이 광고의 트럼프 대통령과 서울헤드라인센터는 아무런 관계가 없습니다. 광고는 철저하게 말로 끝내야 성공한다.

그림만 쑤욱 나오다가 "핏자~헛" 하고 끝나는 것이 성공하고 있는 것도 

역시 그 한마디가 멋있어서이다. 그래서 그런지 날이 갈수록 남의 광고카피를 배껴 쓰는 사람들이 늘고 있어서 여간 한심한게 아니다.

Advertising must be concluded thoroughly with words if it is to succeed.

Even when an image sweeps across the screen, it only works if the final word or phrase — like “Pizza~ Hut” — carries the weight. That is why imitation in advertising copy is so pitiful; too many have resorted to borrowing others’ words.

그런 걸 잘 알고 있는 나는 남의 말을 공짜로 듣지 않는다.

좋은 말을 들으면 그 만큼 빚을 졌다고 여겨져 꼭 그 분의 연락처를 적어 놓든가, 아는 분이면 그 댓가를 꼭 치르겠다고 노트에 적어 놓는다. 비싼 말이면 비싸게 팔아 도와주신 그 분들에게 실제로 돈을 드린다.

“이거 지난 번에 하셨던 말씀을 적어 놨다가 이번에 잘 써 먹었습니다.

그래서 드리는 돈입니다”라고 하면 얼마나 기분이 좋으신지, “야, 오늘 내가 한잔 살께”라고 하시며 껄껄껄 웃으시는 걸 볼 때에는 참으로 카피라이터로서의 보람을 느끼게 되었다. 사장님에게 진짜 몇십억 빚진거나 다름 없으니까 

더 열심히 사장님 말씀을 베껴 무심코 흘려 버린 금싸라기 같은 그 분의 

말씀을 열심히 주워 보관하리라고 다짐했다.

I have never taken someone’s words for free.

Whenever I hear something valuable, I regard it as a debt — I write down the contact or make a note to pay back the person in some way.

If the words were expensive, I paid dearly for them.

And when I later said, “I used what you told me last time, so here’s the payment,” the joy on their faces — often leading to a laugh and “Let me buy you a drink today!” — gave me the true sense of fulfillment as a copywriter.

To me, those golden words are worth tens of billions, so I vowed to collect and treasure them rather than let them slip away.

최고의 광고교육은 대화이다.

좁은 교실에 질팝십명 빽빽히 앉혀 놓고서 광고가 어떻니, 카피가 뭐니,

디자인은 이렇게, 마케팅은 요거다 식의 광고교육으로는 듣는 사람도 피곤하고 하는 사람도 맥이 빠질 것이다. 그렇게 가르치고 배웠으니 한방에 쉽게 끝낼 수 있겠는가?

The best education in advertising is conversation.

Not cramped classrooms or tired lectures about copy, design, and marketing. Real wisdom and inspiration come from dialogue, not monotone teaching. 

교수님 말이면 다 옳고, 신문에 나오면 그럴듯… 나 같은 무명이 하는 얘기는 어디 씨가 먹히겠는가? 씨도 안 먹히는 씨아이피를 해놓고 씨아이피, 씨아이피 하는 어느 엉터리 교수. 그런 분의 작품은 금값이고 순진하게 날밤을 세우며 만든 아이디어맨의 작품은 똑 부러져도 똥값인 이 광고계는 과연 뉘 탓인가?

Too often, if a professor says something, it is taken as gospel; if it’s in the newspaper, it looks credible. Yet, when an unknown like me speaks, no one listens.

And there are professors chasing only money and fame — their empty work is valued like gold, while genuine ideas born of sleepless nights are treated as worthless. Whose fault is this?

카피 쯤이야, 디자인 쯤이야 나도 신문사, 잡지사 경력이 칠팔년인데 그걸 뭘 하려고 돈을 주고 사?라고 하는 칠뜨기 같은 사람도 많다. 그러나 이 나라의 광고계는 검정이 숯을 못 나무래듯 잔꾀로는 택도 없다는 것을, 한 사람 

한 사람이 광고작품으로 본 때를 보여 주어야 할 것이다.

Many foolishly say, “Copy? Design? I worked in newspapers and magazines for years, why pay for that?”

But the truth is clear: the advertising industry cannot thrive on tricks. Each professional must prove their worth through genuine, powerful work.

현업 카피라이터로서 매주 네다섯시간 이상 커뮤니케이션 전문가, 컬쳐마케팅 실무자, 그래픽 편집 도사들로부터 직접 또는 전화로 대화를 나누면서 사사를 받는 것이 쉽지는 않다. 그러나 그 분들로부터 얻은 지식과 지혜를 후배들에게 나누어 주고자 하는 것이 힘들지만 값진 일이라 믿는다.

As a working copywriter, I spend four to five hours each week learning from communication experts, culture marketers, and graphic masters, often through direct conversations. It isn’t easy, but sharing the wisdom I gain with the next generation is my responsibility — even when it feels exhausting.

좀 늦은 감은 있지만 지금부터라도 한마디로 끝내는 카피공부를 한번 해 보지 않겠는가! 말로 안되니까 그림을 그리고, 그래도 안되니까 사진도 찍어서 광고를 한다마는, 그건 솔직히 보기 좋고 쉽게 보이려고 하는 것이지 말이나 글(카피,

그 중에서도 헤드라인)이 엉망이면 모두가 허사임을 알지 않는가? 그렇다고 디자이너나 포토라이터를 무시하는 것은 결코 아니다. 서로가 서로를 인정해 주는 멋있는 광고 풍토를 만들자는 바램에서 하는 말일 뿐이다.

It may be late, but isn’t it time we studied copy that ends in one decisive phrase?

When words fail, we turn to pictures, then to photography — but let’s be honest, those are only to make things easier on the eye. If the words, especially the headline, are weak, everything collapses.

This is not to dismiss designers or photographers — it is to build a culture where each discipline respects the other.

광고인 스스로가 부가가치를 더해 갈 때 비로소 스스로의 머리 값을 비싸게 

매길 수 있다. 오늘부터 만드는 광고헤드라인은 대통령의 지시처럼 한마디로 움직일 수 있도록 해 보자. 물론 민심(소비자 마음)을 제대로 읽고서.

When advertisers themselves add true value, only then can they set a high price for their own ideas.

From today, let us create advertising headlines that move people with the force of a President’s command — a single phrase that shifts hearts and markets.

Of course, only when rooted in the true will of the people (the consumer’s heart).