I’ve always wanted to be a writer but I didn’t set out to get into advertising.
Before Hunterlodge, I’d just come off a ten-year stint writing content for big financial firms and a popular wealth magazine. I had hoped one of the billionaire families might give me a yacht, but no dice. Interviewing senior decision-makers at the top of their game rarely gets boring, but I started to spot signs of stagnation. What better way to become a better writer than in the creative field of advertising?
After nearly two years at Hunterlodge, I’m proud of what the content department has become.
We’re a team of three with different backgrounds and different skills, meaning that when we pool our expertise, the work usually covers all bases. I think we make content fun for clients, too, because we’re all really passionate about the work itself.
Being able to write clear and concise copy sometimes feels like a superpower.
Lord knows it was a hard-won skill. The challenge at Hunterlodge is moving away from reportage to copy that reflects a specific tone of voice, whether for an aspirational content campaign for higher education or brand guidelines in a pitch document, which I’ve worked on a number of now.
The next content service we’re trailing is video podcasting on Riverside.
The great thing about Riverside is that it records your camera locally and then uploads the HD video content to the cloud, meaning you don’t have to worry about the compression you get on channels like Zoom—it also means you don’t have to worry about connection. For lots of articles, I’m interviewing people anyway. Riverside offers a great, cheap way of getting high-quality video for clients.
When I think of advertising, it’s hard not to think of Mad Men.
You put your feet on the desk, shoot some ideas around and then strike gold over a whiskey. The reality isn’t quite as glamorous. You need to come up with creative ideas on demand, and that can be challenging. I’m finding that if you can get something down on paper, usually the bad ideas slip away and you’re left with that eureka moment days later probably in bed in that phase between being asleep and awake.
What’s coming down the road for ad copy?
The rise of large language models like ChatGPT means that there’s a lot of generated content out there now. An estimate from European law enforcement group Europol expects that nearly 90% of online copy will by synthetic by 2026. By 2026! For me, this just means having a distinct voice is going to become more valuable, but it does make me wonder about where writers of the future are going to come from.
If, like Michael, you have a passion for copywriting or content creation and would like us to help with your next project, get in touch with nick.friend@hunterlodge.co.uk
