The Mix Tape, Vol. 90

May 7, 2021

Hi, I’m Matt Tillotson and this the The Mix Tape newsletter, mixing writing, content + pr strategy, Apple nerdness, and fitness.

This week’s Mix:

Write fast, so you can get to the fun part
iOS ATT opt-in messaging: brand that nailed it, brands that blew it
Epic trolling shows the power of visual storytelling
How to tell the story of corporate good works in an inspirational and useful way
Creative Selection: Apple’s environment for successful software design
This week’s Florida photo, err, GIF

Write fast, so you can get to the fun part

Great writing advice from writer John Swartzwelder, in an interview with The New Yorker:

David Perell @david_perell

The Simpsons secret to writing: Create an imperfect world, then improve it.

I struggle with this. I try to fix first drafts as I’m writing them. That’s a mistake.

Swartzwelder’s entire interview is fun and laced with good advice. His writing career is so vibrant: it’s crossed genres and media types and intersects with many famous shows and people.

Here’s another piece of good advice: don’t label or pigeonhole yourself as a writer. Be flexible:

Were you the go-to copywriter for ads that needed humor?
No, there’s no specialization like that in advertising that I know of. All ad copywriters are expected to write humor or scientific-sounding mumbo jumbo or any other kind of writing, whatever’s needed for the campaign. And they’re expected to write it fast, too, because it’s due tomorrow. Good training, actually.

Let the writing lead you, not the other way around.

iOS ATT opt-in messaging: who nailed it, who blew it

App developers were given a critical chance to directly message their users about app tracking transparency (ATT) in iOS 14.5.

For many, it was their one shot to keep users opted-in to tracking.

Some crafted thoughtful messages. Some were borderline deceitful. And some missed out completely.

Let's look a few cases—including the choices made by some big brands that really surprised me.

Epic trolling shows the power of visual storytelling

Epic Games vs. Apple is underway in court, and Epic came out with some, well, Epic trolling.

I'm reminded as a writer how important and impactful visuals can be.

Here's how Epic used a creatively progressive visual to help reinforce it's story.

How to tell the story of corporate good works in an inspirational and useful way

Apple's recent feature on its program to assist Historically Black Colleges and Universities wasn't any ordinary announcement about charitable efforts.

Instead, Apple told the story of student, Hillary-Rhys Richard, and how he is using the program to propel his dreams and legacy forward.

Bonus: zero photos of smiling executives holding oversized checks (ugh).

Impactful and interesting. Let's look at how Apple constructed its story.

Creative Selection: Apple’s environment for successful software design

A book on Apple history, interwoven with insights on creative process and outcomes?

Sign me up!

Author Ken Kocienda shares stories from his time working on the original software for Safari and the iPhone, and the seven elements he believed positioned Apple for unique software design success. Here’s a quick review.