Agency life moves fast – new clients come aboard, projects churn, deadlines are set and reset.
But before anything goes out to clients or into the wider world, the process must slow down so Hirons’ quality control team can make sure all materials reflect best practices in language usage and art production, and also conform to the specifications requested by our vendors.
In general, I handle only the language review, but I might flag some issues for our art and print production specialists. I am Hirons’ in-house editor, and my job is to ensure all original written content produced at Hirons is grammatically correct and free of factual error. But as our team knows, I go beyond that to also ensure our copy is as lively as it can be, with strong words, simple sentences and correct punctuation.
I’m sure some people think I have the most boring job here, but I don’t see it that way. Finding just the right word or reworking an awkward sentence is always a challenge, especially when you want to maintain the voice of the writer. I’m a longtime newspaper editor and writing coach, and I find this type of work never gets old. It’s a bit like figuring out a puzzle, which some of us eggheads like to do.
I know social media have pushed most societies to more casual language use. I don’t mind that. But in marketing, clients generally want to seem sharper than their competitors. The words used, and the way they are used, make a big impression in how a person, company or campaign is perceived. And that’s why I have a job.