There are 2 copywriters and 4 designers. The creator worked in publishing and magazines prior to opening the studio, and built it from the ground up.
He came in to talk to us about the importance of having a good relationship with a copywriter, as they are a crucial part of the final outcome. I was incredibly interested in this talk because I love copywriting and it is something that I want to pursue more in this final year, although I did want to question whether he felt you could do both, or whether you had to choose to be one or the other. This is something he answered at the end, stating that it was possible, but you could be seen more as a jack of all trades, master of neither, although he didn't deny that designers can come up with good copy, just like copywriters can sometimes make incredibly valid contributions to the designs. This answer was really what I expected, although it does put me in a more difficult position upon leaving here, as I like both, but feel I would probably have more success as a copywriter than as a designer. Obviously it's silly for me to think that even if I do want/get a job in copywriting that it means that I can no longer do graphic design, but it's still confusing my ambitions for after graduation.
Anyway, he clarified why having a copywriter work with us is so important, because the copy broadens the brand, giving it a tone of voice and personality, something that is so necessary with many products as a means to stand out against your competitors.
His little nuggets of wisdom were as follows.
Discuss and articulate your positioning before you do anything.
Brands are ideas, ideas need words.
You need words to sell stuff.
Copy and design challenge each other.
People like well written copy.
Words make your brand more human.
Hierarchy in design is everything.
The designer's job is to challenge every word, and not be afraid to ask for copy to be changed or reduced. In fact, reducing copy is really the job of the copywriter, as they should be able to communicate a point with as few words as possible.
I loved having this talk, but yet again I did not have the bravery to go up and talk after the presentation had ended, and I also haven't emailed them to start begging for a placement yet. I'm just like the cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz, only smaller and less hairy.
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