2008 October | Copy Unlimited

What does your name say about you?

…plus personalisation that’s not so personal and a (quick) grammar lesson.

This week, it’s time for words to make way for pictures again.

Yes, it’s Copycam: my occasional series feauturing copy that’s grabbed my attention – and not always for the right reasons.

Dr Doctor

Last week, this flyer slipped through my letterbox and landed on the mat.

Now if you were [...]

For country, read company

Let’s pick a country at random.

How about Brazil? (Top row, second from the left.)

What images come to mind? Sugarloaf Mountain? The long sandy beach of Copacabana? Ronnie Biggs?

It it stable? Safe? Corrupt? Would you consider living there? Retiring there?

And where did you get that impression from?

If it’s blues day, it must [...]

Silly socks, dripping taps and fishing for compliments

OK, it’s been one of those weeks.

No one thing has inspired me, but lots of little things have caught my attention – like fireflies in a garden at dusk.

And I’ve learned three interesting lessons.

The colour of money

First was a really silly idea – that’s been fabulously [...]

Lighten up and they’ll love you

Big companies are serious companies – right?

Well yes. Some of them are. They hide behind corporate logos, and style guides, and copy that strikes ‘just the right tone’.

Except that sometimes, it’s just the wrong tone. It makes them sound cold and distant, and puts a barrier between them [...]

It’s not what’s in the box – it’s what’s on the box

The Government in the UK is giving serious consideration to plans forcing tobacco companies to sell unbranded cigarettes.

So instead of getting 20 Benson & Hedges in a nice gold box with the distinctive black and red text, smokers will just get a white [...]