The Copysmith

Studies have shown that people lean forward when they read online. It’s because they are actively seeking information. And that’s good news for your brand. You’ve got people’s attention, you just need to work not to lose it.

Love your audience. Meet them where they are and give them what they need. When people read online they are busy and easily distracted. So copy needs to be solution-focussed and to-the-point to keep users reading.

And like any other medium, web copy has to be written well. There is no such thing as generic ‘web-language’. What you say needs to identify with your readers, yet still be faithful to your brand’s tone-of-voice. Engage the reader with compelling lines. Answer their questions quickly. And display your values through the power of words.

: Musings from our Business trip to Saudi Arabia.

The Kingdom’s capital city seems poised for change – how will it strike the balance between conservative Muslim kingdom and inviting in the modern world?

GLITTERING URBAN SPRAWL Riyadh, a breathtaking view by night as seen from the geodesic Globe Restaurant at the top of Al Faisaliah tower.

SUBDUED OR DIGNIFIED? Modern Saudi women are required to wear the abaya, but not the headscarf – even though many still cover their hair. Although that women’s touch is largely absent in the culture, women are being engaged more and more in business and public debate: At Al Faisaliah Hotel, the elegant and contemporary South Wing has been designed by one of the Saudi princesses, newspapers earnestly discuss women’s rights issues, and driving into Riyadh you can’t ignore the sprawling 8 million m2 building site of the Princess Nora University for young women.

SWEET DREAMS. Nobody’s fool, Saudi Arabia has embraced the best of the western world, while rejecting the worst. Upmarket Riyadh indulges in the most exquisite 5-star cuisine. Here at Hotel Al Khozama, La Patisserie lays out an exquisite spread of Continental dainties.

SUFFUSED WITH LUXURY. At Al Faisaliah Hotel every tray comes with a single fresh rose – even a small pick me up for a tired writer.

SUPREME HOSPITALITY reigns at the centre of Saudi culture. The hotel reflects this by assigning guests complementary butlers who operate on 24-hour alert. The pinnacle of efficiency and professional conduct, these gentlemen can help with anything from wake-up calls to shopping, packing and bookings.

THE SECRET WORLD of Saudi Arabia seems to exist in another dimension. There is an almost unnerving calm, a relaxed pace, a feeling of safety that is rare in most parts of the world.

Women with beautiful flashing eyes laugh with their husbands and tend to their children. Starkly concealed in black, they bear their traditional garments with self-respect, rather than the indignity assumed by the west.

While the plazas and streets are splashed with sunlight, the modest culture seems to hide from it. Rather expressing itself in a more intimate way, retreating indoors for personal pursuits and comforts.

And indeed Saudi Arabians have retreated from the prying eyes of the non-Muslim world. But with astonishing plans for the future – The Kingdom eyes a $20 billion income from tourism by 2020 – the new Saudis, sunny and young at heart, seem willing to reveal their mysteries to the globe. And daring enough to make it happen – here in Riyadh, new hotels rise despite the economic downturn.

Brave plans to lure in the tourists include plans for a $13 billion tourist city and the largest eco-tourism park in the Middle East. Blessed with more than oil, Saudi Arabia’s unspoilt and ‘unseen’ landscape teems with wildlife, kilometres of pristine coastline and undulating desertscapes. Add to that bustling cities, luxurious hotels and spas to rival any world destination, and The Kingdom promises to be the next must-do tourist frontier.

Just thought we’d post a pic to prove we smithies do scrub up nicely. The Copysmith recently attended hi-brow networking event Only Connect, held at the oh-so-sophisticated Living Room in Bristol.

Centre James Wareham of The Copysmith with Mike Storey of Whype Web Design.

We assisted Brand Union in writing and compiling Mubadala’s communication guidance. Other guidelines that we’ve worked on have been Nokia Online Guidelines and Nokia Wiki online Guidelines for Interone Worldwide.

We worked closely with Brand Union on a corporate book for Saudi giant Al Hokair. Al Hokair represents over forty major labels in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including GAP, Dorothy Perkins, La Senza, Monsoon and Accessorize.

The board wanted a book that captured the essence of their business and would break through the notoriously dull world of corporate literature.

We wrote magazine-style articles from high level documents and reports resulting in a slick, chic 180 page corporate book with the compelling feel of a glossy editorial.

Dubai Freight Services flies people and cargo to the hard places few will dare to go – and where shipments are often a matter of life and death. This hard-hitting brochure needed to talk to corporates, governments as well as military and aid-organisations in a language that was both professional, persuasive and sensitive.

We helped Genius Loci write the launch literature, including this brochure for luxury resort, Miramar. Part of the task was to come up with an engaging tone of voice which embodies the beauty and tranquility of the destination.

This brochure for urban infrastructure company, Streetscape, is aimed at town planners, developers, engineers, architects and other professionals.

Working closely with Annie at Propeller, we researched, wrote, edited and proofed this 40-page brochure.

Corporate gifting used to be an environmental nightmare, with millions of toxis pens, child-labour t-shirts and plastic frisbees being given away each year – most of them ending up in landfills. Re-sourceful.co.uk were one of the first companies to provide positive promotional gift ideas – allowing businesses to say more about their values, and have a positive impact on communities and the planet.

We wrote their website, their corporate literature – and continute to work with them on their monthly newsletters and promotions.