The Coarsening of Copywriting

 

I'm seeing a trend in recent sales letters, emails and newsletters lately. It's one I find rather disturbing.

 

What I'm talking about is this: Using coarse words and specific vulgarity in making marketing pitches, online advertising and ezines.

 

Words like "bullsh*t" or "sh*t" or "sucks" or phrases like "what the hell do you do" in an email subject header.

 

Yeah… I know that the better copywriters will always try and emulate the spoken word. But 'c'mon… give me a break. Is writing like a swearing stevedore really necessary?

(Whatever happened to using "@!&*$!" instead?)

 

Are you telling me that masters of their craft can't formulate clean-worded content anymore?

 

Or are they just selling out to the lowest base denominator, figuring using trash speech will pad the ole' pocket - so why not?

 

I have a different take on this. If a copywriter can't convince someone without resorting to depictions of bodily functions, sexual practices or just plain crudeness - they've past their prime. They've sold out - and are just in it for the free ride.

 

I refuse to use base and foul language in my writing. Not that I'm a prude. (Yo! Far from it. If the truth be known, I've forgotten more invective in the 2 languages I speak than most people will ever hear in their lifetime!)

 

But I won't have it in my client's copy. It not only cheapens them - it cheapens me. And that's something I won't abide or accept.

 

So, if you're looking for a copywriter who'll sprinkle off color phrases around like so much "p*ss on the pavement" - look elsewhere.

 

I'm not for you.

 

P.S.   This reminds me of something I read about a year or so ago. It was concerning a question of why the sudden rash of seeing people throwing up (in graphic detail no less) on TV. The answer? The viewing public was becoming so jaded to every other sort of banality shown, viewing live-action vomit was one of the few avenues of shock-value left to legally explore.

 

It's even reflected on the wide screen - where movies have to offer gorier and gorier screenplays just to hold someone's attention. Hey… rent the movie "Idiocracy" and see what's in store for us down the line. (But much sooner than that flick depicts!)

 

P.P.S.  ADDENDUM: Yet another "guru" has taken the low and easy path - Perry Marshall.

On April 18th I received an e-mail from him with the subject title as: The world is out to CASTRATE you. What's next? "How to slice and dice your d*ck?"

Geez... it's only gonna get worse, I fear.

 

P.P.P.S.  ADDENDUM 2: I received this ditty from ETR (Early To Rise). Take a look at the subject line (just follow the red arrow). Tell me, how rude, boorish and just plain crude can one get? Not to mention if any of their recipients are named "Ken" I'm sure they wouldn't find it very amusing.

I did send the author an email voicing my strong displeasure, but of "coarse" it went ignored...

 

 
 

P.P.P.P.S.  ADDENDUM 3: Hey! It's my good friends at ETR (Early To Rise) again. Yet another email subject line (just follow the red arrow) having coarse and vulgar overtones. (And BTW Charlie ... correct English would be: "These clowns get me..." NOT "These clowns gets me..." Sigh - even good copywriters make mistakes sometimes.