Marketing Without the Bullsh*t: A Case for Truth in Copywriting
The Copywriter Column #225
Summary
So much of modern marketing is built on stretching the truth just enough to sell the illusion. But there’s a quiet power in copy that doesn’t need to shout, bluff, or bend. Here’s a case for writing with honesty, not just because it’s right, but because it works.
It didn’t hit me all at once.
It was more of a slow drip.
A car commercial showing a sedan off-roading on impossible terrain. A cereal box claiming to lower cholesterol. Shoes that promised to burn more calories than any other footwear. Each one just far enough from the truth to feel safe, but close enough to sell the illusion.
At first, you might shrug it off. That’s just marketing, right?
But the more you see it, the more it starts to grate on you a little bit.
It grates on you because somewhere between the headline and the fine print, the truth gets bent juuuuuuust enough.
And the thing is, it’s not just happening at the brand level.
Marketers, copywriters, strategists, growth folks – we’re all often stuck in a strange double-bind. On one hand, we’re told to make big, bold claims that grab attention. On the other, we’re warned to write them in a way that won’t get legal involved.
So instead of writing with honesty, we write with caution tape.
Instead of building trust, we build messages around liability.
And that’s the part that gets to me.
Because it’s not just about misleading your audience, it’s about shaping a culture of communication where the goal is to say just enough to convert, not enough to care.
Honest Copy Doesn't Shout. It Shows Up.
Honest copy isn’t boring, it’s brave.
It’s the decision to write for someone’s well-being instead of just their wallet.
And ironically (or not-so-ironically), it’s one of the fastest ways to build trust.
When someone reads your copy and thinks, “That feels real”, they lean in. They don’t brace for the bait-and-switch or scan the fine print. Because when you strip away the exaggeration, you’re left with something that can’t be faked: credibility.
It’s not loud.
It’s not always sexy.
But it lasts.
The Quick Win Myth
There’s this false belief that you either go for a quick win or you play the long game. But honest copy actually does both.
It builds trust fast.
Not by dazzling someone, but by meeting them with the kind of clarity and candor that most brands are afraid to use.
People can tell when you’re reaching, and if they’ve been burned before, they’re not in the mood to “play detective” on your landing page.
But when you’re straightforward about what a product can do, who it’s for, and what it won’t fix, you don’t necessarily slow down the sale – you just make it easier to believe.
Write Like Someone’s Going to Quote You
If there’s one mindset shift I’d push for here, it’s this:
Write like someone’s going to repeat what you said to a friend.
Why? Well, that’s how trust works, folks. It spreads!
You don’t need to promise more. You need to say the thing that no one else is saying. Be the brand that says what’s true instead of what’s tempting.
It takes more discipline, but it also takes more care.
And maybe that’s the point.
The Real Goal
Honest copy doesn’t always spike conversions. It’s not meant to. It’s meant to build a reputation.
One that brings people back.
One that makes your name easier to trust.
One that pays dividends long after the click.
So yeah, you can hype the headline, polish the CTA, and load it up with urgency.
Or… you can tell the truth, knowing that your customer will remember how you made them feel (without bullshitting them).
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