"I hope for more members in the French-speaking part of Switzerland and in Ticino"
Odile Nerfin, script president, on new services offered by the copywriters' association
Odile Nerfin, script president, on new services offered by the copywriters' associationNext year, the Swiss Copywriters' Association, founded in 1982, will rebrand itself as script. With a more modern image, President Odile Nerfin wants to appeal more to younger copywriters. An equally freshly designed website at www.scriptweb.ch offers them various services, including job placement for freelance copywriters and translators.Why does the copywriters' association want to rebrand itself as script?
Odile Nerfin: The job description of a copywriter has changed a lot in the last ten years. So our appearance no longer corresponded to what today's copywriters need. Moreover, in addition to advertising, we also want to address the areas of PR and corporate journalism in the future. And no longer just in or around Zurich, but throughout Switzerland, including Welschland and Ticino.
How many members are currently organized in the association?
Nerfin: We now have around a hundred members and of course hope that this number will increase significantly thanks to our new activities. Already in the fall, we organized a large advertising campaign in Welsh-speaking Switzerland and Ticino. It should show first results from January on.
Why should a copywriter become a member of this association?
Nerfin: Most of the copywriters registered with us are self-employed. They need support in the form of a network. Our search engine, which we plan to offer starting in January, can be a valuable help. This will enable potential clients to find the ideal copywriter for their needs, and self-employed copywriters will be able to get jobs. We also plan to offer support in the area of copyright. In addition, the association will promote exchange among members with a web forum. Finally, we also want to communicate various events and training opportunities via our website.
All communication is now electronic only?
Nerfin: Yes, this innovation works from January 1, 2001, simultaneously with the conversion to script. In recent years, we published a bulletin that was sent out about five times a year. Now all communication is handled virtually via www.scriptweb.ch or the e-mail address kontakt@ scriptweb.ch. This way we are always up to date.
Until now, your members have mainly been self-employed copywriters. To what extent do you also want to address agency people in the future?
Nerfin: These are also part of the target group and are of course very welcome. But I think that copywriters in an agency are already appropriately organized and embedded in their workplace. Such copywriters are confronted with different problems than copywriters who work independently. On the other hand, our training opportunities should also be interesting for agency copywriters.
What kind of training opportunities will you specifically organize?
Nerfin: Various events are already planned. We are offering a workshop on copyright in January. Another workshop will deal with online publishing.
Does script also offer help with financial negotiations?
Nerfin: Yes, we have a list of fee recommendations that is continually updated.
Do clients adhere to these requirements?
Nerfin: The recommendations certainly help copywriters sell themselves better. For me personally, anyway, it works.
In which areas do copywriters organized at script work?
Nerfin: Our members are active in the fields of public relations, advertising and corporate journalism, from customer magazines to instruction manuals. In advertising, it's a matter of both rewriting advertising copy and adapting texts for various media or - very importantly - translating them in terms of advertising copy rather than purely literary.
You come from the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Do you work primarily as a translator?
Nerfin: I create French advertising copy, adapt marketing copy, and currently mainly copywrite websites. That's the trend at the moment. There is also a great need for work here.
What about the competition: In your opinion, are there too few or too many copywriters? What does the job market look like?
Nerfin: The job opportunities have been good for a long time. The demand is even increasing.
Under what conditions can a copywriter be newly admitted to the association?
Nerfin: All are welcome who can identify with our goals. He or she can appear on our website for a modest fee. The admission requirements are somewhat tougher if one wants to be entered in the professional register. The addition member script BR should become a seal of quality. There is an examination for this quality mark. Candidates must submit six work samples and have at least two years of professional experience.
What motivated you to take on the presidency of the copywriters' association?
Nerfin: My hope was that the association might benefit from the fact that I am not Swiss-German, not yet fifty years old, and not a man. In other words, the association wants to open up to new members.
Are there many women already?
Nerfin: Currently, about a third are female copywriters.
What are your personal association goals as president?
Nerfin: I hope for more members in French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino. With the ulterior motive that it no longer scares a Zurich person so much to send an e-mail in French. Also our homepage will be quadrilingual from January, including English. The construction of this homepage is currently the most important task in the board. The platform, which is to become an even more attractive forum for our job placement, already counts around 2500 hits per week. Here, all interested copywriters or translators can present themselves in a portrait. This opportunity for presentation is rated as very efficient by our members. Interview: Andreas Panzeri
Odile Nerfin: The job description of a copywriter has changed a lot in the last ten years. So our appearance no longer corresponded to what today's copywriters need. Moreover, in addition to advertising, we also want to address the areas of PR and corporate journalism in the future. And no longer just in or around Zurich, but throughout Switzerland, including Welschland and Ticino.
How many members are currently organized in the association?
Nerfin: We now have around a hundred members and of course hope that this number will increase significantly thanks to our new activities. Already in the fall, we organized a large advertising campaign in Welsh-speaking Switzerland and Ticino. It should show first results from January on.
Why should a copywriter become a member of this association?
Nerfin: Most of the copywriters registered with us are self-employed. They need support in the form of a network. Our search engine, which we plan to offer starting in January, can be a valuable help. This will enable potential clients to find the ideal copywriter for their needs, and self-employed copywriters will be able to get jobs. We also plan to offer support in the area of copyright. In addition, the association will promote exchange among members with a web forum. Finally, we also want to communicate various events and training opportunities via our website.
All communication is now electronic only?
Nerfin: Yes, this innovation works from January 1, 2001, simultaneously with the conversion to script. In recent years, we published a bulletin that was sent out about five times a year. Now all communication is handled virtually via www.scriptweb.ch or the e-mail address kontakt@ scriptweb.ch. This way we are always up to date.
Until now, your members have mainly been self-employed copywriters. To what extent do you also want to address agency people in the future?
Nerfin: These are also part of the target group and are of course very welcome. But I think that copywriters in an agency are already appropriately organized and embedded in their workplace. Such copywriters are confronted with different problems than copywriters who work independently. On the other hand, our training opportunities should also be interesting for agency copywriters.
What kind of training opportunities will you specifically organize?
Nerfin: Various events are already planned. We are offering a workshop on copyright in January. Another workshop will deal with online publishing.
Does script also offer help with financial negotiations?
Nerfin: Yes, we have a list of fee recommendations that is continually updated.
Do clients adhere to these requirements?
Nerfin: The recommendations certainly help copywriters sell themselves better. For me personally, anyway, it works.
In which areas do copywriters organized at script work?
Nerfin: Our members are active in the fields of public relations, advertising and corporate journalism, from customer magazines to instruction manuals. In advertising, it's a matter of both rewriting advertising copy and adapting texts for various media or - very importantly - translating them in terms of advertising copy rather than purely literary.
You come from the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Do you work primarily as a translator?
Nerfin: I create French advertising copy, adapt marketing copy, and currently mainly copywrite websites. That's the trend at the moment. There is also a great need for work here.
What about the competition: In your opinion, are there too few or too many copywriters? What does the job market look like?
Nerfin: The job opportunities have been good for a long time. The demand is even increasing.
Under what conditions can a copywriter be newly admitted to the association?
Nerfin: All are welcome who can identify with our goals. He or she can appear on our website for a modest fee. The admission requirements are somewhat tougher if one wants to be entered in the professional register. The addition member script BR should become a seal of quality. There is an examination for this quality mark. Candidates must submit six work samples and have at least two years of professional experience.
What motivated you to take on the presidency of the copywriters' association?
Nerfin: My hope was that the association might benefit from the fact that I am not Swiss-German, not yet fifty years old, and not a man. In other words, the association wants to open up to new members.
Are there many women already?
Nerfin: Currently, about a third are female copywriters.
What are your personal association goals as president?
Nerfin: I hope for more members in French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino. With the ulterior motive that it no longer scares a Zurich person so much to send an e-mail in French. Also our homepage will be quadrilingual from January, including English. The construction of this homepage is currently the most important task in the board. The platform, which is to become an even more attractive forum for our job placement, already counts around 2500 hits per week. Here, all interested copywriters or translators can present themselves in a portrait. This opportunity for presentation is rated as very efficient by our members. Interview: Andreas Panzeri
