Pro Hello: Vikki Ross

Vikki has been writing copy for major global brands for over 25 years, working mostly with leaders in entertainment. She specialises in branding and tone of voice, and travels the world telling businesses how to talk. She mentors young creatives. She judges at international industry award competitions. She runs copy masterclasses and speaks at global events. On social, she created #CopywritersUnite – a hashtag to connect, support and celebrate copywriters.

Creative Equals named Vikki one of the industry's Top 30 Female Creative Leaders, The Dots named her one of the Top 100 Trailblazers Redefining the Creative Industry, and Women in Marketing gave her a Special Award for Outstanding Contribution to Marketing.

Here, Vikki opens up on some of the projects she's written, the nervousness that came with going freelance, and the confidence to simply ask for the job she wanted.

LBB> What do you do, and where are you based?

Vikki> Short answer: I’m a copywriter. Long answer: as a brand and tone of voice consultant, I help brands find their voice – and I write the guidelines that help them execute it. Most of my clients are category leaders in the entertainment industry. I’m based in London, born and raised.

LBB> What recent campaigns might we know you from, and what was your input on these campaigns?

Vikki> With so much of my work going on behind the scenes of a brand, most of it is under NDA so I can’t share it. I can share what I show my clients not to do – the Bland Book (more on that here). What I can tell you is that I created a new voice for Sky during their re-brand in 2011, and continued to protect it and evolve it for over 10 years. I also worked on some of their biggest channel launches like Sky Atlantic and Sky Witness, and the launch of NOW TV and Sky Backstage at The O2. More recently, I wrote new TOV guidelines for all of ITV when they launched ITVX last year, ITV Studios and IMAX. 

Right now, I’m working with BAFTA, and – plot twist because they aren’t an entertainment brand – Jaguar Land Rover.

LBB> How did you first get into the industry, and how did you realise what you wanted to do?

Vikki> I thought I realised what I wanted to do when I found my love of ads in glossy magazines. I didn’t know what advertising was, so I thought I wanted to be a journalist and wrote to Alexandra Shulman, editor of British Vogue at the time, to ask her for a job. You know, like it’d be that easy. She didn’t reply, obviously. After a run of receptionist and PA jobs straight from failing my A-Levels at college, I ended up as a PA in a tiny direct marketing agency that doesn’t exist anymore. I thought the reader offers they wrote in the national press were ads, so one day I asked if I could write one, and my offer for a mini dishwasher in Camping & Caravanning magazine soon went live. It performed well so I was given more offers to write – then I was a copywriter!

After two years, I left to travel around Asia, Indonesia and Australia. When I returned 18 months later, I started again. I was a PA at The Body Shop when my boss asked me what I wanted to do. I told her I wanted to write. She gave me some copy to rewrite, and liked it so much that she moved me into internal comms, where eventually I found the confidence to tell the creative director of the in-house studio that I wanted to write copy. He agreed, and I wrote everything from on-pack product descriptors to in-store promos.

In 2010, I decided I wanted to write about something completely different and went to Virgin Media to cover the senior copywriter’s maternity leave. While I was there, I was approached by a headhunter about the head of copy job at Sky. Seven interviews later, I was over in Osterley working for the UK’s biggest entertainment brand.

LBB> Tell us about your journey so far.

Vikki> After two years at Sky, I reluctantly handed in my notice. Reluctantly because it was the most exciting job I’d ever had, and it was at the most exciting brand I’d ever worked at. But I was in meetings more than I was writing – and I love writing. I thought I’d try freelancing while I worked out what to do next. Luckily for me, my boss didn’t want me to leave and was about to start work on the launch of NOW TV, so Sky became my first client.

I’d never planned to freelance, so I wasn’t prepared for all the uncertainty that comes with it. So, when I was approached for the head of copy role at Hotels.com, I took it. I found myself in meetings again and not really writing, so after a brilliant year (and some wonderful work trips) I went back to freelancing for Sky, and later started consulting for all the brands I mentioned earlier, plus more like Twitter, adidas, Spotify and Nando’s. I’m also a masterclass trainer for D&AD.

LBB> What projects / campaigns that you’ve been involved in have been the most personally satisfying to work on, and why?

Vikki> It’s such a huge honour to be invited behind the scenes of a brand to get to know them and find their voice. And in a category that I love as a consumer too! I love TV and film, so to write for brands like Sky, ITV, IMAX and BAFTA is, well, amazing (an adjective I advise clients to avoid!).

LBB> What do people (clients, agencies etc) come to you for specifically?

Vikki> Clients come to me to find their brand voice. Agencies come to me to help them write for their clients. I do lots of talks and copywriting workshops around the world.

LBB> What are your strongest opinions relating to your specific field? 

Vikki> AI can’t write copy like a copywriter. Fight me – I have back-up. Copywriters are inspired by real emotions and experiences, which is what people connect with. AI can't connect with anyone because it hasn't experienced anything.

LBB> What sort of projects really get you excited at the moment?

Vikki> I’m excited all the time! I realise I sound annoying, but I get to work with brands I’m really into. And just when I think things can’t get better, another client comes along that’s even more exciting than the last. I am one lucky copywriter.

LBB> Who are your creative heroes, and why?

Vikki> Oh, so many. I must start with Dave Trott. What a legend, and what a legacy of work. What a champion too – not just of creativity, but also of me. He backs me backing copywriters and recommends me to potential clients. And the thing I’ll never forget is him easing my nerves as I was about to go on stage to speak at ZeeMELT in Mumbai in 2019 – he knew just what to do to get me out of my head and I’ll always be grateful for that moment. He probably won’t like me saying this but he’s much nicer than he’d have people believe.

Going back in time, I wish I could’ve worked for Bernice Fitz-Gibbons and Mary Wells Lawrence. In her book, Macy’s, Gimbels and Me, Bernice combines her sense of humour with the secrets of her success and well, she seemed so fabulous (“…by the early 1950s, was reported to be the highest paid woman in advertising.” – The One Club). And according to Mary’s book, A Big Life (in Advertising), she was a force (“arguably the most powerful and successful woman ever to work in advertising” – The New York Times) – I wish my brain could be as quick and smart and innovative as hers.

I could name so many creatives. I’m such a fan of so many. Here are just some of the women I’ve written about so far - all copywriters who deserve to be celebrated in any mention of the greats of our industry.

LBB> Outside of the day job, what fuels your creativity?

Vikki> Everything fuels my creativity. Being creative is more than an occupation. It’s a preoccupation. Someone, something or somewhere will always inspire me. I’ll watch TV and have an idea. I’ll talk to other creatives and get excited, or mentor junior copywriters who’ll show me new trends. I’ll go for a walk, hear a passer-by talking and come up with a line. I’ll take a trip and think differently with a change of scenery. What a wonderful way to live, learn and work, right?