Ask anyone who wants to make their content more fun, and they’ll probably say they want to write copy like Innocent Drinks.
And it’s not surprising.
They’re famous for their conversational tone of voice that pokes fun at everything – even themselves.
But how do you create content that sounds similar but is totally original?
No fret.
I’m going to show you how the Innocent Drinks copywriting team writes content that’s so God-damn memorable,
How to write copy like Innocent
If you want to make your copy sound like Innocent Drinks, here are the copywriting rules you need to live by:
One. Stuff personality into your Tone of Voice
Innocent’s copy is stuffed with their personality, so reading their copy feels like they’re talking to you as a friend, not a customer.
How do you do this successfully?
Well, first, you need to work out and know:
- What your brand values are
- What your personality is
You might want to sound eco-conscious, helpful, and friendly or brash and unapologetic. When you know your values and personality, you can write copy that connects with your ideal audience — because they’ll be the same.
But if you want to sound similar to innocent, then friendly, fun, and a bit punny is the way to go.
Two. Be funny!
Innocent’s copywriting is legendary for its humour. It’s clever and funny, and you always know it’s them.
In 2019, they created an ad after the Colleen Rooney vs Rebekkah Vardy spat went to court.
It was funny and in the moment, making it relatable to almost everybody (in the UK, at least).
Whether it’s a witty one-liner, a clever pun, or a playful joke, humour makes your copy memorable, whether on social media, your website, or in your marketing.
It’s an integral pillar of the Innocent Drinks marketing strategy.
Three. Jump on current trends
Let’s kill two birds with one stone here: create a piece of marketing about something current you can tie your product or service into that’ll get a laugh.
Like the ad in point two.
Four. Be cheeky
Innocent add cheeky bits of copy in unexpected places:
B e a bit cheeky by adding unexpected but quirky copy to product packing. Or, if you don’t have a physical product, make your microscopy hilarious (like a funny little ‘Thank You’ message when somebody sends you an email or the message that pops up when someone is downloading a file and it takes a little while.).
These are ideal places to add cheeky copy that makes people remember you.
Five. Dabble in a bit of storytelling
If you want to write copy like Innocent, you have to dip your toe into telling stories.
Like this:
You might argue that it’s bumbling nonsense; I’d say they’re telling a story.
It keeps you reading and there’s a little self-deprecating humour at the end.
You can also tell stories by sharing anecdotes about working with a client (as long as it’s a good one and you aren’t badmouthing them!).
Six. Make your copy easy to read
Innocent, doesn’t overcomplicate anything.
Their copy is clear, informational, easy to read and they don’t use ridiculous jargon nobody understands:
Easy to read and fun.
Job done!
Seven. Make your marketing campaigns interactive
Innocent did this with their ‘Big Knit‘ marketing campaign:
They asked customers to knit woolly hats for their bottles, and with every hatted bottle sold, they gave 25p to age UK.
They asked their audience to take action, with the added bonus of money going to charity.
When they feel a part of the brand, people are more likely to become loyal customers.
Eight. Admit to your mistakes with humour
Innocent once ran a spoof ad about Conker Milk Smoothies and soon had to own up to their mistake by warning people it wasn’t real and not to eat conkers:
They made a mistake, but they owned it with this funny marketing copy.
Note: I’m aware of the Greenwashing claims about Innocent; that’s up to them to sort out, not me.
Nine. Use visuals too, not just words
Yep, you can create marketing that’s just words, but as you’ll see from most (not all) of the above, Innocent uses a lot of visuals in their marketing that tie in with their products. They don’t stick an Innocent Smoothie on a big pile of money and use the tagline: “Affordable drinks.”
It just wouldn’t work.
Choose your marketing images as carefully as you choose your words.
Ten. Be consistent in your messaging
Consistency is key to building a strong brand identity, and Innocent exemplifies this in their marketing copy. Make your copy consistent across all channels and touchpoints, from your website and social media to your advertising and packaging, and you’ll create a brand that consumers trust.
So, what is Innocent’s tone of voice?
For me, I’d say it was:
- Cheeky
- Fun
- Playful
- Self-deprecating
They’re very tongue-in-cheek sometimes, and whatever you might think of the greenwashing controversy that erupted a few years ago, you can’t argue that the way Innocent writes copy is super-popular.
Almost everyone wants to sound like them.
Ask anyone how they want to sound and more often than not they’ll say they wish they could write copy like Innocent.
Want to read more about funny marketing and copywriting?
Then check out some of my other articles:
- Funny Copywriting: How to create funny marketing campaigns
- Puns in Marketing: 5 great examples of how to use ’em
- Should you use puns in your Christmas marketing?
- 11 popular toy brands doing incredible things
- 15 ways to write in a chatty tone of voice (with examples)
- Your ultimate guide to writing conversational copy
- 5 great chatty style writing examples in advertising
Want help writing funny copy?
Then let’s chat.
When it comes to writing rib-tickling content, I’ve worked with incredible brands, like Beano and Dragon Soop, so I know how to write content that makes people stop, read, smile and, in some cases, piss their sides.
If you want to work with a funny copywriter who can write copy like Innocent Drinks but with a twist that makes the tone of voice totally and uniquely your own, email me to see how I can help.
Until next time,
Matt
