What does a Creative Copywriter do?

A creative copywriter creates advertising or other copy that motivates readers or viewers to take action such as buying the product being advertised. He or she may work freelance from home, but usually has at least several years of experience working in the creative department of an advertising agency first. A creative copywriter must not simply be artistic or inventive for the sake of creativity alone, but rather communicate persuasive concepts in words that will interest and compel the target audience to take the required action.

For example, catalog copywriters are given a picture of an item to sell with words so customers will order it. They have only a short space in which to describe the product in a compelling way. Many people mistakenly think it's the photograph more than the worded description that gets people to want to purchase the product, but studies have shown it's persuasive words that can make the biggest difference in sales. A creative copywriter understands how to reach out to prospective buyers by discussing the benefits of the item, such as it being convenient or money-saving. He or she doesn't merely describe the item.

If the product is something decorative or luxurious, such as jewelry, a few lines underneath the photograph of the piece that describes the metal, the gems and all of the details may get people ordering the item. However, if the creative copywriter can write about the jewelry in a way that makes each person reading the copy feel that the piece is just right for his or her needs and desires, sales of the item are likely to increase greatly.

A personal connection with the target audience is the reason why creative copywriters create names for products. It can increase sales. For example, the same set of towels could be called “Towel set – blue” or it could be marketed as “Blue Tropics Luxury Towel Set.” It's difficult for a buyer to feel any sort of emotional connection with the plain description, while the tropical one is likely to inspire images of beach vacations at a luxurious resort. Such pleasure-invoking advertising communications can make a big difference in product sales.

While most ad agencies today want to hire educated creative copywriters, education and training aren't as important as the ability to communicate persuasively and creatively. Creative copywriters who want a lasting career in advertising study copywriting daily. They spend much of their time improving their ability to communicate concepts directly to the target audience. A creative copywriter often studies past and current ads as well as reads copywriting books written by successful copywriters.