This week we primarily focused on Copyright, Marketing and Advertising. The skills I learnt were word choice and syntax, tone, style and voice, effective questioning and how to write attention grabbing headlines.

Word Choice and Syntax

Word Choice and Syntax is important within copyrighting because it can be the reason why someone reads or does not read your work. Word choice and syntax allows you to quickly grab your readers attention and also advertise and market a product or even another person effectively.

I learnt the skill of word choice and syntax in a task set by Greg. The task involved creating a website. My website was focused on the fashion industry. I learnt that word choice is important because it is what attracts or grabs your audiences attention.

I based my website around Bazaar UK. However I also incorporated different traits into my magazine such as travel. I primarily focused on picking out the perfect words in order to attract readers.

The home page of the website I created;

WordPress would not allow me to paste the home page so had to link it to a word document. The link to the document is below. My website was called WhoWoreWhat.

whoworewhat-home-page

Below is the two openings for the articles on the homepage. I copied them here so they are easier to read as the document is slightly blurry.

Kim Kardashian Robbery-

KIM KARDASHIAN HELD AT GUNPOINT IN PARIS ROBBERY

With a gun preventing her escape, reality star Kim Kardashian was gagged and locked in the bathroom whilst $9 million worth of jewellery was stolen during a home robbery in Paris. Well known star of American series ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’ has recently arrived back in New York after her Paris luxury apartment was broken into..

                                                                                                                         

Maldives piece-

THE LUXURIOUS ESCAPE YOU NEED!

Feeling tired? Bored of reality? Longing to just get away? Then the Maldives are the place for you!

Imagine yourself laying on the white sand, the beautiful blue tide peacefully hitting nearby rocks, the tall palm trees swaying elegantly in the gentle breeze.

                                                                                                           

 

Overall I think if I had been given a longer duration to complete the task I could have significantly improved the layout. I think the word choice for the Kim Kardashian article could have also been improved, in the future I would use the skill of word choice to almost tell a story in the opening words of the article this would intrigue the reader and convince them to read on. I also think that the Maldives article could be improved by using the skill of word choice. I would improve this by including more descriptive and persuasive vocabulary in order to convince the reader that the Maldives is the place for them.

The professional piece I used to learn the skill of word choice was an article from Bazaar UK. The article was written by Erica Gonzales and last updated on 29th September 2016.

The professional piece-

UPDATE 29/09: Kim Kardashian has reached out to French authorities to file a complaint against Vitalii Sediuk after he ambushed her in Paris, reports E! News.

ORIGINAL STORY 28/09: Kim Kardashian was just assaulted in the streets of Paris, a week after Gigi Hadid was picked up in the street in Milan. The reality star was walking from her car and passing by paparazzi when Vitalii Sediuk rushed out of the crowd and appeared to attempt to kiss her from behind.

Kardashian turned around in surprise, but kept walking as her bodyguards took the man down.

Sediuk is a “prankster” known for accosting celebrities at events. Last week, he grabbed 21-year-old Hadid and picked her up as she was walking to her car at Milan Fashion Week. (Though he’s shaved off his beard since then, he’s wearing the same hat and sunglasses for disguise.) He was quickly met with an elbow to the face, an action the model strongly defends.

His other stunts include kissing Miranda Kerr on the cheek at the Louis Vuitton show in 2015, attacking Brad Pitt at the premiere of Maleficent in 2014 (which got him arrested) and even tackling Kardashian on her way to the Balmain presentation at Paris Fashion Week that year.

Seduik attempted to justify his actions after grabbing Hadid last week, saying: “You can call it a manifest or a protest”. We’re far from convinced.

Gozales, E.(2016) Kim Kardashian was accosted at Paris Fashion Week by the same guy who grabbed Gigi Hadid. Available at: http://www.harpersbazaar.co.uk/fashion/fashion-news/news/a38131/kim-kardashian-nearly-assaulted-paris-fashion-week/ (Accessed: 5th October 2016)

After comparing my articles to the professional piece I think I need to use the skill of word choice and syntax more frequently throughout my writing. In the professional piece the article is imbedded within a wide range of descriptive language and vocabulary, in order to improve my writing I need to incorporate this style of writing into my pieces.

I also learnt the skill of word choice in a task in which we took Clichés and had to change words in them.

The clichés I used and changed were-

‘Avoid like the plague’

I changed this cliché too ‘Avoid like cats avoid dogs’

I wasn’t happy with this attempt at changing the cliché. I think that it does not entirely make sense, I think in the future I would improve this attempt by using the skill of word choice and syntax to come up with better words for the cliché and also by finding a way to make it flow.

‘Cat got your tounge’

Originally I changed this cliché to ‘Don’t be a scaredy cat’. However after a few minutes I realised that ‘Don’t be a scaredy cat’ is already its own popular cliché therefore I knew I had to change the cliché again using word choice and syntax. Second time around, I changed this cliché to ‘Don’t hold you own tounge’.

Again I was not entirely happy with this cliché. I think in the future I need to work on clichés by practising coming up with them and also by coming up with better words to use as substitutes when changing them. I think by using the skill of word choice and syntax I could improve my use of clichés as well as how well I write clichés.

 

Style and Voice-

Style and Voice is important in Copywriting because style and voice determines whether or not someone will take a interest in a piece of writing.

I learnt the skill of style and voice in a task set by Greg. The task involved writing an advertisement to sell the course I am taking. I learnt that the style I write this piece in and the voice I use to market the course has to be personal and persuasive in order to attract people to the course.

The piece I wrote;

PRINT AND JOURNALISM- THIS COURSE IS CALLING FOR YOU!

Always a had a love for writing? Always wanted to be a Journalist? Sick and tired of the 9 till 5 school routine? Then this course is made for you.

Print and Journalism is the perfect course for anyone with an interest in writing and anyone wanting a future in writing. The course at Canterbury College also allows you to escape school and stop being treated like a child. The teachers at Canterbury College treat you exactly how you should be treated, as a young adult! The courses are also part-time which gives you the opportunity to get out into the world and find time to work or carry out work experience to help you get that dream job in the future. Come down to an open day to learn more and take a step forward in your future.

I also looked at a professional piece from The Telegraph. The article is selling a holiday. It has no specific author and was published on 26th September 2016.

 The Professional piece-

A unique stay  

You could win a two-night luxury trip to Clare Island just off County Mayo, where you will enjoy a unique stay in a converted lighthouse.

Clare Island stands guard at the entrance to Clew Bay, off Ireland’s western Atlantic coast. For almost two centuries, the island’s lighthouse has been a nautical landmark perched high on the craggy cliffs, watching over Achill, Westport and beyond. Once a safe haven for sailors, this heritage property now offers sanctuary of a different kind. This architecturally majestic, listed building has been lovingly transformed into fully catered, luxury accommodation, complemented by magnificent sea views and an inspiring, natural environment.

With flights to Knock, transfer to Roonagh Pier where you will take a ferry across to the Island, breakfast and dinner each day, this will be an experience like no other.

The Telegraph.(2016) Win one of three incredible holidays on the island of Ireland. Available at:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/indulge-in-ireland/win-one-of-three-Ireland-holidays/?WT.mc_id=tmgspk_phgc_1442_Ammf3qMCsGXy&utm_source=tmgspk&utm_medium

=phgc&utm_content=1442&utm_campaign=tmgspk_phgc_1442_Ammf3qMCsGXy (Accessed: 5th October 2016)

In evaluation, after comparing my piece and the professional piece I think I need to make sure to sell the product rather than just try and persuade people to like it. In my piece I mainly use a persuasive style whereas the professional piece uses descriptive language as well as a persuasive style. I think in order to improve my writing I need to incorporate a descriptive style as well as the persuasive style into my copyrighting.

Effective Questions

I learnt the skill of effective questioning by carrying out Vox Pops. Vox pops are when you go out into the public eye and ask questions. I learnt the skill of effective questioning by coming up with a question to ask in my Vox Pops. I went around the college campus and asked people if they had a few minutes to answer some questions. I then used my phone to record peoples response to the question; later I turned this recording into a transcript.

Below is a transcript of my Vox pops.

Nicole, 22, Canterbury

Question: ‘What is your overall opinion on racism and discrimination?’

Answer: “I think the same applies really for that question. Its down to being a decent human being and it should never be an issue and um yeah hopefully we will stop here in the argument soon so it hopefully wont be relevant, that’s kind of what I hope for.”

Holly, 19, Canterbury

Question: ‘What is your overall opinion on racism and discrimination?’

Answer: “Yeah I just think yeah it shouldn’t be a thing like it something that we shouldn’t even be like thinking about but I think its become like a less,less issue.”

Greg, 47, Canterbury

Question: ‘What is your overall opinion on racism and discrimination?’

Answer: “My overall opinion on any racism is that I am appalled by it, I hate it and I think its one of the worst things still prevalent in society.”

Personally I think I could have gotten better answers to the question I asked. I think the answers were not as good as I had wished because he answer I asked was very versatile and brief this meant people could get away with only answering with a very short and impersonal response. Next time, I think I would come up with a more detailed question that will prompt people to answer with a longer response in order to gain more information for my research. I think by using the skill of effective questing into tis task I could have come up with better questions.

Attention grabbing headlines

Attention grabbing headlines are important in copywriting because they attract the reader. If you have a bad headline it is unlikely anyone will read the article. Potentially, you could have a really well written article or piece of writing but no one will read it because it has a bad headline. I learnt the skill of writing a good headline in a task set by Greg I which we had to write copyrighting pieces to sell the course we are taking and another piece to sell and market ourselves. I learnt the skill by almost being personal with my headlines, if you reference the reader such as by saying ‘you’ they will feel close to the article and therefore want to read on in the article.

The headlines I came up with were-

For the copyright piece in which I marketed the course I came up with this headline.

PRINT AND JOURNALISM- THIS COURSE IS CALLING FOR YOU!

For the copyright piece in which I had to market myself I came up with this headline.

HANNAH SPURLING- YOU WONT FIND ANYONE BETTER..

Personally, I preferred the headline I wrote about the course. I think the headline about the course is more exciting and attention grabbing whereas I feel that with the headline about myself the headline is almost boring, it has no kick to it and I almost find it quite bland and dull. In the future I would spend more time brainstorming different ideas in order to come up with the best possible headline I can. I would also use better word choice in my headlines, I could do this by using a thesaurus to broaden my use of vocabulary and therefore find words that are more exciting and grab my readers attention quickly and efficiently.