"You are the product." ~ Don Draper

June 29, 2012 8:28 AM

Depressed Copywriter [SLTumblr] "Every time I see an example of corporate happiness I can only see the reality of life. I can’t help myself anymore. I can’t stop rearranging their copy."
posted by Fizz (23 comments total)

Yes, another project I don't have to do myself! (I would go a bit more subtle, though.)

The depressed ones are probably the best; the cynical snipey ones with no direction less so.
posted by mrgrimm at 8:35 AM on June 29, 2012

I do this in my head already, especially with television commercials.
posted by Fizz at 8:40 AM on June 29, 2012

"Birthday Divorce" is my favorite Richard Yates short story.
posted by 2bucksplus at 8:49 AM on June 29, 2012

He's certainly not a fan of the Clarisonic, that's for sure.
posted by mippy at 9:06 AM on June 29, 2012

There isn't a copywriter or art director in the business who doesn't do this. It's what the business does to you.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:10 AM on June 29, 2012 [4 favorites]

I'm so glad I don't write copy anymore.
posted by slogger at 9:11 AM on June 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'm so glad I don't write copy anymore. and then his soul dies.
posted by Fizz at 9:18 AM on June 29, 2012 [2 favorites]

I don't always get boozy coked-up texts at 3AM, but when I do they're from friends who work in advertising.
posted by Blue Meanie at 9:27 AM on June 29, 2012 [7 favorites]

Why all the "he"s? I see no proof that this copywriter is a man.
posted by subbes at 10:05 AM on June 29, 2012

Correction: only 50% of the writers of the tumblog are male.
posted by subbes at 10:07 AM on June 29, 2012

Why does this wild rebel who has been pushed too far still remember to tag each picture with "Taken with Instagram"?
posted by benito.strauss at 10:22 AM on June 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

This one is definitely related to the John Travolta gay rumors/scandal.
posted by annsunny at 10:22 AM on June 29, 2012

Meh, what a waste of time. If you don't like adverts, turn them off or ignore them, or, better yet, create art.
posted by KokuRyu at 10:32 AM on June 29, 2012

Why does this wild rebel who has been pushed too far still remember to tag each picture with "Taken with Instagram"?


Instagram remembers for you if what it does to the pictures I send to flickr is any indication, anyhow. When flickr's the receiving service, it thoughtfully adds the tags "instagram app," the name of any filter applied, and the machine tag uploaded:by=instagram. Also "iphoneography," "square format," and "square."

I'm sure it's tagging stuff it sends to tumblr, too.
posted by mph at 10:37 AM on June 29, 2012

Wow, this tumblr and the "subversive" re-copywriting is actually pretty creepy.

1) I went back three pages and couldn't find your example. They all say "taken with instagram". How many pages did it take you to find a supposedly creepy one?

2) Aren't they kind of supposed to be creepy? Or to point out the creepiness of advertising that is relentlessly not only positive but "corporate" positive?
posted by DU at 10:41 AM on June 29, 2012

(Where "advertising" includes "stupid cliches in 'news'".)
posted by DU at 10:53 AM on June 29, 2012

You can't advertise prescription-only medicine in the UK (and there'd not be much point really - NHS prescriptions are written for the drug rather than the brand name, so most people will cash in one for 'fluoxetine', say, even if it says Prozac on the box; not great for brand recognition) so seeing ads for anti-depressants feels jarring to me. Especially because I don't want to think I'm being followed around by my sad dressing gown when I'm depressed.
posted by mippy at 12:00 PM on June 29, 2012

I can't decide whether to picture these being made by Pete Campbell or Roast Beef.
posted by Uther Bentrazor at 12:09 PM on June 29, 2012 [3 favorites]

Pete Campbell wants to make these but hates himself because he's not self-aware or articulate enough. Instead let's picture Roast Beef as Peggy's new hire at SCDP.
posted by bleep at 12:18 PM on June 29, 2012 [2 favorites]

It takes a lot of self-destruction to accept lying to people for a living.

What are the careers that are not at all touched by advertising in some way?
posted by sweetkid at 12:33 PM on June 29, 2012 [2 favorites]

I don't always get boozy coked-up texts at 3AM, but when I do they're from friends who work in advertising.

Really? Because I'm always either at work or in bed by 10:30.
posted by functionequalsform at 3:06 PM on June 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

and so poorly executed too!
posted by the noob at 5:16 PM on June 29, 2012

I used to be a copywriter, oh hang on, no I didn't I have a fully functioning moral compass.
posted by fullerine at 11:42 PM on June 29, 2012