The #nomakeupselfie - Why it worked, and what Dove already knew

It’s day 6 of the #nomakeupselfie campaign, and the newspapers claim to have uncovered the source – a teenage Mum from Stoke.

Fiona Cunningham wanted to do something to raise awareness of [breast] cancer as it had touched her family. What happened next was an unprecedented viral campaign which has raised more than £8m in less than a week – one of Cancer Research UK’s most successful fundraising campaigns to date.

Picture shared on Twitter by @CR_UK

While Cancer Research may not have come up with the idea, they certainly helped it along, putting their weight behind it and setting up a text number to make it even easier to donate and share.

The premise is a simple one, post a picture of yourself on social media wearing, shock horror, no make-up and make a donation to help beat cancer.

Starting a distance-learning course? What's the first thing you should do?

Buy new stationery of course...

But after that? 

You need to write a study plan.

A brief history of me and study plans

Whether doing GCSEs, A-levels, or uni exams, my routine was always the same:

1. Browse through the rows of stationery in Staples. Buy a pack of different coloured pens, a folder and some post-its.


2. Take them home


3. Lay them out neatly on the desk...Any-one with me here? No? Just me then


4. Make a cup of tea


5. Set about writing a study plan

Comma Confusion

It's amazing, isn't it? As soon as you know that you are being assessed on something, it throws up a massive question mark in your mind as to whether you actually know what you think you know.

Take the pre-course assessment essay I have to write to get onto the copywriting course I chose here. Never have I doubted my use of common punctuation quite so much!

And what was the source of my little punctu-breakdown?

Copywriting - To train or not to train

When considering a move into Copywriting, it is tempting to just have a go and see what happens. After all it is one of those things that, assuming some writing ability, can't be that hard can it?

I have a sneaking suspicion that is not true.

Maybe I CAN be a copywriter.....The first 'client'?

Today I thought I would share with you my first copywriting success...And I think I've got the bug!

It was only a small thing, a favour for an elderly neighbour -  a free classified ad on a well-known local site. But it worked!

But so what? I hear you cry, millions of people sell tons of stuff using online auctions every day of the week - that doesn't make you a copywriter.

I think what has surprised me is success of this sale against the odds!