Long Copy

I'm a bit of a sucker for long copy press ads. It's a bit of a double-edged sword because they're so hard to write and more often than not they end up being terrible ads that no-one will read. I've tried, and failed, several times to write nice long copy ads and it really is an art in itself, a very difficult and skillful art. Get it right and it's fantastic, get it wrong and it's a disaster.

I can't quite say exactly why I love them but when they're done correctly they're some of the best ads you'll see. Art direction is vitally important too, there's no point in having stunning copy if it looks like something your granny threw together in Microsoft Word.

These two ads do a pretty great job of combining great copy with great art direction, and are good examples of why I like long copy so much. They're a both a few years old. Click on either ad to see a larger version. I particularly like the excellent art direction in the Sky Arts ad.

Sky Arts TV Channel


Tate Britain Exhibition