Substance copywriting
“Good prose is like a window pane,” wrote George Orwell in his 1946 essay Why I Write.
Websites, reports, reviews, brochures, newsletters, magazines, press releases and other written communications used by businesses and organisations act in the same way. They reveal a lot – giving customers and key stakeholders a view into how you work, which is why it is important to choose your words correctly.
We handle projects of all sizes and can help make your words work harder for you.
Take a look at some of our experience:
Attracting postgraduates to the University of Southampton
Launching and editing The Hyde Group’s residents’ magazine
Building Hyde Plus’ name in regeneration
Proofing literary magazine, Pop Cult
Award-winning writing for Green Energy UK
Making a Big Bang for Southampton City Council
Take a look at some of our articles
Attracting postgraduates to the University of Southampton
We were hired by the University of Southampton to write a brochure aimed at potential postgraduate students. The brochure, sent out with the letter offering successful students a place at the University, is designed to be the “final sell”.
We met with the marketing team and discussed content priorities. After this, we produced a draft pagination, and from here we researched and wrote the brochure. We also ran focus groups with current postgraduates who were able to provide us with a unique insight to life at the University. Click here to see our brochure for the University of Southampton.
University of Southampton Head of Marketing Strategy, Angelina Bingley, says:
“Many writers struggle to grasp finer points of writing for specific audiences, but Substance took the brief and ran with it, delivering a well thought-out and intelligent piece of communication that really markets the University. I have no hesitation in recommending Substance to others looking for quality copywriting.”
Launching and editing The Hyde Group’s residents’ magazine
Housing and regeneration organisaton Hyde hired us to launch its new residents’ magazines. With over 100,000 residents dispersed across London, the South East and East Midlands, it was our job to launch seven different titles – one for residents of each group subsidiary. It was vital the magazines communicated corporate news alongside relevant local stories that mattered to residents in their area. We managed editorial panels, decided content, wrote a great many articles, selected a designer and launched the quarterly magazines to great success. We then edited and managed a number of editions before training up local teams to be able to produce their own editions.
Building Hyde Plus’ name in regeneration
We edit, design and produce magazines for community regeneration organisation Hyde Plus. Each issue updates readers on what Hyde Plus has been up to, which includes helping people into work, helping tackling debt, building community facilities and developing stronger communities. Click here to see a copy of our magazine for Hyde Plus.
Hyde Plus managing director, Sarah Thurman, says:
“The Substance PR team has a great track record in our industry and really “get” what we do, which makes working with them on projects such as our magazine a real hassle-free experience. I would recommend them in an instant.”
Proofing literary magazine, Pop Cult
Pop Cult magazine is making waves in the literary world. Each issue brings together work from some of literature’s up-and-coming stars. We work closely with the Pop Cult team and are responsible for proofing each issue.
Award-winning writing for Green Energy UK
When the Cisco Customer Kings judges took a look at the competition entry we wrote for clean electricity supplier Green Energy UK, they remarked: “Green Energy UK stunned us with an entry unlike anything we’ve seen before. We said we wanted to find companies that went the extra mile to engage with customers. Green Energy UK goes so far, it’s off the radar. In fact, its entry was so extraordinary that we doubted it could actually be true.”
Our entry helped crown Green Energy UK ‘winner of winners’, beating hundreds of other companies to the £5,000 prize. Did you know that we also run awards programmes? Click here for more.
Making a Big Bang for Southampton City Council
Southampton City Council hired us to write a fold-out brochure celebrating the city’s developing arts scene. The brochure documents progress made, covers investment by Southampton City Council and SEEDA, and provides an insight into an artist’s life. Click here to read our brochure for Southampton City Council.
Take a look at some of our articles
The Substance team has written for a variety of publications. Take a look here.