The Sequel

This blog has finished. To read the whole story, scroll to the bottom of the page and read upwards.

Here is the sequel:

English Copywriter

If you are looking for a freelance English copywriter click this link.

Fin

Around ten months ago I started this blog to help me find a full-time English copywriting position at a 4As agency in Hong Kong.

Now I am happy to say that my mission is over. I have reached Step Ten at last.

So yeah!

Today I begin my full-time contract at Ogilvy and Mather and I couldn’t ask for a better job at a better agency.

This blog documents what it is like trying to crack the big agencies here in Hong Kong.

To read about this rather bizarre mission from the beginning, click here.

This blog helped me enormously. Through it, I was able to reach the #1 spot in the world for both ‘Freelance English Copywriter’ and ‘English Copywriter’ on Google, and land on the radar of most of the Creative Directors in the city.

It has shown that a fairly untapped medium can act as an excellent (and free) advertising tool.

I don’t know what my next goal, or blog, will be. But to everyone that helped me along the way, thanks.

Swear Jar

Go Die Hoy

I need to make a trip to Macao this weekend.

When I return, I will have reached Step Ten!

English Copywriter Pick of the Week

I like this one.

The Luxury of Writers’ Block

There is a certain flow to ideas and writing.

Sometimes the ideas just come to you steadily. Sometimes you can sit down and just write and write.

It is all about practice. When you write five to ten ads a day, including letters, emails, posters, and scripts, the words just come to you out of nowhere. And you get rather tapped in.

This is a good thing, because copywriters don’t really have the luxury of writers’ block.

Cantonese 201

Deem ah – what do you want?

No ho sang yut gwa ju wahhn – You are not focusing on work

June sum deh – focus!

Joe gay doe-meh-yuen – work never ends

Dim sooon – What to do?

Sie see gan – Waste my time

Sie cheen – Waste money

Ho tow tong – Very head ache

Gow Cha – You make a mistake (what the heck?)

Mmm Gan Eeyou - It doesn’t matter

Do tsey Thank you for the ‘gift’

Mm Goi – Thanks for the service

Li Taaht – In trouble, in the tart

Sick fawn – Bon Apetit

Lie Bie – Weekend

Bye Bye - Goodbye

Teen hey ho – The weather is fine

Ho Die You – Raining Heavily

Hug Ma ma – Very black sky

Toy fung - Typhoon

Ho gow seeu – very funny

Joe Wong Jone Sum – Center building

Ho Leh – Great

Say seen – Deadline

Cho how – foul language

So ma fa – troublesome

Ho bow – I’m full

Say! – Snake

A sick toe mon yah! – You know Cantonese

Toe mon – Cantonese

Ho Ho Meh – Very very good

Mongoh - Mango

Um seh dat ley – I’ll be missing you

Noh Yet Sun Gan Fan-lie – I’ll be right back

Putting a Face to a Brand

As an individual, online networks like Facebook are a good place to build a brand.

But I don’t know of any major brands actively tapped into this phenomenon.

Ironically enough, as the world gets more and more digital, there has never been a better time to give a brand a human face.

Freelance Copywriter Pick of the Week

A great concept for an ad:

The World's Most Interesting Man

Your 24/7 Copywriter

Copywriting is not the kind of job that you can leave at the office. You are constantly thinking about ideas. As a problem-solving kinda guy, I like to have projects on the go, and being in a problem-solution industry – it’s a good match.

Either way, I’m constantly ‘on’.

This is okay for me, because I like what I do (it’s a good thing I’m not a mortician).

It is amazing how many ads I’ve come up with just as I wake up. Even in my dreams I’m working. Good job brain!

It does make it a bit hard to sleep though…