Copywriting – Page 2

Arguing a strong case for ‘brand euthanasia’

February 11, 2019January 24, 2020Nick CarsonLeave a Comment

Client: Red Setter / B&B Studio
Disciplines: Thought leadership, ghostwriting
Duration: 1 day

I collaborated with Red Setter and their client B&B Studio on a provocative thought-leadership article about ‘brand euthanasia’. In the firing line: lazy, slow-moving brands that have lost their relevance, but are kept on life-support by empty ‘brand refreshes’ and nostalgia.

The article argued that old-fashioned brands that no longer cater to a real need or desire should make room for the next generation of challengers – and moreover, that no one will miss them when they’re gone.

Alongside high-street failures Woolworths and Blockbuster – too sluggish to adapt in the age of Amazon and Netflix – this included the counter-example of a heritage brand that has managed to stay relevant: Marmite.

Fuelled by expert insights and contentious opinions from B&B’s senior team – including bylined strategy director Lisa Desforges – the ghostwritten article was placed by Red Setter in the City AM opinion section.

Read the story on City AM

Clarifying an agency’s new strategic positioning

November 30, 2018April 1, 2022Nick Carson1 Comment

I helped Studio Output articulate how it helps brands to “adapt and thrive in a connected world”.

Following an in-depth briefing session with the senior team, I worked closely with executive creative director Rob Coke to translate the agency’s new strategic positioning into a thought leadership article.

Read full article on Output’s website

Here’s an excerpt:

Why your brand must adapt to thrive

The connected world has shifted behaviours and transformed expectations. As consumers, we’re faced with more choice, more powerful technology and more immersive experiences than ever before. In this world, the experience of your digital products is what defines your brand.

Switched-on brands – those that understand the importance of embracing a digital mindset to succeed in today’s world – are disrupting their sectors and dancing to the rhythm of fast-changing demands. They’re not just responding to the future, they’re creating it – by continually pushing boundaries and challenging themselves to adapt to the unknown ahead of their competitors.

Airbnb put the idea of ‘belonging’ at the heart of every touchpoint. Netflix’s design and motion language showcases the content you love. Uber’s recent rebrand unifies its services with a modern, relevant visual system. And trillion-dollar giant Amazon completely re-framed expectations of service and delivery.

To disrupt their respective sectors, these four all understood one thing: the power of experience as a differentiator. They take people on a journey that conveys their brand values and personality at every touchpoint... [more]

Nick has a knack of capturing the magic of an interview and distilling it into attention-grabbing copy.
He makes the process enjoyable, and meets his deadlines. What more can you ask?
Rob Coke – executive creative director, Studio Output

Capturing the magic of BBC 2’s award-winning rebrand

September 27, 2018January 11, 2025Nick Carson1 Comment

*20 different ‘mood’ based animations for BBC Two. Image credit: Superunion*

Client: Superunion
Disciplines: Copywriting
Duration: 2 days

I collaborated with Superunion to help tell the complex story of its multi-award-winning BBC 2 rebrand in a clear, compelling way.

Rather than focussing on each ident individually, Superunion’s innovative new branding system curates the entire experience between programmes, effectively turning the junction into an extended ident.

Each trailer is assigned a ‘mood’ – such as ‘escapist’, ‘intense’, ‘revelatory’, ‘visceral’ or ‘anarchic’. These weave together in a seamless narrative, leading the viewer on a stimulating journey of discovery. The mood animations vary hugely in style and tone, but all feature the exact same curve motif at different points – which subtly hints at the outline of a ‘2’.

In the weeks leading up to the public launch of the new identity, I worked with executive creative director Stuart Radford and creative director Kath Tudball to craft punchy, engaging copy about the creative process to contribute towards case studies, awards entries and more.

The project won an impressive haul of awards, including Best of Show at 2019’s Brand Impact Awards, and Yellow and Wood Pencils at D&AD.

Sharing smart summer tips for lastminute.com

August 24, 2006January 24, 2020Nick CarsonLeave a Comment

In 2006, I collaborated with lastminute.com to produce a 24-page booklet packed with 201 tips for smarter living – from maximising your airport time to summering like a celebrity.

3 million copies were distributed through various publications, including The Observer, The Sunday Times, GQ, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire.

View the booklet as a PDF

Telling a passionate artist’s captivating story

August 1, 2005January 24, 2020Nick CarsonLeave a Comment

In 2005, I collaborated with renowned graffiti artist Temper to produce a limited-edition 60-page book exploring his career so far.

Here are the 10 main chapters in full.

Part 1: Introducing…

‘He wasn’t an artist, he wasn’t an art critic, but if it didn’t look like Mussolini he’d say so. That’s the only art lesson I had’ … [more]

Part 2: The Good Die Young

Losing eight of your close family in a lifetime is devastating. Losing them in a single year is enough to tear your life apart… [more]

Part 3: Decade Collection

‘Ten years, crunched into an easily-digestible visual thing’ … [more]

Part 4: Minuteman Exhibition

‘What was the point of being the first graffiti artist in a public gallery without actually making a few statements?’ … [more]

Part 5: Popcorn Collection

For a dyslexic child struggling with words, comic books throw open a vibrant universe of storytelling… [more]

Part 6: Signature Sprite Can

‘I won everybody’s vote for eight weeks on the trot. Undisputed. It was obvious it had to be my work’ … [more]

Part 7: Saatchi & Saatchi

‘He had an office in London he wanted me to paint. He was very creative, but I didn’t know he was a Creative Director’ … [more]

Part 8: Too Good to Die Young

The next stage of the bereavement process was to splash the colour back in glorious celebration of what made them iconic… [more]

Part 9: Move Collection

‘I didn’t want to see faces; I didn’t want to see limbs. I wanted them to look awkward’ … [more]

Part 10: Outroduction

Now is the calm before the storm; the slow-motion leap before the fight begins. It’s safe to say that Temper will be around for many years to come… [more]