Aim for "off-the-wall but interesting."

Laughter constantly fills the Dentsu Inc. conference room.

My desk is near the conference room, and hearing the frequent laughter makes me so curious about the fascinating discussions inside that I can hardly sit still.

Meetings aren't tedious, boring time-wasters. In fact, meetings can be incredibly interesting.

When I was a new copywriter, my ideas were serious and never elicited laughter. But when a senior colleague would say, "Here's the copy," laughter would erupt. Then, somehow, that idea would transcend logic and become, "This is funny, let's pitch it." We'd submit it, the client would love it, and it would end up in the world.

"First, make the people in the room laugh."

is a clear criterion for whether copy connects with people, regardless of whether it's "right" or "wrong."

Try constantly testing whether you can shift the mood in a fun direction when you present something. Getting a laugh feels great and builds confidence.

You don't see it much in Dentsu Inc.'s creative meetings, but it seems there are quite a few people who only state the obvious during discussions. They aren't saying anything wrong; everything they say is correct from start to finish.

But I once heard from a psychologist friend that people tend to drift away from such individuals.

In other words, I think logical arguments alone don't move people.

"Off the mark but interesting" has the power to stimulate the listener's sense of surprise by subtly missing the strike zone.

For instance, in solid fields like real estate or banking, softer language can sometimes resonate better with clients. In a world where the more conservative you become, the more correct arguments emerge, isn't it better to consciously aim for a "loose pitch with a generous strike zone" precisely then?

"Correct but boring" is fatal for copy.

No, it's fatal not just for copy, but for all words—and more broadly, for all products, ideas, and concepts. That's why we should aim for "off-target but interesting." Doing so creates words that resonate and leave an impression. And strangely enough, as you keep repeating "off-target but interesting," "correct and interesting" starts to emerge. It's something you can refine through trial and error.