Computer Arts

Why read about Writing?

Reed Words is a brand writing agency based in London

working across the globe with clients such as Skype Disney

and London’s National Theatre as well as creative partners

such as Mucho FITCH and SomeOne. The work covers brand

strategy voice campaigns UX – you name it. Or get them to

name it – Reed Words does that too.

Kicking off a new column series Reed Words argues that

designers and writers need to understand each other better

t

he designer–writer

partnership has produced

some of the greatest

creative work ever. Think of

Apple’s classic ‘Think different’

campaign: photography

and words blending to

create an effect that people

still remember decades later.

Or there’s Nike’s swoosh allied

to ‘Just do it’. Would either

be as strong on its own?

as brand writers we’re

almost always collaborating

with designers. and when it

goes well it’s a joy. one of our

favourite recent projects has

been working with magpie

studio on the identity for

the roundhouse london’s

landmark performance venue.

there the visual and the

verbal became completely

inseparable with headlines

written as virtuous circles.

most of the time this

collaboration is marked by

respect. but it can create a few

headaches too. okay a lot of

headaches. our temples start

throbbing when we hear things

like: ‘i’ve just cut a few words

to make it fit’ or: ‘they need a

punchy headline it’ll take you

five minutes.’ Designers we

imagine feel equally queasy at

comments like: ‘it’s three times

as long as we agreed but can’t

you change the font size?’

in the thick of a project

with deadlines looming clients

‘hmm-ing’ and amends coming

thick and fast it’s easy for both

sides to retreat into simply

defending their own territory.

and that’s no good for anyone.

so how do we make things less

frustrating and more fruitful?

this starts when writers and

designers better understand

• and better appreciate –
  each other’s craft.
  that’s why we’re writing
  this new column. Naturally
  we hope to give interesting
  insights into the writing
  process (which doesn’t get
  much of an airing usually).
  but we’re also hoping those
  insights might help inspire
  closer richer collaborations.
  Dream big as they say.
  so in the coming months
  we’ll lift the curtain on various
  ‘writerly’ topics – from finding
  the ideal name to what makes
  uX writing different to print-
  based copywriting. We’ll
  explain why writers sometimes
  put full stops and line breaks
  where you think they shouldn’t
  and maybe even unpick
  the mysteries of the oxford
  comma. it all kicks off next
  month with one of the trickiest
  beasts in design writing: the
  headline. and if there are
  writing-based topics that
  you’ve always wondered about
  tweet us @reedwords. We’ll
  try to address those as
  we go along too.

Words & PiCtures spring 2017

computerarts.creativebloq.com

Identity for the Roundhouse which Reed Words created with Magpie Studio