Branding

SURREAL’s copywriter: The copywriter’s guide to brand building

John Thornton, Senior Creative at Surreal
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 […]
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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 Plannable, 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.