Job Description

The writer is responsible for developing engaging and persuasive written content for advertising campaigns. They generate original ideas, straplines, slogans, body copy, jingles, and scripts that capture the target audience's attention and effectively promote client products or brands. Working closely with Art Directors and cross-functional teams, the writer ensures creative alignment and delivers impactful advertising across various media. This role requires a highly creative individual with strong writing skills, a deep understanding of market trends, and the ability to manage projects under tight deadlines.

Key Responsibilities:

• Creative Content Development: Generate original, clear, and persuasive copy for various advertising formats (e.g., straplines, slogans, body copy, jingles, scripts) to promote client brands. Develop creative ideas and concepts, often in partnership with an Art Director, and update digital media with snappy, timely content.
• Market & Brand Understanding: Stay updated on new ideas, techniques, styles, and market trends to inspire creativity. Familiarize with client products, services, target audiences, and competitor activities to inform effective messaging.
• Collaboration & Client Engagement: Liaise with clients to interpret briefs and present creative ideas to colleagues and clients. Work closely within account teams and build key relationships with Art Directors, Account Management, Planning, and Traffic departments to discuss client requirements and core messages.
• Quality Assurance & Revision: Meticulously proofread all copy for spelling and grammar. Amends, revise, or redevelop adverts and campaigns in response to feedback from creative directors, account teams, or clients, ensuring creative executions align with strategic concepts.
• Project & Commercial Management: Manage multiple campaigns simultaneously, often under pressure and to tight deadlines. Oversee campaigns through the production stage to completion, including liaising with external suppliers such as designers, illustrators, photographers, and production companies. Contribute to the financial management of projects, ensuring work is produced on time and within budget, and understand relevant contractual agreements.

Role Requirements:

Education: Bachelor's degree or Diploma in Marketing, Communications, English, Journalism, Advertising, or a related field.
Experience: Proven experience as a Copywriter in an advertising agency or similar creative role.
Portfolio: A strong portfolio showcasing a diverse range of successful advertising copy and campaigns.

Skills:

• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills with strong attention to detail.
• High level of creativity and ability to generate original, imaginative, and persuasive ideas.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong collaboration and teamwork abilities.
• Effective time management and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects under tight deadlines.
• Understanding of advertising principles, market trends, client brands, and target audiences.
• Ability to adapt and revise work based on feedback.
• Basic understanding of project budgeting and financial aspects in an agency setting.
  

The Ogilvy Africa Network is the largest agency network on the continent, serving over 40 countries with a team of 900 people across Central, East, and West Africa. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, Ogilvy Africa works with a prestigious portfolio of clients, including AB InBev, Airtel, Bajaj, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Coca-Cola, Diageo, Equity Bank, European Union, KFC, Mastercard, NCBA, Nestle, Philips, PwC, Total Energies, UNICEF, Unilever, and WWF, among others.

Ogilvy Africa's unique operating model, One Ogilvy, allows for seamless omnichannel experiences for clients' consumers. The agency leverages data, content, and technology to create impactful campaigns and strives to be the best-practice agency model for developing and emerging markets. With a history of winning top regional and global awards, including Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, Dubai Lynx Festival, SABRE Awards, Loeries, and WARC, Ogilvy Africa is a leading force in the industry. Ogilvy is a global network of WPP and was recently named the #1 creative network in the world by WARC (2023). Ogilvy believes in diversity as a competitive advantage and is committed to a fair and inclusive hiring process.

Ogilvy Beliefs:

People need regular OS upgrades: Even the best OS will be obsolete tomorrow unless it's constantly upgraded. The same is true for people.
We need more cows than milkmen: We are a culture of practitioners, not managers. We contribute before we comment.
Creative about creativity: Creativity is, and will always be, our differentiator. Creativity now includes the holy trinity of Data-Content-Tech.
Diversity is a competitive advantage: New profiles, new skills, and new styles of leadership make us a stronger company.
Collaborative advantage > Competitive advantage: Find partners who are on top of their game at the skill set we need. It's the only way to scale at speed without pretending to have all the answers.
Team > Individual: You get a lot more done when everyone stops worrying about who gets credit at the end. Teams succeed, individuals fail.
Fail often, fail fast: We see the intrapreneur in all our people and encourage a culture of pilots. Test, succeed, and scale; or fail fast, learn from the failure, and start something new.