Posts

The Grumpy Old Copywriter: You Kids Wouldn’t Know ‘Legendary’ If It Slapped You in the Face

When I was breaking into the business back in the early 1900s, copywriters were taught to choose their adjectives with care. For example, when writing a radio ad for Dr. Bush’s Kumyss Sparkling Milk in 1922, I spent two-and-a-half hours debating whether to describe it as “delectable” or “luscious.” Somewhere along the way — probably […]

The Grumpy Old Copywriter: Let’s Cut Back on All This ‘Curated’ Nonsense

Back in the day — dare I say, the good old days — only two things were curated: museum exhibits and ham. Oh, how times have changed. One of my fondest childhood memories is sitting with my family around the dinner table, as Dad carved away and placed a generous serving of curated ham on […]

Rather Than Getting Your Freak on, May I Suggest Getting Your Gruel On?

If you’re an astute observer of the advertising industry, you may have noticed a recent trend. From sneaker manufacturers to churches to Pilates studios, everyone seems to be urging us to “Get Your [something] On.” For example: Get Your Boogie On Get Your Cheer On Get Your Snooki On (note: I do not know what […]

The Grumpy Old Copywriter: Feeling Overloaded by Customer Surveys

Here’s a guest blog post from Thaddeus Van Haltren, who founded The Hired Pens in 1931 and now serves as our senior copywriter emeritus. His current accounts include Richardson & Robbins Plum Pudding and Heinz Mince Meat. I hear plenty of whining from recent college graduates these days. Seems many of them are having a […]

The Grumpy Old Copywriter: No, I Won’t Be Your “Friend”

Here’s a guest blog post from Thaddeus Van Haltren, who founded The Hired Pens in 1931 and now serves as our senior copywriter emeritus. His current accounts include Lux Detergent and Aunt Mildred’s Clam Juice Cocktail. Back in my pre-copywriting days, I played the wash-board in a musical outfit known as Peanut McGee & the […]

The Grumpy Old Copywriter: “Got a Scintilla of Originality?”

We’ll be honest: With Anna out on maternity leave, we’ve decided to dig into our newsletter archive to keep our blog fresh. Here’s a piece from a good friend of ours, the Grumpy Old Copywriter. Enjoy. Since its inception in 1993, the “got milk?” ad campaign has helped reinvigorate milk sales and indirectly led to […]