Dedication

This book is dedicated to Nancy R. Tag, the GOAT, one of the best Copywriters, Creative Directors, Educators, and Administrators of all time. More than ten years ago Professor Tag, the Program Director of the Branding and Integrated Communications Master of Professional Studies grad program at CCNY, developed the original curriculum for MCA 363, the undergrad Advertising Copywriting course I currently teach. Over the last six years, I’ve evolved the curriculum to include the most recent media, trends, and best practices of the Advertising, Public Relations and Marketing industries. But without her scaffolding and support, the course and this OER would not exist.

Acknowledgements

I’d like to acknowledge the CUNY (City University of New York) for helping faculty develop more accessible classroom materials. Specifically, CCNY’s Digital Scholarship Services, which assists faculty and staff to find, create, and implement Open Educational Resources (OER) for their courses. Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching, learning, and research materials that can be freely used, including full courses, course materials, modules, textbooks, streaming videos, tests, software, and grading rubrics.

I’d also like to thank all of my students who help test drive everything you’ll find in this book – and especially those who provide evidence that its methods work by allowing me to showcase their efforts.

I’d also like to acknowledge CCNY’s Media Communication Arts department – specifically the Ad/PR Program under whose auspices I teach Advertising Copywriting. Shout outs to Ad/PR Program Director Ed Keller, Distinguished Lecturer Lynne Scott Jackson, and Adjunct Professor Javier Garcia – thank you for your continued support.

Thanks to all of the ad pros who have allowed me to incorporate their expertise, examples, tools and methods to this textbook. The list is long and growing. At present it includes Nancy Tag, DK Wright, Shlomo Genchin, George Felton, Luke Williams… ADD TO THIS

I’ve had many amazing mentors throughout my career, starting with Larry Postaer who taught me to never use two words when you can use one. Tom Saputo taught me to surround yourself with those whose strengths complement your weaknesses. Jeff Miller reminded me to find my people. Zontee Hou taught me that a deep understanding of consumer psychology is gold. Nancy Tag taught me that it’s not enough to do what you do well as a professional – if you want to educate, you need to be able to instruct others in how to do what you do.