What book are you taking on your summer holidays? Mike Reed I’ll be taking Light, by M John Harrison, which...
Target audiences, guerilla marketing, brand territory… should marketers be worried about using so many military metaphors? It feels a bit...
How important is it to have a writing outlet other than commercial work? John Simmons Vital. It’s very easy to...
Should foreign language entries be accepted in D&AD Writing For Design? Tim Rich No tengo ni idea como los altavoces...
What typeface do you prefer to write in and why? Jim Davies, totalcontent Helvetica 45 Light. Knowing the designers I...
More companies, including McDonald’s, are being moved to verse to advertise their products. Is this a welcome development? Stuart Delves...
Do we still need ‘correct’ spelling? Martin Lee It’s preferable, but we probably need mutual tolerance of shortcomings more. John...
Is it possible to write brilliant copy for a brand you hate? Roger Horberry No. I don’t care how professional...
Whose line is it anyway? When does ‘borrowing’ become plagiarism? Roger Horberry, Alp Associates “It’s not where you take things...
‘What’s the perfect stocking filler for the business writer about town?’ Roger Horberry, Alp Associates Sorry to be so obvious,...
What’s the most essential reference work on the commercial writer’s bookshelf? Mike Reed, Reed Words Mine are largely the obvious...
What advice would you give to a young graduate starting out in copywriting? Fiona Thompson I’d start by making friends...
Writing awards: are there enough of them and do they mean anything anyway? Martin Lee, Acacia Avenue There’s definitely a...
Punctuation. A writer’s best friend or creative straightjacket? Martin Lee, Acacia Avenue To me, punctuation marks are like extra letters...
Tone of voice: valuable business commodity or meaningless buzzphrase? Chris Bird, Word Bird Ben & Jerry, those chunky monkeys, were...
What is your favourite children’s book? The Possum that Didn’t by Frank Tashlin Frank was a cartoon animator for Warner...
Which defunct brand do you most miss, and why? I seriously miss Woollies… and suspect many do but are too...
‘Do you have an adjective better than merry for Christmas?’ John Simmons ‘Uneventful’ would suit me fine. After my soap...
Is the standard of business writing higher today than it was five years ago? Nick Asbury I think there’s undoubtedly...
Does social media pose a threat to copywriters’ livelihoods? Roger Horberry By definition no. Bloggers don’t write brochures and so...
Are brands (and brand writing) responsible for over-consumption? If so, what should be done about it? James Hogwood Unquestionably there...
Every year, copywriters go all cheesy at Christmas. Please share some of your stinkiest seasonal lines with us. Mike Reed,...
What’s the strangest place you’ve ever ‘done it’? (Business writing, that is.) Rishi Dastidar The National Maritime Museum, writing slogans...
There were no digital entries in the 2009 D&AD Awards Writing for Design category. How do you account for this,...
From a professional wordsmithing point of view, what would be your dream project? Tim Rich Last year I finished leading...
Which sporting manager would do best in the business world – and why? John Simmons Obviously, I’d say Arsene Wenger....
Gadgets and gizmos: which pieces of technology most benefit your life as a writer? Fiona Thompson I love my Griffin...
Could you forgive a great campaign idea if it was badly written? Roger Horberry, Alp Associates No. In fact I...
Hampstead or Harrogate? Leeds or Land’s End? Bristol or Belfast? Where’s the best place for a writer to ply their...
Plain English – good business practice or just plain boring? Lindsay Camp, writer and author of ‘Can I Change Your...
Which literary character would you most like to go on holiday with? Roger Horberry: Eeyore would be perfect for the...
A semi-regular vox-pop feature in which 26 members voice their opinions on the ‘hot’ topics of the day… This month:...
Business language is a rich breeding ground for new buzzwords and phrases. What’s the best or worst you’ve come across...
Can you work with background music? And if so, what’s your pleasure? Nick Asbury I can’t, much as I’d like...
Emoticons: a useful addition to the written language, or a threat to writing as we know it? :-0 Mike Reed...
The colour of 2010, according to Pantone, is 15-5519 Turquoise. But what would be your word of the year? Martin...
Is it a good thing for copywriters to have their own distinctive writing style? Jim Davies We’re supposed to be...
How do you go about unblocking writer’s block? Fiona Thompson The best way to cure writer’s block is to have...
Copy by committee – is there any place for teamwork in writing? Matthew McCracken You can tell when something’s been...
‘In these straitened economic times, what will you be cutting back on?’ Tom Lynham Crates of Bollinger, the Roller will...
Most 26 members are in the business of using language as a persuasive tool. What lessons (if any) can we...
How useful is an English degree for a career in business writing? John Simmons I’ve got an English degree and...
Even if they were paying top dollar, who wouldn’t you work for? Heather Atchison Even if they were paying me...
Abused and over-used. In the context of business writing, what words or phrases really annoy you? Simon Caulkin, The Observer...
Predicting the year ahead in Design Week, John Allert of Interbrand wrote: “Design can no longer be defined by the...