THE LOST ART OF COPYWRITING: The Economist

The Economist.

Back in the late 1980s, it was just a fairly popular weekly current affairs magazine with a business focus.

Then, in 1988 the advertising account landed with a London agency called Abbott Mead Vickers, and straight onto the desk of David Abbott.

He was the creative director and copywriter behind the influential and highly successful Sainsbury’s and Volvo campaigns.

He came up with the ‘White out of Red’ campaign, a series of short, witty, intelligent ads and posters that caught the attention of readers in seconds.

The proposition: want to be smarter and get ahead in business, your career and life? Read this magazine.

Within a few years, they’d won shed-loads of awards and become a byword for smart, playful, sophisticated copywriting.

As well as incredibly powerful and instantly recognisable branding. Often even without the brand name or logo.

(Now that’s a strong brand.)

They also worked like stink.

Between 1988 and 2001 alone, circulation rose 64% against a market decline of 20%, while subscriptions almost doubled.

They still capture your attention, make you smile and look fresh today.