The Great Wall
7th January 2012
More incredible art from books. Guy Laramee and The Great Wall project. Take a look here.
Insight in
26th October 2011
Today I met the third client of mine to tell me they’ve drastically cut their marketing budget.
When I hear the words ‘budget cut’ from a client, I usually think they’re about to ask me to work for 
Monthly wrap-up July, August, September…
6th October 2011
I know, I know. Three months do not a monthly wrap-up make. But to mitigate, I have had the busiest three months of my career as a copywriter. This is great for me, not so good for my kids:
Monthly wrap up – June
4th July 2011
You’re all rushing to complete projects before the holidays which means I’ve had another busy month:
Monthly wrap up – May
31st May 2011
The first in a series of monthly wraps. May has been varied and very busy. Here’s what I’ve been up to this month:
Too many words, part two
4th May 2011
I had a notification from my kids’ school this morning. It’s an update to their behaviour policy. Paragraph two says, and I quote:
“Students in Year 7 tell us that they are particularly concerned about disruption to their learning occasioned by a small number of their peers who do not find the immediate attendant sanctions sufficient to deter them from repeating such behaviour.”
I think the last time occasion was used as a verb, we still used shillings. And sanctions being ‘attendant’ – rather than just er, sanctions made me smile. But beyond all that, just far too many words. Try this: “Students in Year Seven tell us they are fed up with peers who repeatedly disrupt lessons.”
Tsk. Detention for the Deputy Head me thinks.
What’s in a name?
2nd May 2011
If I say the word carrot, you’ll associate it with the colour orange. If I say banana, it’ll be yellow. And so on. Easy peasy. But if I said the word ‘celebrity’, what colour does that make you think of?
On Wednesday Bill Bailey posted a picture of a can of paint on Twitter. (There’s a joke in there somewhere about watching virtual paint dry, but that’s not the point). The point is the paint had a name. It was called ‘Celebrity’. And the colour of celebrity? A cross between English and French Mustard – an Entente Cordiale condiment if you like. Though what this particular sludgy tone has to do with celebrity, I’ve no idea. I suspect, in real life, Celebrity Flat Matt Emulsion is actually a dull gold colour and the namer was just being a bit lazy. Having said that; credit where credit’s due – it’s a big leap of faith from Cross Channel Mustard to Celebrity.
Brian’s Books
19th April 2011
Following my post on Thomas Allen’s book art photography, I’ve been directed to Brian Dettmer’s work. Dettmer’s pieces are quite astonishing. They’re hugely detailed; a result of his using surgical tools to carve into a book one page at a a time. Take a look at his site to see work spanning five years.
Cool It Schools Poetry Competition
18th April 2011
I’ve just found this site helping schools to build climate change awareness among children. Cool It Schools are running a poetry competition – Writing the World – for International Year of Chemistry, which – aside from the seemingly petty £2 entry fee – looks quite appealing. Pass the details on to your kids’ schools; you might discover another Dylan Evans. Dylan (age 8) was last years’ winner. Quite deservedly. I’d have given him the top prize just for writing: ‘weirder than leeches’. You can see his poem on the Writing the World page. Closing date 23rd July.
Falling off the fence
17th April 2011
I’ve written a couple of blogs for different organisations this month. They all had one thing in common; they wanted to give their opinion on something relevant to their industry or area of expertise without offending or alienating customers and service users. Which isn’t that easy, because it’s very easy to offend when you critique. Not because you’re being aggressive, but because others may be defensive.
To really withdraw from this risk, you need to sit on the fence. In this position, you can balance the view from both fields. Which is fine when you want to produce bland copy that helps people explore both sides of a coin. But, when you’re looking for something attention-grabbing, sitting on the fence – as the saying goes – gives you splinters. Personally, I don’t get on with opinion ‘from the fence’. Not just because I don’t want to spend my evening removing splinters, but because I don’t trust it.
I managed to talk my clients round to taking a clear position. Here are the benefits:
:o)
10th March 2011
I am a convert to the emoticon. Not those hideous yellow graphic smileys you can add to your emails if you’re under 16, but the punctuation emoticon. The PE.
At the beginning of my PE journey, I was hugely skeptical :-/ and annoyed >:-[ by all PEs, considering users to be complete :-@! However, the more of the little :-) faces I saw, the more :-)) I became. My relatively short time as a PE user has so far been an enjoyable one; I’ve got over my snobbish ‘I’m far too sensible for all this silliness’ position and have joined the throngs, considering them a lot less offensive than the use / overuse of the exclamation mark!!!!!!!!!!
Discovering there were Homer Simpson (_8^(|) pirate, P-( smoking, :-i Frank Zappa :^{= and even pope PEs +<:-) just makes the process more imaginative and amusing.
Radio 4 Mash-Up
7th March 2011
Sometime last year, I was on the phone to a writer friend of mine. I’d caught her parked up at some anonymous soul-sapping service station, munching her lunch and listening to a CD. Mid-chat, my friend changed her CD. Now, at this point, you could be thinking one of two things:
1. Either I am so interminably dull, that I wouldn’t notice when I’ve bored someone so much that they’ve listened to an entire CD while I’ve been rambling on or,
2. I’ve just proved (as if proof were needed) that age-old adage that women can eat, talk, listen, write, apply make-up, prove the existence of the Higgs boson and change CDs, all at the same time.
Pulp Addiction
2nd March 2011
A great and creative thing to do with your old pulp fiction stock. These shots of quirky book cover art from photographer Thomas Allen. See the whole collection here. More on Thomas Allen and his process here. Enjoy.
Pay Attention!
20th February 2011
So the government is introducing a new test for six year olds. To check their ability to use phonics, kids are going to be tested to see if they 
recognise made-up words like ‘koob’ or ‘zort’. I don’t know whether this is a good thing. I’m not a literacy expert. Six year olds sitting exams does whiff slightly of post-communist Asian education systems, but on the face of it, it’ll definitely check whether they get the whole phonics thing or not. It’s the classic test to see if you’re paying attention; the insertion of a red herring or deliberate mistake.
It reminded me of Gamestation and their little April Fool’s joke last year. Gamestation changed their online terms and conditions to state that they had the right to claim your soul:
How To Spell Spam.
7th February 2011
An interesting piece popped up on Yahoo News last week; an account about a council tax scam where fraudsters contact you to say you’re due a financial reward as a thank you for paying your bill by direct debit.
Now I don’t know about you, but the concept of my local council financially rewarding me for paying tax would be enough to make me click ‘SPAM’ faster than you can say ’seriously unlikely state incentive’. However, clearly enough people were falling for this to warrant its broadcast, albeit hidden within the confused jumble that is Yahoo’s landing page. So I read the whole thing and there – towards the end – was a paragraph about spelling.
Where have I been?
14th December 2010
Life has been very interesting recently, don’t you think? It’s been easy to get distracted online in the past few weeks; following protests, government shenanigans and world events. I could cite these distractions as reasons for:
a. My untidy house
b. My untidy* children
c. My untidy er, car
Illustrious stuff
27th September 2010
I’ve been looking at a lot of illustration in the past few weeks which, for me, is a bit like christmas. Why you ask? Well, because in my dreams, I get to commission all of these talented people to illustrate the many stories I currently have out ‘there’ sitting in the vast bottomless in-trays of the demigods that are publishers’ and agents’ editors. Editors who, I’ve discovered, live on a completely different planet where the concept of time versus available life, has yet to be realised.
Am I ranting?
Finished Words and a blatant bit of promotion
4th September 2010
In a departure from my usual blog observations (blogservations? blobservations?) this is a brief but belated apology for the absence of writing samples and the continued presence of that annoying ‘updating’ message. I’ve been busy, but will try and sort a few appropriate bits to post soon. In the mean time, please contact me to request specific work samples or to view some of my latest stuff. This has worked well for recent enquiries, as I’ve been able to tailor samples to suit sectors and needs.
The last few months have seen me working on a disparate bunch of briefs from 2012 Olympic sponsorship programmes to corporate brochures, websites, tenders, news pieces and film reviews. I’ve been working for designers, brand agencies, charities, marketing consultants, local government, production companies, small business and FMCG manufacturers. I’ve also been training and continue to develop bespoke writing and tendering workshops for business. So if any of that sounds interesting, useful or relevant, please get in touch.
As you were.
Fab Twaggies
22nd August 2010
A clever combination: Twitticisms + great illustration = Twags. From Kiersten Essenpreis at Twaggies.
Squawk
19th July 2010
Whenever there’s a significant break in blogging, you can assume:
1. I’m really busy producing wonderful stuff for lovely clients. So busy, that to blog would be like hurling metaphorical blancmange in their faces. So instead, my silence sends out a message of productiveness: “I am so focused on your project, I have no time to blog. Not a single second. I don’t want to blog in fact. I am loving this project.”
My Own Private Ardagh-o
25th June 2010
I took a guinea pig to the vets this morning. Before I tell you what the receptionist said to me when I walked in, I’m going to point out that the guinea pig in question was named by my daughter when she was five. It might also help to picture the receptionist as an extremely efficient, quite scary, very loud, immaculately turned out, rather posh middle-aged woman who looked like she holidays in John Lewis.
Right, so, there I am struggling to get in the door carrying a cardboard box that’s lurching wildly from side to side when I hear: “Pebbles Starling?” I had an instant need to laugh out loud. Which I know is quite childish, but I find the application of human surname to animal alias, really, really funny. I don’t know why. I just do.
Perfect Propaganda
17th June 2010
I’ve been a fan of propaganda art for years and have the beginnings of a poster collection that one day will require its own mini museum. Aesthetically, the combination of knock-out design, typography and (much-mimicked) text just enthralls.
Copywriter not required
11th June 2010
A rather heated debate today with design friends resulted in my conceding to the view that a copywriter isn’t always necessary. I should point out that I was outnumbered by five to one for the entire duration of the debate and we were only talking about magazine ads. However, I’ve been presented with some great proof which, despite the obvious career suicide, I’m happy to share.
Saatchi’s copy claptrap
9th June 2010
I know it’s not nice to slam other people’s copy efforts, but this one really is screaming out for a virtual red pen. Charles Saatchi’s new show British Art Now has an accompanying catalogue which honestly defies belief. Here’s an excerpt all about the artists:
“Articulated as doublespeak, they hand-make the virtual, cite history in fugue fervour, and find the poetic and enduring in the cacophony of pop cultural din.”
Great isn’t it?
The real McCoy
9th June 2010
Quote of the day from the hugely talented Rich McCoy:
“I think the whole world needs copywriters. The more I work with them, the more important I think they are in the mix.”
Perfect.
Rich’s quote is an extract from a brief online exchange we had earlier today about Saatchi. Saatchi and his quite gob-smackingly incomprehensible British Art Now catalogue. I shan’t sully this post with the details. It really needs separate treatment. Which I’m going to give it in just a minute. In the mean time, here’s that quote again:
“I think the whole world needs copywriters. The more I work with them, the more important I think they are in the mix.”
Did you get that?
Tinker, tailor: Writing to your niche
7th June 2010
Generally speaking, I try to avoid re-blogging anything to do with blogging – especially when the post is blatant corporate selling. So, it’s with a not-insignificant amount of knuckle-chewing that I pass this on. This is a post from Hubspot about how blogs are using more complicated language than traditional media. This shouldn’t be a surprise: old media = well-trained journalists who can write; blogs = anyone. Plus a few good copywriters. *Cough*
What JR shot
20th May 2010
Back to photography for a moment.
A few years ago, I ran a photography project in a primary school where I took pictures of every single child in school. Using black and white film and focussing each image on just part of their face, we posted all 200 of them as a ‘wall of faces’ covering the entire back wall of the school hall. The kids (and happily the teachers) loved the process and the impact of the final result.
My inspiration for the project was JR, a Parisian photographer and street artist who has been changing landscapes and attitudes for some years now. His work on the Face 2 Face project pastes wonderful images of Palestinian and Israeli citizens side by side in prominent locations on both sides of the wall.
JR’s project ‘Women are Heroes,’ uses the same large-scale format to paste images of Women from Africa, Asia and South America in their own neighbourhoods.
Maths minus boredom
8th May 2010
I absolutely love this. New Math by Craig Damrauer – a wry approach to maths for word and language lovers. An addictive site – review at leisure.
365 word girl
4th May 2010
This is fun. A com
bination of photography, words and self-portraiture delivered with a little help from visitors.
Melissa King’s 365 Word Girl site was launched recently and showcases the results of her new collaborative project as they happen. King, from Sydney Australia, invites you to submit random words to her site. Then, taking 7 words in order for that week, she builds a mini story that in turn directs each weekly self-portrait. So, for example, Week 10 on King’s word schedule shows: Headphone; Smudge; Shrunk; Sepia; Revolutionary; Idealistic; Up. These words will build a short narrative to dictate a new self-portrait (should be interesting) and, if I’ve understood the schedule correctly, Week 10 will be launched this week.
As the name suggests, King intends for this to be a year-long project producing 52 unique and off-beat portraits. Add your own word before the schedule fills up and be a part of the art.
This post is about posters.
27th April 2010
With only a week to go, this is just irresistible. Jonathan Jones introduces a feature in today’s Culture Guardian showcasing alternative takes on the political campaign poster from some of Britain’s leading artists. You can see their work here plus more detailed commentary from each artist (and Jonathan’s introduction) here.
I agree with the article tone that official campaign offerings are more than unimpressive, but I’ve really enjoyed the unofficial and not so underground stuff like My David Cameron. If anyone can teach the big parties a thing or two about clear copy, it’s the creators of some of these gems.
Very early comments on the Guardian site suggest there is a big gap between fine art and graphic design when it comes to posters. My own take – unsurprisingly – is it comes down to the copy and the connection the copy has with the design. Hence my favourite of the lot is this one by Goshka Macuga. Clear, clever, totally connected to its purpose and comes with a back-story.
The Fantastic Dr Lakra
19th April 2010
If you happen to be in Boston this summer, go and see this guy’s exhibition at the ICA. Jerónimo López Ramírez (aka Dr Lakra) is an artist and tattooist based in Mexico. I really like his process – the way he invalidates what he’s chosen to paint on and the slightly subverted tone. You can see a slideshow of some of his work here.
Converse Presents Dr. Lakra from Highsnobiety on Vimeo.
New friends
17th April 2010
A busy few weeks in the Kate Starling copy room have kept me away from my blog for too long. *Imagine doleful, semi-troubled and slightly sheepish emoticon here. If only English punctuation could cut it.*
Anyway.
On the non-doleful side of things, I’ve got a stack of new stuff to share which I shall slowly nourish you with in the coming days. And even better than that… Net result of busy few weeks is a big Hello and Welcome to two new Kate Starling copy converts: Ferrier Pearce a rather lovely and talented bunch of designers from the South East and moving north: Beach Marketing an equally creative and technically clever team from Northampton.
Delighted to have them both on-board and looking forward to posting some of the results of our ventures on here.
Back sooner than I was last time.
Eye Drops Off Shelf – the wonder of headline writing
25th March 2010
I spent part of yesterday advising on sales copy. My client felt their existing copy wasn’t punchy enough and was – in parts – ambiguous. We talked a bit about ambiguity and then got onto the inevitable conversation about ambiguity in newspaper headlines, like this: “Stolen Painting Found by Tree.” Clever tree. And these: “Miners Refuse to Work after Death” and “Police Found Safe Under Bed.” Lovely.
From ambiguous to apparent, it’s always possible to swing too far the other way. Two cherished but quite hopeless headlines from the States: “Official: Only Rain Will Cure Drought.” And this one from the Collinsville Herald-Journal in Illinois: “Economist Uses Theory to Explain Economy.” Great!
Finally, from apparent to accomplished, my all-time favourite headline from Private Eye – on the library strike in Essex: “Book Lack in Ongar.”
Talent.
St Patrick’s and The Secret of Kells
17th March 2010
St Patrick’s Day gives me the perfect excuse to share this enchanting f
ilm from Ireland with you. The Secret of Kells was nominated for an Academy Award last month and has won many other awards at festivals world-wide. You illustrators are going to love it. All hand-drawn and gorgeous to watch. Happy St Patrick’s Day.
Ferry clear thinking
16th March 2010
Joe Ferry – head of design and service design at Virgin Atlantic – spoke eloquently in yesterday’s Media Guardian about innovation in service design. What he said was so sensible, it’s the kind of thinking we all secretly hope goes on in the heads of our clients:
“We often work with external agencies. They work with so many different companies that they can bring you totally new ideas from other industries.” He goes on to say that “…the objective in service design is to define exactly what it is you want the experience to be and then work back to establish how you can navigate the constraints you have – and actually deliver that.”
Feedback
16th March 2010
I was asked yesterday what the theme of my blog is. I thought I’d share my answer: I don’t have a theme. I write about things that interest me in the hope that you might:
a. Find it interesting
b. Discover how I write
c. Discover something new
d. Laugh
That’s it really. I’ll write about copywriting only if I think I’ve got something useful to share with you. Otherwise, you’ll see all sorts of comment from design and photography to innovation and (cough) dancing.
I’ll be making the comment function a little easier soon, but in the mean time, keep emailing me.
Breaking the rules – Elvis style
15th March 2010
I love this extract from Vanity Fair’s ‘The First of Elvis’ article – a profile of photographer Al Wertheimer who followed Elvis in 1956:
“He dared to move,” says Wertheimer. “Singers just did not move onstage in those days. You stood there like Frank Sinatra or Perry Como, and you sang from the waist up. Elvis broke all the rules. He moved his hips. He charged the microphone. He was introducing something that was just not acceptable to grown-ups and the more conservative groups. I have the William Morris guys getting him into a corner, and they’re giving him advice: ‘Now, Elvis, look, you get up there, you sing your song, but don’t move too much.’ Elvis dutifully listened. He wouldn’t argue with them. But once he got onstage he did what he wanted. And it created such a sensation. Not because you could hear him sing—there was too much screaming going on. The kids loved it. And the kids were the ones who bought the 45s.”
Nothing quite like ignoring the William Morris guys.
Hikari
8th March 2010
I’m fast becoming addicted to photoblogs. Here’s one of my favourites at colourblindeyes from Japan-based Spaniard Alex Vargas. Use the translate button all non-Spanish speakers.
Wireworks
8th March 2010
I’ve just finished an enjoyable time working on copy for the new Wireworks site. Very cool stuff for kitchens and bathrooms and inspiring design from Lincoln Rivers. Loved it. Keep an eye out for the new site and follow the link coming soon in Finished Words.
Boogie Mama
2nd March 2010
I went dancing last night. When I say dancing, I really mean just moving around to music. When I say moving around, I really mean shuffling. When I say shuffling, I really mean transferring weight from left foot to right foot in an ill-advised attempt to ‘get-down.’ Quite what I thought was going to happen once I’d ‘got-down,’ I don’t know. Discover the inability to ‘get-back-up’ no doubt.
I’m at the age – obviously – when the words ‘get-down’ can still refer to dancing rather than canine instruction. Which also explains my chosen style of strutting – see above. But once the novelty of musical movement had worn off and the pitiful glances tipped into hostile glares, my prancing partner and I amused ourselves by producing a mental Venn diagram of dancing style and age. What we realised is this:
If you’re under 20 you can pretty much do anything you like on the dance floor and get away with it.
If you’re between 20 and 30 and female, you’ll spend most of your floor-time with your arms above your head.
If you’re between 30 and 40 and male, you’ll dance like you did at your school discos. Thirty years ago.
If you’re over 40 and dancing like Beyoncé, you should go home.
If you’re over 40 and dancing like Ashley Banjo from Diversity, you should be ashamed of yourself.
If you’re over 40 and dancing like Fred Astaire, congratulations.
Who’s in the house. Etc.
Alex Steinweiss
2nd February 2010
There are times when only the original works.
I’ve been delighted to rediscover the iconic work of Alex Steinweiss and his brilliant album cover artwork.
Take a look
.
Commitment Issues
15th December 2009
I’ve read a lot of end-of-year top tens in the last week or so. You know the thing: lists of just about everything in 2009; the best of, worst of, applied to a gazillion genres. Lists that fill the December pages of newspapers and magazines, pad out every Sky TV channel between 7pm and midnight and cram the airwaves of Radio Local until your ears are inventoried-out.
So in the spirit of balance, I’m delighted to offer you my abbreviated end-of-year-honours. This won’t take long.
One category: ‘Most overused word in 2009.’
One winner: ‘Committed.’
Collecting the award: Politicians and their background cast – just about every business in the UK.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you one word that has continued to pop-up consistently and painfully during most of 2009. Like acid reflux. The most ill-conceived, lazy application of a word since ‘outstanding’ (my 2007 winner).
Tom Hoops Photography
30th October 2009
If you haven’t already heard of him, please take a look at Tom Hoops website.
Incredible images, huge talent.
Enjoy.
What’s the (second) Big Idea?
17th October 2009
I’ve been reading a few blogs by fairly well-lit individuals in the business and marketing world. Some appear to conjure up new concepts on a regular basis. Quite aside from how exhausting this must be, it made me think about whether it’s actually possible to come up with more than one Big Idea.
One or two of my subscriptions include the blogs of successful business gurus, considered experts who are watched by a certain sector of Corporate plc for the next big thing – this on the basis that they’ve already delivered one widely adopted Big Idea. But are subsequent pearls of wisdom original new ideas of value and reason for contact, or just the same story set in a different scene?
Get Ya Hoop On
2nd September 2009
I read recently that school children in Middlesborough have been taking part in a new exercise called ‘Hoop Hip’. This involves spinning hula hoops around parts of your body to hip hop music.
When I was at school, exercise was compulsory netball. Hula hoops were considered silly fashion things and were definitely not found in the sports locker. We had a theme tune though – a sadistic growl courtesy of the PE teacher: “Defend! Mark her! Not her, her! Move. Your. Back. Side. Noooow!”
Traffic Re-wardens
31st August 2009
Getting a Hip Hop / Hula Hoop combo a bit wrong however, isn’t quite the same as just getting it wrong.
Earlier this year, I was driving through North London when I spotted a few Traffic Wardens happily issuing tickets. On the back of their jackets were printed the words ‘Traffic Reinforcement Officer’.