Customer Reviews

The Craft of Copywriting (Response Books)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The Craft of Copywriting by June A. Valladares. Good production. Good read. Step by step, with easy to follow text and appropriate illustrations, June leads the reader into the art and craft of copywriting.

To my mind, this book should find a place in libraries around the world: particularly in schools and colleges of advertising and journalism and communications.

Where feasible, seminars and chat shows could be conducted revolving around the book.

Reviewed by HIRO SHROFF, Oral Historian, Journalist, and Author of "Down Memory Lane" email address hiroshroff@hotmail.com

When I turned the last page of THE CRAFT OF COPYWRITING I had a single regret: if only the book had been there when I joined Bensons as a copywriter...

Indeed, the entire book is as fine an expression of creativity as one is likely to encounter between covers, from thesis to interpretation and design.

I read it with a sense of deja vu and mixed feelings, admiration, delight and regret, the last twice over because I would have liked to have written the book myself. But if I am to be honest, I doubt I would have done half as good a job.

It should take pride of place on the desks of copywriters of all vintages, from the aspiring fledgeling to the "for-the-greater-glory-of-God" Creator Director. Congratulations, CONGRATULATIONS! FRANK SIMOES, (former CEO) Frank Simoes Advertising

To those outside the globe's advertising & communications industry, copywriting is a mysterious occupation to define. It's not on the menu of schools' career talks and It's highly unlikely to make a debut in the top 3 on a woman's career chart for her `dream' man. It doesn't run in the family, have you ever heard of "he comes from a long line of copywriters?" It's prone to scorching criticism as evidenced by a Kenyan newspaper columnist who recently branded "Third World" copywriters as ..."often criminal, painting in rosy light what is either nugatory or highly toxic," conveniently forgetting that advertising revenue significantly enables media organizations to pay their bills.

   Copywriters are hired by advertising agencies so as to conceptualise the best ideas for promoting advertisers' goods or services through press, posters, radio, TV or other means of communication that appeals to his target audience.

   Some raw materials required for this demanding job include: a close observation of one's surroundings, events and situations; an `enabling environment' (creative art director, supportive management, open minded client etc) and superior writing skills. The latter requirement means that constant reading is mandatory, which might lead to the sudden death of your social life.

   It's been rare until now, for copywriters to access reference books that specifically touch on the nuts and bolts of their craft written by one of their own. All wordsmiths, then, hail the overdue arrival of "The Craft of Copywriting," authored by Indian copywriter June A. Valladares.

   The 285-page book packs 28 chapters of warm-ups, workouts, advice and quotes from advertising greats like David Ogilvy, William Bernbach and Leo Burnett whose memorable quote, "I have learned that it is far easier to write a speech about good advertising than it is to write a good ad," should provide relief to all pressurised creatives. The author has also added more flavour to her book by including arresting press ads of the past from famous brands like Parker, Marlboro and Wrigleys. Copywriters will find chapters 20, 22 & 23 particularly helpful since they guide them on how to  conceptualise and write for Direct Mail, Radio and In-shop media, the new frontiers advertisers are increasingly turning to in the ongoing no-holds-barred war for consumer attention, wallet and retention.

   However, some exercises can be geographically challenging. For example, in the "Brand Image" chapter, she asks readers to describe Mumbai's Taj Mahal Hotel. In addition, there's a disturbing absence of celebrated African writers like Ngugi wa Thiong'o and Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka in her list of writers whose works a copywriter should have read by the age of 25; an omission contained in the "Creative Spark" chapter. Despite those shortcomings, it's an invigorating and challenging reference book every copywriter serious about honing his craft should have next to his DVD collection.

  

Savour the humor, the impeccable references, the reality of the content, the clearly evolving Indian market identity and trends, the pedagocical applications, and most of all the writing that seems to have come straight from the heart. The book has many different layers that gets the attention of both newcomers and old hands and even people like me who are not in the business.

The quality of the printing and especially the photographs - or rather the visuals - could be better. And beware of foreign words and phrases! They too need to be proof read.

I HAVE NOTHING BUT PURE PRAISE FOR THE ENERGY YOU HAVE SHOWN IN BUILDING THIS UNIQUE HANDBOOK. EVERYONE IN ADVERTISING AND MARKETING, ESPECIALLY NEWCOMERS, SHOULD BENEFIT FROM IT AS A CONSTANT COMPANION. THE CONTENT IS EXCELLENT. OODLES OF GOODIES.

THE PACKAGING, DESIGN, TYPOGRAPHY, REPRODUCTION...COULD BE AND SHOULD BE, IN THE NEXT EDITION, A WHOLE LOT BETTER. PROOFREADING, TOO. THE BOOK...AND ITS READERS...DESERVE IT. RAM RAY, CHAIRMAN, RESPONSE GROUP, INDIA

I had read in Adweek to make sure and get a wonderful book that every Copywriter should read:"The Craft of Copywriting"....by Alastair Crompton. Wow! I almost bought this one...by June Valladares. Though June's book may be great, I just wanted people to make sure they know which Author they are buying.