Flowers & Pearls: Batman, is that you?

Copywriters often work away in relative silence. They type. They click. They type some more. They yawn. They type. So far, so unspectacular.

Things get much more exciting after work—just like Batman, who really gets down to business—literally—once official working hours are over. Because language, just like the criminal forces in Gotham City, never takes a break: writing, speaking, reading, listening, and thinking happen almost constantly, and so copywriters are constantly confronted with the depths of human communication. That’s why they suffer particularly badly from their “deformation professionelle” and its admittedly somewhat irritating symptoms. Here’s an example of what the end of the workday looks like from a copywriter’s perspective:

· You MUST come up with better versions in your head for every single claim and headline—whether on the street, on the bus, online, at the movies, in ads, while shopping, etc. Really, every single one. Always. That’s why you regularly fail to follow along with ongoing conversations and come across as arrogant or autistic.

· Every time I hear the words «holistic,» «sustainable,» or «together,» I get an uncontrollable twitch in my eye and feel nauseous (everyone else thinks it’s because of the alcohol).

· If there are too many repeated words in conversations you overhear: The same thing.

· Biting your lip, smiling, and nodding because someone said something that was completely absurd or unintentionally funny. And be seen as arrogant or autistic because, when asked what’s so funny, you just answer «nothing» while struggling to hold back a burst of laughter.

· While in the bathroom, read through every bit of packaging on the products sitting around, spend way too long mulling over the wording—all the while, of course, coming up with better versions in my head—and keep others waiting for ages. Only to then go and share those irrelevant insights with them.

· When asked whether copywriters are even needed anymore because of AI, they reply: “Why don’t you ask the AI?” They are then rightly considered arrogant or autistic.

· Correcting other people, even when you haven't been asked to. And causing bad feelings in the process.

· Don't correct other people unless you're asked to. Otherwise, you'll be confronted later with questions about why you didn't say anything. Which also creates a bad atmosphere.

· When someone proudly mentions their child's name, say, «Oh, that would also be a good name for a laundry detergent.».

· Getting annoyed—even by phishing emails—because they’re obviously not written professionally. Getting even more annoyed that they still seem to work, and seeing this as a sure sign of the decline of Western civilization. Which it is.

Completely exhausted, you collapse into bed—Batman cape and all—only to go back to typing incognito the next day. Grab something to drink, type. «Oh, not much,» you reply when someone asks about last night, yawning as you do so. Click. And type.

Analyzed since 2025 Sarah Pally In her column "Blossoms and Pearls", she uses industry-related terms and comments on them with a personal touch, from a linguistic perspective - as well as with a precise view of developments in the industry. Pally is a partner in the Partner & Partner agency in Winterthur. She has been working in the fields of content marketing, text/concept and storytelling in the communications and marketing sector for 15 years.