14/04/2023
THE ORIGINS OF COPYWRITING
John Emory Powers is recognized as the first copywriter in history, the father of modern advertising. Around 1870, he began his career in advertising, initially working for American department store chains, and later he established himself as a freelance copywriter. What makes him a renowned character in the history of copywriting is not only his recognition as the first copywriter ever, but above all his unmistakable writing style, known as the Powers style.
Powers was known for a simple and easy-to-understand language, without exaggeration, characterized by very short titles.
After Powers, there is another personality relevant to the history of copywriting: Claude C. Hopkins, known for being one of the main promoters of hard selling and direct advertising. According to the rules he collected in the guide “Scientific Advertising”, advertising exists for the main purpose of sale and profit, so the message must be clear and concise, with no twists or turns. Such a style is perfectly in line with the advertising needs of mail order at the time.
There is also Bill Bernbach, who is still considered one of the most influential advertisers of the 20th century and known for having started the second creative revolution of advertising in the United States. With Bernbach, the advertisement becomes the result of a creative process in which copywriters and art directors collaborate, creating perfect combinations of images and words. He spiced up the way advertising is done, leaving ample room for persuasion and inventiveness and totally departing from Hopkins’ idea of scientific advertising.
THE ADVENT OF THE INTERNET AND THE EVOLUTION OF COPYWRITING:
The advent of the internet and new technologies has led to new consumer habits and new ways of buying. As a result, it has also changed the way of communicating, advertising, and therefore of copywriting.
So, a copywriter’s work is much more oriented toward writing text for:
✔️ websites,
✔️ email marketing
✔️newsletters
✔️ brochures
✔️advertisements.
The basic concept of copywriting remains unchanged: writing persuasive texts with the goal of attracting potential customers and thus selling the advertised product or service.
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