Welcome to the Copywriting Course at SA Writers' College.
There are lots of opportunities for copywriters to find work, whether it involves working for an advertising agency, working in-house directly for a client or freelancing on a variety of different projects. It is the aim of this course to provide a platform of basic skills and understanding which can be applied by anyone who is involved in creating advertising communication for any marketing purpose.
This 8-module course will help you:
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Develop techniques for generating focused ideas
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Develop your writing skills to become an effective communicator
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Understand your target audience more carefully
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Focus your sales message
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Write in a way that connects with customers
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Develop advertising communication that makes a direct impact on sales or business opportunities
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Understand how to write for different media
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Understand the context of your message in the marketplace
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Think visually and laterally
The Copywriting course is for anyone:
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who is interested in becoming involved in the advertising industry,
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who would like to find out more about the skills required to become a successful copywriter,
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who is involved in the writing or development of advertising communication for a particular product or service,
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who is involved in the process of generating communication ideas,
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who would like to focus their writing skills to create more effective advertising material.
Course Details:
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Modules: 8 Modules
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Duration: Course can be completed at own pace: within nine months
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Start date: At any time; applications all year round via our website
Student must complete:
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8 assignments for assessment and feedback ranging from Print ads, copy and campaigns.
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There is a skype session option available for this course from module 3. More... |
Admission Requirements:
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Basic writing skills are essential
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Computer skills, e-mail and Internet access required
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No previous tertiary qualification required
Tutor for this course :
Mandy Speechly
Course Curriculum
Module 1 - Introduction to copywriting and a brief history
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What is copywriting?
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How does copywriting differ from other writing?
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Role of the copywriter in the advertising industry
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Role of the copywriter in general business
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A brief history of advertising and copywriting
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Exercise 1: Analyse a piece of existing advertising.
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Module 2 - Before the writing begins
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WHERE will the advertising appear?
Understanding different media applications.
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WHY is the advertising being done?
The Advertising Objective – The opportunity or problem which needs a solution.
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WHAT should the advertising be communicating?
The Strategy or selling message
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WHO is the advertising talking to?
The target market – understanding consumer insights and human truths
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Exercise 2: Write a creative brief that applies the thinking that needs to take place before the writing can begin.
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Module 3 - The importance of Big Ideas and how to get them
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What is a Big Idea - and why does all good advertising need one?
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General techniques for developing ideas
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Some ideas on how to get good advertising ideas
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The use of metaphors in advertising
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Exercise 3: Develop single-minded propositions and create a print ad which communicates one of these promises.
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Module 4 - Print Advertising - Writing effective headlines
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The principles of print advertising
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How to get started
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Tips on creating a print ad
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Headlines and visuals
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Exercise 4: Create a print ad which features a headline and visual working together in synergy.
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Module 5 - Print Advertising - Writing body copy
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How writing copy is (and isn't) like other kinds of writing
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The role of body copy in a print ad
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The structure of good body copy
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The voice of your copy
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Avoiding clichés and other practical tips on writing copy
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Payoff lines and slogans
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Exercise 5: Create a print ad which features a headline and body copy.
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Module 6- Writing for Radio
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Understanding the medium of radio
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Tips on developing ideas for radio
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Techniques on writing radio scripts
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The role of music and sound effects in creating radio commercials.
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The role of the voice artist
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Basic introduction to radio production
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Exercise 6: Write a script for a radio commercial.
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Module 7- Introduction to Integrated Advertising
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Current trends in how people interact with media
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The growth of alternative advertising tactics
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Introducing ambient media
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Tips on developing alternative media ideas
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Exercise 7: Create an ambient media idea
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Module 8- Integrated Advertising
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The principles of an integrated advertising campaign
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The importance of creating integrated communication
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Techniques for transferring an idea to different media
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Examples of integrated ideas
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How to evaluate your own ideas
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Summary of the course
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Exercise 8: Create a mini advertising campaign featuring three different media executions.
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How does the course work?
Detailed class notes covering the content of each module are e-mailed to students. At the end of each module, students will be required to complete an assignment.
Once the writing assignment has been completed and e-mailed to the tutor, an assessment and feedback will be sent to the student, and the module will be considered complete. The next module will then be e-mailed to the student.
Conditions of Certification:
Students will receive an SA Writers' College Certificate upon successful completion of the course, provided they meet the following conditions:
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Students must have completed all 8 assignments (7 individual media projects and one mini-campaign involving a minimum of three different media)
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The course must have been completed within nine months of registration.
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Students are expected to attain a minimum average of 50% for the course
Minimum Estimated Time Commitment:
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Reading time: 12 hours
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Writing time: 20 hours
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Researching time: 1 hour per project, depending on the topic involved.
