Greater dignity for copywriters

 
Training Maurice Codourey is working with the Swiss Advertising Association to obtain a specialist certificate for copywriters.  
"Become a writer for toothpaste and birdseed" was the recent call in advertisements from the agency network Scholz & Friends. The industry is on the lookout for young talent with strong words, because the demand for formulation artists is currently greater than ever. But where can copywriters be found when there are none? Unlike creative professions, training to become a copywriter is not regulated. There are no schools in Switzerland that teach you the craft. The agencies have to take the training into their own hands. Copywriting is a vocation, not a profession. Since there is no federally recognized training, it is difficult to get started. It is a Darwinian profession. If you convince an agency with your talent, you can write brochures and later perhaps even design headlines for campaigns. In Switzerland, the ADC/BSW creative school has so far been the only school-based training option for learning the basics of copywriting. However, you had to have proven yourself in a larger agency beforehand.
Copywriting for everyoneThe profession of copywriter should now be open to everyone. At least that is what Maurice Codourey is aiming for. The owner of the Fish Wishion agency wants to make copywriting a recognized profession with a specialist certificate. In December, a sponsoring body, which includes the Swiss Advertising Association, the copywriting association Script, the cantonal vocational school for further education EB Zurich and the Fédération romande de publicité et de communication (FRP), applied in Bern for a federal certificate with the title "Fachfrau/ Fachmann Text und Konzept".
"Our aim is to create solid basic training for copywriters," says Maurice Codourey. When asked by Werbewoche, Swiss advertising agencies confirmed that there is a need for trained copywriters. The basic tenor of the agency bosses is that there is currently a lack of good people with industry experience. Maurice Codourey estimates that there is an annual demand for 100 to 150 copywriters throughout Switzerland. Not only agencies, but also larger companies are increasingly looking for copywriters. In order for the Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology in Bern to approve the certificate, at least 80 people must register for the exam each year.
ADC President Jean-Etienne Aebi confirms that copywriting training is neglected in Switzerland: "Every effort to strengthen the copywriting profession should be taken seriously." Aebi attests that word artists in the country generally score well when ADC-ready ideas or headlines are in demand. However, the work of a copywriter is not limited to writing snappy advertising slogans. A copywriter must also be able to write brochures for a wide range of industries. "I clearly see a need to catch up here," says Aebi.
Training on the jobAlexander Jaggy, Head of Creative at Jung von Matt Limmat, is also in favour of efforts to establish a recognized certificate for copywriters. "When I started out, I only had one book by Robert Stalder," recalls Jaggy. He is therefore calling for an easier entry into the profession. A specialist certificate is a first step in this direction. This would only benefit the agencies if they knew in future what the candidates already had in terms of skills and basic knowledge. The creative director believes there is a chance of success if the training is practical: "There is no cure for copywriting practice. You just have to practise, practise and practise again." Alexander Jaggy also wants to promote copywriting training at the ADC/BSW creative school. A new course is currently being launched.
Codourey's efforts are therefore going in the right direction for the industry. The Freiburg native has not reported any resistance to a copywriting certificate. He says that the industry had conducted a series of preliminary soundings and had not received any negative reactions. Once the vocational experts at OPET have developed the examination and implementation regulations, Codourey plans to run a copywriting course at the cantonal vocational school for further education EB Zurich, a slimmed-down version of which can already be attended today. "The copywriting practitioner course can be considered a forerunner," says Codourey. However, the 128-lesson course is more of a quick fix. Codourey: "In the course, we emphasize teaching the basics and simple methods so that participants can better understand their work and sell it later." Provided everything runs smoothly at the BBT, Codourey intends to offer the course, which runs under
"The way it is now would not be enough for a specialist certificate. "Christian Lüscher