Copywrite vs. Copyright: What Is The Difference?
There are two main reasons why most people are curious about the difference between copywrite and copyright. Many of you are interested in becoming copywriters or writing copy as a side hustle. Others of you are trying to determine if you need an intellectual property rights attorney to help you register a copyright.
No matter why you’re here, we’re happy that you are. In this blog post, Ethos Copywriting defines the terms copywrite (or, more correctly, copywriting) and copyright, highlights the differences between the two, points out where the two intersect, and provides some helpful resources to get you pointed in the right direction.
What is a Copyright?
A copyright is a type of intellectual property that protects one's art, inventions, or ideas. It gives its owner(s) or assignee(s) the exclusive legal right to film, perform, print, publish, or record the creative work.
Anyone creating creative material can be a copyright owner. In fact, as soon as a creator fixes their work in a tangible form of expression, such as a lyricist writing a song, a photographer snapping a picture, or an artist painting a portrait, they become the author and owner. However, the owner may want to register their work with the U.S. Copyright Office for additional protection.
What is Copywriting?
Copywriting is the process of writing persuasive marketing content. Professionals often refer to this content as “copy.” Copywriters, or those who write copy, typically have three central goals:
Amplify brand awareness
Build consumer trust
Increase sales and leads
More broadly, a copywriter's goal is to have people take action. While more often than not, the goal is ultimately sales and leads, other calls to action (CTAs) may include, but are not limited to, joining an email list, downloading a file, following a brand on social media, or donating to a cause.
To avoid confusion in the future—if you’re ever in the position to describe what a copywriter does, say “they write copy,” not “they copywrite.”
Where You Can Find Copy
Copywriters create a wide variety of written material. As a matter of fact, you probably interact with copy every day. Between print and digital marketing mediums, copywriters create a wide variety of media including, but not limited to:
Annual Reports
Billboards
Blog Posts
Brochures
Catalogs
Commercial Scripts
Direct mail
eBooks
Email Newsletters
Flyers
Fundraising Letters
Google Ads (SEM Ads)
Jingles
Magazines
Mailers
Newspaper Advertisements
Press Releases
Postcards
Sales letters
Social media ads
Social media posts
Taglines
Webpages/Landing Pages
White Papers
When deciding which kind of copy to write, copywriters consider a brand's needs, the specific audience for which they're writing, and the goal.
Copywriting can include scripts for brand films, infomercials, how-to guides, and video series.
It’s important to remember, copy doesn't always get presented to its audience through the written word. Infomercials, how-to guides, and video series all greatly benefit from a good script. To take it even further, think about radio advertisements; all of these commercials need copy written before hitting the airwaves.
Where Copyright and Copywriting Intersect
After outlining what copyright and copywriting are, it probably doesn’t seem like there is much overlap. But interestingly, there is a crossover between the two.
Copyright law allows ownership through “works for hire.” For example, a health and wellness company may hire a marketing agency to write content for an advertising campaign. Depending on the contract, the health and wellness company may become the exclusive owner, an owner, or an assignee.
What Do Copywriting Agencies Do?
Copywriters do nearly anything that involves the written word (except for maybe skywriting and tattooing) in the context of marketing. More specifically, copywriting agencies help businesses and other organizations with:
Branding
Content marketing
Marketing intelligence services
Pay-per-click (PPC) ads
Search engine optimization (SEO)
Social media marketing
Ultimately though, their job is to create and discover “all of the available means of persuasion” (thanks, Aristotle).
At first glance, copywriting may seem like nothing more than a few simple words written about a product or idea. In actuality, it’s an invaluable means of building a strong brand, crafting compelling advertisements, and boosting business growth.
Damn Right, They’re Writers
Why don’t copywriters just say, “I’m a writer?” While there is definitely something to be said for simplicity, there is even more to be said for specificity.
At the end of the day, yes, copywriters are writers. But not all writers are copywriters. More specifically, copywriters are writers who write persuasive content in the same way a poet writes poems and a speechwriter writes speeches.
If a person is writing for an advertising agency or a web developer, the content they’re creating is most likely copy. However, many creatives wear multiple hats.
Acclaimed Copywriters
Here are a few notable copywriters, some real, some fictitious, to help you solidify what copywriting is and who does it.
Josephine “Jo” Foxworth: She was an advertising executive and essential writer for McCann Erickson and later founded her own company, Jo Foxworth Inc. In 1997, the prestigious Advertising Hall of Fame elected her into their elite group of exceptionally accomplished artists, academics, copywriters, creative directors, and “Mad Men.”
Peggy Olson (fictional): Speaking of Mad Men, remember Peggy Olson? She is the right-hand woman to Don Draper. Played by Elisabeth Moss, Olson is a brilliant, sharp-witted, creative copywriter who climbs the ranks from secretary to second-in-command of her department. Interestingly, at the end of the hit series, she ends up working for McCann Erickson.
Sir Alan William Parker: Born February 14, 1944, Parker got his start as an advertising copywriter, and currently works as a film director, producer, and screenwriter. In his late teens, he started writing copy for television advertisements and garnered a multitude of accolades for his clever commercials. What was Parker’s motivation to write copy? To meet girls.
Ethos Copywriting
Whether you need some copy written or you’re thinking about becoming a copywriter, we’re here to help. If you’re ramping up your next great marketing campaign, drop by our contact page and reach out to get one of our talented copywriters on the case. We’ll show you how the written word can get your audience converting.
Finally, if you dug this blog post, leave a comment below, share it on your social media, or simply give it a like. We appreciate you taking the time to learn about copywriting and hope this piece helped.
Editor's notes: Ethos originally published this post on 12/19/2016. We’ve since updated it on 8/26/21, 7/21/22, 8/4/23, 11/20/23.