How a Gen-Z Copywriting Community Became a Recruitment Service
Brands need to speak to gen z. The problem is that the people writing their copy aren’t, for the most part, from that generation. And as they say it takes one to know one. That’s why when Carolyn McMurray created the gen-z copywriting community Word Tonic as a place to learn and connect, it wasn’t long before brands came knocking to see if they could put that gen-z talent to work.
Not one to turn down gainful employment, Carolyn and her fellow gen-z copywriters obliged. And so was born a gen-z copywriter recruitment service.
Interested to hear the story, LBB’s Alex Reeves catches up with Carolyn.
LBB> For those not in the know (or who didn't read our previous interview) can you give us a brief outline of what Word Tonic is?
Carolyn> Word Tonic is a copywriting community + learning hub for gen-z copywriters and young people who want to learn how to write for a living, accessibly – with people their own age. It's basically a big online platform with over 400 young writers who get access to:
🧠Weekly masterclasses with copywriters from brands like Duolingo, TikTok, and National Geographic
💬 A private Discord filled with tips where they can ask for advice and mingle with 400+ other young copywriters
🤖 Monthly AI calls so they can learn the ins and outs of ChatGPT and how to use it creatively in their writing
😘 A 25% discount on an accredited copywriting course by The Creative Copywriter
What makes it special is that it's 100% run by gen z, for gen z - it was created by me (my name's Carolyn, I'm 23, and started copywriting at 17) and four other gen-z copywriters: Ella, Leon, Rochella, and Izi.
LBB> Where did the idea to launch a recruitment service start?
Carolyn> About six months ago, Word Tonic started getting a bunch of requests from brands – they all wanted us to hook them up with gen-z copywriters from within our community. We saw a clear need – companies wanted to nail their gen-z marketing and they wanted to do it authentically with talented and vetted gen-z copywriters. And they wanted to turn to us because they knew that 1) all our gen-z copywriters are constantly being exposed to learning opportunities in weekly masterclasses and 2) Our recruitment service is totally gen-z led.
There is nothing more genuine than that.
LBB> What sorts of briefs have you been approached about most often? What do brands want gen-z copywriters for?
Carolyn> From writing up gen-z captions for a famous dating app to crafting copy to inspire the newest generation in sport, nearly every brief has had the same goal; to interact and engage with gen-z, without coming across as cringe or try-hard.
LBB> How did you flesh the initial idea out into a model that works for the industry?
Carolyn> First and foremost, we wanted the model to work for our members - for the gen-z copywriters within Word Tonic. We started from that point and worked our way out from there.
Our approach typically looks something like this: hop on a discovery call with a brand to understand their needs, introduce them to a few gen-z copywriters from our community that are a right fit, and then continue the working relationship.
Commission and freelancer rates are always dependent on the project and needs of the client, so we don't do anything unless we've had a nice discovery call first.
LBB> What's your advice on how brands should get the most out of Word Tonic?
Carolyn> Reach out to us!
More importantly, get on a call with us – even if it's just to feel things out. You can reach out directly to me – Carolyn – at carolyn@wordtonic.co.uk and we can take it from there.
We also have a free online event coming up on Wednesday, November 1st at 5pm GMT – feel free to reserve a spot and come along to hear more about our recruitment service, get an inside look at what gen z want from marketing, and get a front row seat to a killer gen-z copywriter portfolio showcase. Vikki Ross will also be one of our special guest speakers.
Sign up here :)
LBB> What are your next steps with it?
Carolyn> To continue growing the service - to help more brands connect genuinely with their gen-z audiences and to show the world that we (gen z) are not a big monolith. We have different cultures, tastes, opinions, feelings, thoughts – things that can change the way a message or ad is perceived. And to have Word Tonic become the number-one place for brands and agencies to come to when looking for gen-z writers.
