The declining state of copywriting in Swedish advertising was brought to the forefront during a train journey, where a poorly written advertisement by SJ, the Swedish national railway company, sparked concern. The ad, riddled with grammatical errors, stylistic inconsistencies, and perplexing word choices, raised questions about how such substandard writing could pass through the layers of a prominent advertising agency. This incident served as a catalyst for a broader examination of the seemingly widespread decline in writing skills among contemporary copywriters.
Expressen’s cultural editor, Victor Malm, has been vocal about this issue. He perceives this decline as a reflection of the general deterioration of Swedish language proficiency, even within professions reliant on writing. Malm points to examples of advertising copy that resemble hastily written social media messages rather than carefully crafted prose. He cites an advertisement for the Swedish Prison and Probation Service’s podcast, filled with awkward and nonsensical phrases, as a prime example of this trend. Malm suggests that many younger writers lack a fundamental understanding of written language norms, impacting quality across various media, including newspapers and radio.
However, the question arises whether the decline in copywriting quality is truly a loss. Is snappy advertising copy an art form worthy of preservation? Malm argues that good advertising can be akin to poetry – language appreciated for its own sake. Effective copy can be pleasing, humorous, and clever, providing a momentary enjoyment. But the current state of writing in advertising falls far short of this ideal.
One theory suggests that copywriters are deliberately simplifying their language to cater to a population with declining literacy skills. While some dismiss this as conspiratorial, copywriter and author Daniel Yousefi acknowledges a trend towards oversimplification in advertising. The desire to create universally accessible advertising often backfires, resulting in bland and ineffective copy. He observes that the ambition to avoid complex vocabulary and intricate phrasing dumbs down the message, ultimately failing to resonate with any audience.
Yousefi, a graduate of both writing and advertising schools, has found himself somewhat isolated in his literary interests within the advertising industry. He notes a lack of genuine engagement with literature among his colleagues, often limited to superficial awareness of literary awards. This disconnect between the literary world and the advertising industry contributes to the lower quality of copywriting, hindering the potential for creative and engaging language.
Yousefi, however, doesn’t primarily blame copywriters for this decline. He believes that while most copywriters strive to create good work, they are often hampered by clients or higher-ups who lack market understanding and impose ill-informed decisions. These individuals, armed with veto power, ultimately dictate the final product, resulting in the ”brain-dead” advertising that pervades the media landscape. The copywriters’ creative visions are often stifled by those who prioritize simplistic, often ineffective strategies.
A recent coffee advertisement campaign provides a further illustration of this issue. While the campaign won an award for effective communication, its tagline, ”What do you get up for?” (placed above a steaming cup of coffee), exemplifies flawed execution. The meaning is clear – the anticipation of coffee motivates one to rise in the morning – but the phrasing is clumsy and grammatically questionable. Einar Korpus, a doctor of advertising language, asserts that such grammatical inaccuracies are not new to the industry, tracing their origins back to ”new journalism.” However, while journalists eventually abandoned this style, it persists in copywriting.
Korpus attributes the decline in copywriting quality not to a decrease in individual skill but to structural changes within the industry. The increasing fragmentation of the advertising landscape means that individual components, including the written text, are given less scrutiny. He also notes the lack of formal training in writing for both copywriters and journalists, a deficiency that contributes to the overall decline in writing skills. These professionals are expected to enter the field already proficient or to acquire these skills independently, a problematic assumption.
Ultimately, Korpus doesn’t necessarily believe that the quality of ad copy is declining but rather that the demand for traditional, well-crafted copy is diminishing. He suggests that advertising is shifting towards a more visual focus, potentially relegating words to a secondary role. If this trend continues, the traditional copywriter might become obsolete. However, he emphasizes that this shift is not yet complete. Even in an era of declining literacy, poorly written text remains an ineffective way to persuade consumers. The need for compelling, well-written copy persists, even as the advertising landscape continues to evolve.
