Copywriting UK | TENFOUR blog

Most of us understand the concept of IQ (a measure of brain power). Some might have heard of EQ (emotional intelligence). But, how about SQ (spiritual intelligence)?

In the early morning London paper, City Am, journalist Carole Ann Rice suggests that leaders of industry need to look to spiritual intelligence for their businesses to grow in a meaningful and sustainable manner. Greed is no longer good. Equally, the outmoded motivations of fear, dominance and self-assertion.

TENFOUR warms to Rice’s description of a modern business culture built on exploration, co-operation and higher service provision. Companies that value SQ are likely to think about meaning and value; be compassionate, light-hearted and creative; and find motivation through a sense of vocation and loyalty. All great stuff.

So what of the Beeb’s most recent portrayal of the business world, The Apprentice? TENFOUR was a fan. But, we did question some of the motivations at play. Knighthood aside, perhaps we can say that the main man still keeps it real - ‘don’t be fooled by the rocks he got, he’s still, he’s still Alan from the block’… and all that. But, what about the job candidates - characters like 31-year-old Katie Hopkins, who included lying on her CV as one of her key assets?

Surely, if we believe in the principle of spiritual intelligence - at least, vaguely - these kind of ’skills’ should not be relevant any longer. Or are they? Is it now fair to define them as characteristics of ‘the naughties’ rather than ‘the noughties’? We’d say so.

TENFOUR’s heard a new theory. The theory is…

For a person to hear and retain fully something they’re being told, they have to hear that thing three or more times. So, you’re telling someone about a feature of your service or product. The theory goes that you have to tell that person at least three times about that feature for them to remember it. It takes three times for someone to take on board what you’re saying… that’s the theory here.

What do you reckon? Do you think three truly is the magic number? One thing’s clear… repetition is certainly annoying if it’s not done subtly. See above for an example.

It’s incredible how style and approach can make such a difference to content.

TENFOUR was watching Keith Allen Burns in Hell on Wednesday night - a documentary-type show in which Allen stalks members of extreme US religeous troupe, Westoboro Baptist Church. Without wanting to get into religeon - or whether it’s valid to give media space to this kind of group - the World-Cup-Vindaloo-singing-actor produces a highly entertaining hour of programming that’s full of fire and conflict. Just what the doctor ordered, really.

Interestingly though, Burns in Hell could have fallen flat before it had even reached the screen. Aired only a few months ago, Louis Theroux had already been on the heels of the Phelps family for one of his Weird Weekend programmes.

Both men are tackling the same topic. But, what allows the documentaries to retain their credibility alongside each other is a marked difference in approach from the true stars of the show. In place of Theroux’s mild-manner English gent, we now have the devilish, non-believing Allen. If you’re about to watch the next clip, hold onto your hats.

If you can find full-length clips of the programmes somewhere online, do watch them. We’re also wondering whether the two programmes gave us a taster of the best good-cop-bad-cop team that will never be. Maybe.

Back at the beginning of the year, TENFOUR picked up on a nice little campaign from High Street retailers, Boots.

Their Change One Thing campaign (see Change One Thing article) was a cute point-of-sale push based around popular New Year resolutions like quitting cigarettes, losing weight and feeling healthier.

‘Get Beach Gorgeous’ is the campaign for the new season. You may have seen the TV advertising - great ads, actually. TENFOUR hasn’t seen the materials in the shops yet. But, going onto their website, we were a bit disappointed at first glance.

As with the New Year campaign, Boots has designed booklets around specified topics: buffing, glowing, nourishing, beautifying, polishing, smoothing and protecting. But, where the Change One Campaign was powerful in its subtlety, this time around there seems to be more on product promotion than beach tips. Though, thinking about it, perhaps it’s a tall order for us to expect hundreds of tips on polishing nails.

And our last point: where are the beach preparation tips for men? Beach preparation = pack shorts + sunglasses + buy lager. OK, perhaps they were right about this one.

Visit the Boots website at www.boots.com.

Heckling: it’s a great form of word smithery. It’s usually harsh - obviously. But it can also attain genius status at times, can’t it?

This month’s The Word (magazine) lists a few of the best heckles over the years. We’ve included four for you below:

Pia Zadora’s performance in a stage version of The Diary of Anne Frank was so bad that when the Germans raided the flat in the final scene, a voice from the stalls shouted “She’s in the attic!”

David Baddiel remembers an open-mic at London’s Comedy Store. One poor guy was doing exceptionally badly. From the crowd came the cry: “Everybody hates you. Surely you must remember that from school!”

Live8 was on a giant outdoor screen in a Glasgow. A short film of Bono and others was being shown. “Every time (click) I click my fingers (click) a child in Africa dies (click),” stated the U2 singer. From the crowd: “Well, stop ####ing doing it then!”

Eric Douglas died on his arse on an LA stage. “I’m Kirk Douglas’ son!” he screemed in retaliation to the heckles. “No, I’m Kirk Douglas’ son!” one audience member shot back. Then another. And another. Until the whole audience was shouting, “No, I’m Kirk Douglas’ son!” You know… Spartacus ‘n all that?

It’s a well-written magazine, The Word. Why not take a look at www.wordmagazine.co.uk?