The London Long Copy Challenge

We've always had an unhealthy love affair with words at Sell! Towers, you only need a quick glance at some of our work to gather that. Whilst the world seems to be going increasingly the other way, we still believe wholeheartedly in the power of persuasive and compelling copy, as I'm sure many writers (and others) in the business do also. So we were delighted to learn that CBS Outdoor are running The London Long Copy Challenge, which gives us yet another reason to dust off the old typewriter again.

The challenge is for 48-sheet format underground posters that contain from 50-200 words. It will be lovely to see London's many talented copywriters let out of the stables one last time before they're sent to the glue factory. And it sounds to us like the perfect excuse to do some more scribbling, so we're definitely going to enter something for it (more so as the prize is a campaign for the winning brand).

Waaaay back in the pre-neolithic era we took part in a similar competition run by Viacom, and were fortunate enough to have 16-sheet poster for Krispy Kreme shortlisted, the fossilized remains of which can be seen below...

7 comments:

  1. Ah, the long copy ad. I remember it well.
    This one for Wispa is still one of my favourites.
    http://bit.ly/bBllxt

    ReplyDelete
  2. I mentioned this to a so-called "creative director" the other day. A designer by trade, you know what he said?

    He said "What dya mean, long copy?"

    Dark times, gentlemen. Dark times.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, that's a great ad.

    I remember seeing that at the time and thinking 'sod it, I'm not getting the next train home to Walthamstow, I'm running back up that escalator and getting a doughnut into me'. Of course, having reached the top of the escalator my mood was slightly dampened as there wasn't a Krispy Kreme shop in sight. Still, compelling advertising though Sell ! Sell! Compelling advertising. Keep up the good work.

    Hope you like my long copy comment. Felt befitting of the theme.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello there Mr Janes. Your (completely unbiased) appraisal is much appreciated. Glad you still like it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. It says a lot, that these days, just fifty words (the minimum required for entry) constitute long copy. Or maybe, like many of these days' ads, it says nothing at all.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The donut ad is brilliant!

    I wonder though if a shorter, pithier version would have brought that brilliance into even sharper relief.

    Just sayin' ;-)

    Great blog you have here.

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.