ;)
@ Zober: So sorry to hear that. I though I was pretty much having a default font size that you'll find in other websites. It might have to do with the black background theme?
@ Eveline: Of course I will do the honors of campaigning for you my dear. Just say when and I'll be there :)
Thanks for this article, really useful piece of writing.
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