Design vs. Copy — Through the Eyes of Two Creatives
Ads are all around us. When you walk down the street, look at your phone or wait for the next U-Bahn. In this interview, you’ll find out more about the duo behind it.
They belong together like salt and pepper, or perhaps more accurately, like pen and paper. You guessed it — copywriter and designer. A beautiful design would be nothing without the copy (aka cherry) on top — and vice versa. In order to find out more about their collaboration, I met with Bee (Senior Copywriter) and Fernanda (Senior Graphic Designer) to talk to them about their work experience.
What’s the first thing you look at when you see an ad?
FERNANDA: Imagery. That’s the first thing I notice. Especially those with people that are relatable and fun. For example the ones of dating apps or food delivery services.
BEE: I was going to say copy but then again I’m not sure if it’s just the copywriter in me saying that. Of course, I read the copy and spend a lot of time thinking “Does that sound good?” but probably the first thing I notice is also the visuals.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
FERNANDA: Exhibitions, photography, and fashion advertising. I see a lot of cool things on Instagram for example. For work inspiration, I like Pinterest as well.
BEE: Probably social media for me as well, and other companies online. I subscribe to a lot of newsletters and follow the companies that I like on social media, so I often see a cool email or social post and try to think of how I could do something similar. Also, other team members’ work. There have been times when I translated a German copy and thought: “I should say that instead” because the idea was stronger. I also like to take notes on my phone whenever I see clever phrasing in an ad somewhere.
What are some challenges when working with design/copy?
BEE: Maybe when the copy is not understood as its own entity. Of course, designers question copy to various degrees and see how it makes sense with their design, but understanding copy and design as cohesive elements working together is easier said than done. In the end, we need to make sure there’s harmony between the two.
FERNANDA: When the workflow is too templatised, it sometimes makes it challenging to break the recipe — even though that’s needed to come up with even better ideas. When we work together on a project, I love us both to be involved from the start, e.g. through brainstorming sessions.
BEE: I think it also depends on the extent of the project. For bigger campaigns, you get to go beyond ‘just designer’ and ‘just copywriter’ and come together as two creative strategists, while for smaller requests we can’t always afford to spend so much time and that’s where the divide (of workstream) happens more.
When working together on a project — who starts?
BEE: That depends. In my experience working on campaigns, usually, the designers would have an idea early on, and I would connect with them and get inspired by their early-stage work. With other projects, it’s me getting a head start on the copy first, sharing my initial drafts with the designers, and then it becomes more collaborative from there. Of course, there are always changes and adjustments depending on as we collaborate and combine our work.
FERNANDA: In my previous experience in advertising, I had always worked in tandem, meaning you work together from start to finish. That way you automatically create a strong relationship and creativity can flow in such a nice rhythm.
Name one thing that makes an asset successful!
BEE: Balance. The balance between colour choices, extra details, the amount of copy to space, and the messaging hierarchy. It shouldn’t be too colourful, the copy shouldn’t take over, and the text shouldn’t be too aggressive.
FERNANDA: It has to convince me quickly. It can’t be too long, too complicated. Ads are not something that we are looking for, so it really has to be something that immediately gets your attention, engages you, and goes straight to the message.
BEE: Agreed, I shouldn’t have to try and figure out for several seconds what you’re selling to me.
What’s the most important copy element?
FERNANDA: For online ads the CTA (Call to Action) but for offline ads I would say the logo. If I’m on the U-Bahn and I only have 30 seconds — did I get the brand or did I just look and think: “Oh, these are pretty colours”?
BEE: Simplicity. Even though I like to be very expressive, at Wayfair I’ve realised that a simple and direct message can be much more impactful than writing that reads like a poem!
FERNANDA: … and how challenging that is to make it sound new and fresh but still keep it simple. That’s why people make such a big deal about Nike’s tagline ‘Just do it.’
What does great teamwork mean for you?
FERNANDA: When everyone gets to have a voice, feels comfortable giving and receiving feedback, and is happy with the final result.
BEE: Pretty much the same for me: communication. And that covers multiple things from giving and receiving feedback, feeling comfortable enough to speak up in the group — even if you are less experienced — but also being able to say “I’m struggling with this, can I get some more support?” or “I would like us to try this idea, can we please give it a shot?”. That also means supporting each other and communicating when something went great like “Hey you did a nice job with this!” or “This is looking really good”.
What do you need from a copywriter/designer to get a project done?
BEE: Again, communication. Even though we have two different disciplines, we can still appreciate and understand each other’s work. We should never be afraid to give an opinion. Just because I’m not a designer, or you’re not a copywriter, it shouldn’t stop us from expressing our thoughts.
FERNANDA: Alignment and support. When I feel stuck it’s so helpful to just chat with the copywriter and think together with them about the design. I love these moments when you just get another perspective, and you don’t feel afraid of sharing work in progress. It’s like Bee said, it’s not like “I’m the designer that’s why I know better” — no. I’m stuck, and I’m not afraid to say “Hilfe!”.
One last piece of advice for designers/copywriters when working with each other?
BEE: Share work, brainstorm together, leave your ego behind, and don’t be afraid to ask someone for their opinion. We both have the same goals, the same brief, and the same challenges — let’s tackle them together!
FERNANDA: Get involved with the designer from the start, communicate your ideas, ask for screenshots and send inspirations — it’s always appreciated.
Copywriters and graphic designers will continue to play a major role in the world of marketing and advertising. While one convinces with their words, the other captivates with their design skills. Each of the two has its individual strengths. Yet, when both creative minds collide, learn from, and grow with each other, a real power duo can emerge.
