What does a typical day in the life of a copywriter look like?
A typical day for a copywriter is non-existent at Edelman. Every day brings new assignments, new clients, new challenges. So, a typical day in the life of this copywriter is a day filled with surprises.
What three skills do you think are essential to fulfil your role?
First of all, you have to have a passion for words, all sorts of words, fun words, sad words, business words, weird words. You have to know the rules of using them accurately and then be willing and able to break all of those rules. Secondly, you have to be willing to fail, to make a fool of yourself. If you are afraid to fail, it will be challenging to deliver fun or exciting copy. Every creative is vulnerable when first presenting a new or crazy idea, so a safe environment to create is crucial. That’s one of the great things about working at Edelman. Thirdly you have to be able to really tune into your client and the target audience: empathy.
What do you like best about working at Edelman?
The people. Working for a new company from home was strange, but even in this online way of working, I really feel that I’ve got to know my colleagues. Having a bit of fun before a meeting starts, just like I would at the coffee machine. They make me feel at home, are reachable, open and super professional.
What are some of the challenges you face in your day-to-day role?
As a copywriter working with super-talented art directors, we have to develop unique marketing concepts for a variety of clients. Getting creative, can make it challenging to keep your eye on the client brief. Before you know it, we come up with a brilliant concept…that has no connection whatsoever with the original brief. It’s like going down a rabbit hole, getting weirder by the minute. But, on the other hand, when you climb back out of that hole, there might be a tiny portion of madness left that merges magically with the client ask. That’s where you want to be.
What’s been your most memorable moment at Edelman so far?
I think that was the very first idea I had to present to account people I didn’t really know yet, on a client I had never worked for before. After the brief that morning, I was left with a tsunami of decks and briefings and a request to write voice-over text for a super important, at that moment, non-existent, video. I had 4 hours. Goodluck. Lucky for me, writing voice-over texts is one of my specialties, but still. Talking about vulnerability. When presenting my text, I asked them all to close their eyes and just listen to my voice. After I finished, the first feedback I got was:
‘wow…goosebumps’.
One of the best compliments someone can give a copywriter, and I knew: this is the right place for me.
What’s your favorite part of a working day?
We start every day in Teams with the creative team, to catch up on work and whatever else comes along. It’s fun and the best way to start a day.
How do you stay motivated?
No problemo; I really have a passion for what I do, so motivation is not something I lack. Maybe you should ask me again in 10 years.
What’s your top tip for working from home?
If you have the luxury of having your own desk: keep a clean desk policy. It feels really nice to start up the day with a fresh and clean desk. Ending the day by cleaning up my desk also makes it easier to switch to home life. Sounds really mature. Don’t worry, the rest of my house is a mess ;-).
Did anything surprise you when you joined Edelman?
Everything surprised me, to be honest, coming in through a recruitment agency I didn’t know Edelman. I did not know what to expect from a company situated on the Zuid-As. So, I was pleasantly surprised by the lovely people, the open culture, the care for employees, the professionality and the fun.
Finally, how do you see your career path developing in the future?
Right now, I’m happy to be where I am, creating, learning and enjoying every day. In the future, I hope I can contribute to making the impact of the creative team within Edelman explode.
