The Copywriter Code
The Copywriter Code is a voluntary code of conduct for commercial writers (including copywriters, content writers, UX writers, content designers and content strategists).
The code is designed to encourage high standards of ethics and fairness and create a shared vision of professional conduct.
Copywriters who comply with this code pledge to:
- Undertake the necessary learning and training to be a competent copywriter, and maintain those skills through ongoing learning and development.
- Respect clients’ privacy, commercially-sensitive information, and the value of their brands.
- Act in accordance with the best interests of clients and employers.
- Conduct all projects and stakeholder interactions in a professional manner.
- Adhere to relevant and applicable laws and guidelines (including those specific to advertising, marketing and data).
- Declare how and when AI tools are used on projects
Any suggestions
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The Copywriter Code explained
The Copywriter Code requires copywriters to…
Undertake the necessary learning and training to be a competent copywriter and to maintain relevant skills.
Copywriters are often qualified by a mixture of formal and informal training. Competency may be gained through on-the-job experience, self-led learning, as well as more formal routes including university and professional training programs.
Undertake the necessary learning and training to be a competent copywriter and to maintain relevant skills.
Copywriters are often qualified by a mixture of formal and informal training. Competency may be gained through on-the-job experience, self-led learning, as well as more formal routes including university and professional training programs.
Maintain copywriting and marketing skills through ongoing learning and development.
The work of copywriting is often interwoven with fast-moving sectors like media, marketing and technology. It is important that copywriters continually invest in their own ongoing learning and development to ensure their skills and knowledge keep pace with the market.
Respect their clients’ privacy and their brand values.
Copywriters often work closely with organisations and are privy to sensitive information, such as sales data and marketing strategies. Copywriters often work with valuable brand assets, and may be writing as the ‘voice’ of the brand. Copywriters must act in accordance with their privileged position at the heart of an organisation, and take precautions to protect client assets, and respect the terms of any contracts or non-disclosure agreements.
Act in accordance with the best interests of clients and employers.
Copywriters are often trusted advisers in matters of communications, messaging, marketing and advertising, and have a responsibility to always make recommendations and decisions that support their clients’ commercial interests, and to declare any potential conflicts of interest with competing clients or brands.
Conduct all projects in a professional manner.
Copywriters may be required to cooperate with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders and third-party suppliers, from senior leaders to valued customers. As such, it is vital that copywriters collaborate courteously and politely, and maintain open and proactive communications regarding the status and progress of projects. Terms and conditions, including the number of amendments and revisions, should be defined in contracts or project proposals.
Adhere to relevant and applicable laws and guidelines.
Depending on the nature of the work, copywriters may be required to adhere to advertising rules and guidelines (e.g. the Advertising Standards Authority rules in the UK ). Copywriters are obliged to understand all relevant legislation and follow relevant statutes to the best of their ability (in some cases the client should be responsible for highlighting industry-specific legislation that is not common knowledge).
Declare how and when AI tools are used.
Copywriters make reasonable efforts to ensure that clients and employers understand where AI has been used in the finished work (if at all). This could take the form of a declaration in contracts, terms and conditions, or project proposals.
Something not look right?
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Sign-up to the code
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