In a world of try-hard ads and soulless social posts, John Thornton, Creative Lead at Surreal and ex-Innocent copywriter, is doing things differently. In our latest The Marketing Meetup session, John shared how Surreal creates social-first copy that’s funny, human, and effective. With over 1,500 attendees, the conversation covered everything from tone of voice to viral content, and plenty in between.
Here’s what we learned.
📌 Key Takeaways
1. Attention is the brief.
- Surreal’s goal is awareness, not instant conversion.
- They optimise for shares and laughs, not clicks and leads.
- Viral content often starts with a five-minute idea, not a 5-day campaign plan.
2. Funny ≠ fluffy.
- Humour is used with purpose, every joke ties back to the product.
- Great posts entertain first, sell second, but still sell.
- “Stealth advertising” and “on-the-nose” ads both work, as long as they’re self-aware.
3. Relatability beats polish.
- Surreal’s tone reflects what people actually think and feel.
- They lean into sarcasm, employee-style honesty, and “taking the piss.”
- Even typos become part of the brand’s personality.
4. You don’t need to be funny to stand out.
- Brands with a supportive or serious tone can still win on social.
- The secret is clarity, emotional resonance, and understanding platform behaviours.
- As John said, “You can be nice and still go viral.”
5. You don’t always need sign-off (if you earn trust).
- At Surreal and Innocent, the mantra was: “Ask if you’re unsure.”
- For big ideas, John sells them in with reference points, not gut instinct.
💡 John’s Tips for Better Copywriting
- Say it like you’d say it to your gran. Avoid jargon. Keep it clear.
- Start with a headline. Write something interesting, then build tone from there.
- Less is more. Use short words, clear structure, and say one thing well.
- React to feedback, don’t just accept it. Understand the why behind pushback.
- Your brand’s tone can flex. Your product page doesn’t need the same voice as your Instagram post.
🔥 What About AI?
When asked about AI-written copy, John didn’t hold back:
“I don’t give a sh*t about AI. It averages out everything. Good copy is never average.”
Enough said.
🤝 Thanks to Our Sponsors
Huge thanks to Planable, who’ve just launched a new feature to reply to all your social comments in one place. Also big love to Sticky Beak, Cambridge Marketing College, Redgate, and Frontify, you help make sessions like this happen.