Hail to the Copywriters

Marketing copy just doesn’t write itself. (Nor do plays, movies, or Netflix shows, but that’s another blog for another day.) But even as a creative with a pretty good deal of writing experience under my belt, sometimes I forget that.

The other night a Chevy truck ad interrupted one of the few TV shows I watch any longer, and the turns of phrase of the narrator stood out — so much so, that I immediately (and out loud, to my wife’s annoyance) credited the writer. (You can watch the ad at the end of the post.)

Chevy, like all pickup truck manufacturers, want consumers to feel like their brand is perfect for them — the real person. And, they acknowledge that, while pickup trucks still haul bales of hay and sheets of plywood, they are just as likely to be used as carpool vehicles or for grocery runs. So the way this copy flows, and the juxtaposition in each phrase, really works for me:

“It’s the official truck of calloused hands … and elbow grease.

It’s the official truck of getting TO work … and getting to WORK.

Of late nights … and date nights. 

It’s the official truck of homecoming … and coming home.

It’s the official truck of real people.”

Whether the commercial will sell more trucks is another story, as folks seem to have some pretty strong opinion about the way the new Silverado looks. But, from a creative standpoint, and from a strategy standpoint, the writers have done their job well. (Finding credits for ads like this in advance of awards season is a bit challenging, but it looks like Dan Marvin and Dave Muller of Commonwealth/McCann deserve the kudos, based on a little internet sleuthing. Let me know if any of you find I’ve gotten that wrong.)

So here’s to all the copywriters out there — the pickup-driving kind, the VW Jetta-driving kind, and all the kinds in between.

https://youtu.be/lv6ODdRA7Og