Websites with Great Copywriting: Humor

This is the first in a series of posts spotlighting websites with outstanding copywriting. Let’s start with something a little silly.

Humor, by Frank Body

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Frank Body is an Australian company that makes coffee-based skin-care products. The website copy is playful and witty, from the first-person quotes scattered throughout the site to the product descriptions, which are clever yet still convey some substantial information about what each one does.

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The consistent voice and style follow through from short and direct “about” copy (which manages to elevate product benefits into something engaging to read) to hashtags to regularly updated blog-style posts that explain how key ingredients work and recommend skin-care routines. Notice how the main display text is active and to the point.

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Screen Shot 2015-06-26 at 11.07.50 AMThe only part of the website that doesn’t jibe perfectly with the rest, for me, is a section called #Let’sBeFrank. It’s an extension of the implied male voice behind the rest of the copy. “He” dishes advices to women from the perspective of a straight-talking guy pal, espousing opinions and what I think is supposed to be empowering messages on topics like wearing makeup, figuring out if a guy is into you, marriage and babies, and how to tell if you’re high-maintenance.

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I get that it’s supposed to be funny, but to me it feels contrived—like someone couldn’t pass up the opportunity to use “Let’s Be Frank” again somewhere in the marketing and so thought this up. But that’s such a minor, totally personal quibble—and maybe many other people do find the posts funny and share them on social media.

Overall Frank Body takes a refreshingly fun and playful approach to branding for a product that’s cool, but if you think about it, not so, so groundbreaking on its own. Infusing a lot of personality adds to its allure, and works to build the sort of cachet that defines other, successful niche beauty brands.

Websites with Great Copywriting

When was the last time you called up a website and were so surprised by the copy that you actually took a moment to appreciate it? Instead of zooming in on the images of whatever product you were hunting down or menu you were checking out, you let your fingers hover for a few seconds…and read the words. At least for me, it’s not a common occurrence.

And most websites are written that way intentionally: The copy is like a chain of signposts directing you speedily toward the primary call-to-action—to complete your order or make a reservation.

But some sites do succeed in using writing to stand out, to infuse the brand with personality, and checking them out is a great exercise in expanding how you think about online content. So when I come across something particularly well done, surprising or inspirational, I’ll share it. You never know what might get the gears turning when it comes time to tackle your own project.

First up: a beauty company with branding that’s funny—and bold.

Design Partner: Genius Switch Studio

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