Jennie Watson Interview
After seven years with one brand, you’re bound to break a few rules. Papier’s Copy Lead, Jennie Watson, shares how she keeps the brand voice fresh—and what the industry gets wrong about in-house writing.
Published on
Mar 24, 2025
6
min. read
Where’s your hometown and where do you live currently?
I’m a proud Geordie, born and raised in Newcastle upon Tyne. Now I live in East London in a cute pink flat with my sister.
You mentioned growing up in a household of girls—how do you think this aspect of your upbringing influenced your perspective on storytelling?
It shaped so much. I’m one of four girls, and our childhood was full of self-expression. Reading storybooks, writing impromptu plays, naming imaginary friends, reciting Spice Girls lyrics on the living room stage.
Then came my magazine era—we always had them lying around the house. My Mam got me a Vogue subscription for my 15th birthday and kept it going ever since (my collection is out of control now—stacks of mags double as my bedside table, doorstops and a pedestal for my TV!). After school, my ritual was always the same: curl up with a cuppa and a magazine to read cover to cover. That was my education, more so than my English Lit degree. That’s where I learned to spot a beautiful editorial headline, appreciate words that wake you up, and fall in love with phrasing. Most importantly, it’s where I discovered: ‘Wait, I could’ve written that..’ and started taking writing seriously as a career option.
In a few sentences, describe what you do.
I’m the Copy Lead for stationery brand Papier, and spend my days writing about the magic of putting pen to paper. I work on lots of lovely things – from campaign storytelling to packaging.
What is the most challenging part of working in-house? And the most rewarding?
Pleasing different stakeholders is probably the trickiest part. You have those champions of the elevated, super-creative copy at one end of the table, then you’ll have senior leaders who love a lower-funnel line that converts. Naturally you want to write something that thrills everyone. And the customer. AND yourself. It can be hard nailing that balance, but it feels really good when you do.
The most rewarding thing about working in-house as long as I have (I’ve been at Papier almost seven years) is that the brand kind of becomes an extension of your own voice. That makes writing feel v. effortless and enjoyable.
How do you keep your writing fresh while writing for the same brand every day?
Finding different moods, stories and phrases to play with. There’s so much to say with stationery—we get to talk about productivity, self-love, cooking, travel. The list is endless.
I’m also starting to truly understand the power of not saying something fresh. If you have an amazing line for a campaign or product, the message can stay the same. In fact, it has more impact when we say it over and over. Definitely put your best lines on repeat.
Do you think overall perceptions of in-house versus agency work are correct? What do people get wrong?
I haven’t worked agency-side yet, but I know the rhetoric: agency is intense; in-house is slow. From my experience, in-house can be very fast-paced and comes with its own challenges and opportunities. I get to pour all of my energy in one voice and draw upon all this historical brand knowledge. At this point, my understanding of Papier runs deep and the long-standing relationships I’ve built with the team allow for lots of creativity and agility—none of it feels slow or monotonous. You don’t have the blockers of getting to know new clients or juggling several brand voices. I’m into in-house.
What was your experience refreshing Papier’s wedding voice? Tell us more about Papier's perspective on bridal?
I had so much fun relooking at our wedding voice. The main thing I wanted to kill was anything twee or overly traditional. Not many brands are making waves with wedding language—it’s often very sweet and safe. So, this felt like an exciting area we could really own.
More and more couples are craving a wedding that looks and feels like them. There’s been a real rise in the ‘anti-bride’ and cooler, low-key celebrations, which I wanted to reflect in the attitude of our language. We still love a romantic line, but we’re dumping anything sickly. The keep-forever, tactile nature of paper invitations vs. digital announcements is also a key story for us to tell. My fave line we’re playing with atm is: MARRIAGE MATERIAL.
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What are the skills that make the biggest difference in your work?
A gut instinct that others trust. A good memory for compiling a mental catalogue of references. A vivid imagination for dreaming up ideas (my friends will tell you I live in my head most of the time).
What’s a piece of feedback that still haunts you?
“You don’t always have to write something clever.” This stuck with me in a good way and made me better. It’s normal to want to impress with fancy vocab and phrases you’d never usually say in real life when you’re just starting out, but, as you grow as a writer, you realise the cleverest thing to do is actually not trying to sound clever at all. Keeping things clear and natural-sounding is such a skill, and something I strive for in my writing every day.
What’s a piece of advice that still guides you?
Be yourself & try your best.
– Mama Liz.
You’ve said that you feel like brands should be braver with sale and promo copy. Which brands are getting it right? And how?
I don’t think anyone is being brave enough—lots of my all-time favourite brands lose their voice when it comes to sales. It’s like we’re all so scared to mess with that standard formula, but brands like Mejuri (bold headlines), Ace & Tate (fun copy) and Desmond & Dempsey (personality-packed promos) do it well.
Short, snappy and commercial is the age-old rule, but lines like “Final hours for 20% off” are registering less because we live in a sea of sales. For one of our many Black Friday emails, we experimented with a lengthier, brand-led poem and it performed incredibly The offer was almost the after-thought, we omitted urgency and were ambiguous with the subject line, which all goes against the grain, but that was part of its charm. Mystery, poise and the dance of conversation work in love, life and (yes!) sales.
Is there a project or campaign for Papier that has most shaped the way you view the brand? How so?
I was lucky to be around when we did our rebrand with Ragged Edge. I’m grateful I got to be part of that process, and learnt lots watching them define our message so brilliantly. That project still guides me every day in what I do. Our wild posting in London over the festive period also got me thinking about how people who don’t know us perceive our brand, and how can we educate and inspire them in one sentence.
What are you and your team working on currently that's got you excited? Challenged you?
Our latest campaign – Just Start – was a dream piece of work. The highlight was creating our own Papier newspaper, where we interviewed some incredible tastemakers, like Lucie Franc de Ferriere and Rollo Skinner. People who understand the magic of starting something. It made for some gorgeous storytelling and, as analogue lovers, the format made so much sense for us.
What's something that's been challenging as a leader on your team?
Resisting the urge to follow the herd, and getting others on board. There’s this habit we can all get into, which is following other brands and trying the same hooks as everyone else… purely because everyone else is saying it. Things like: ‘You asked, we listened’ or ‘If you do X, you’ll gain X’. Inside, your gut is saying this feels lazy or predictable—it rarely feels great when you jump on that band wagon.
There is something fun and valuable in acknowledging trending phrases and being in touch with the zeitgeist, but I wish we could all demonstrate a little more bravery in being ourselves. That’s when you find the space to coin the phrase that everyone else wants to copy.
What do you think is essential to be a great writer? And do you think reading and writing frequently outside of your job is a necessary prerequisite?
Taste. To me, writing is about telling stories well. And doing anything well starts with good taste, drawing on various sources—whether it’s music, fashion or vintage ephemera.
I don’t think you need to read and write outside of work. One or the other is plenty. Passion for words comes in many forms, and being a writer doesn’t necessarily mean being a traditional bookworm. Yes, feeding our subconscious matters, but we all devour words differently. Essays, film scripts, billboards, the care label in your clothes, the line on the back of your cereal box. If your way of absorbing language is unconventional, that’s a strength. It means you’ll bring something different to the table. Words and stories are all around us—let’s not be snobby about it.
What’s your favorite way to procrastinate?
Writing a to-do list.
What about the industry do you wish you knew starting out in your career?
That I have a say in the visual presentation of my words and my opinion matters. When you start your career, it can feel like you’re supposed to stay in your lane. Junior writers look after the writing, and junior designers do the designing. But with time and experience, you learn that the words and pictures are such a marriage.
I wish I had the confidence sooner to ask designers to try all caps or strip back the colour. When you express the vision for your words respectfully, build that trust with your designer and are open to their copy suggestions too, the results are much better.
Where can The Subtext readers keep up with you? (blog, social channels, linkedin, website, etc)
I’m on Insta & LinkedIn. I also own jenniewatson.com—a friend bought it for me as a gift and wrote a little note that said: Go write your story <3.
I haven’t touched it yet because my perfectionism won’t let me, but I pay GoDaddy every year so it’s still mine. Check back in five years…
What do you listen to while writing?
Uplifting, soulful stuff. My most-played songs of last year were Ann Peebles Until You Came Into My Life and Gwen McCrae Let Them Talk. And Bettye Swan’s self-titled album will forever be my work soundtrack. I get distracted when I discover new music, so I’ll put this on fifty million times in a row when I want to focus.
What’s your most creatively inspired time of day?
Hmm, before bed or in the middle of the night. If I get woken up by an idea, I’ll note it down on my phone so I don’t forget in the morning (not very Papier of me, sorry).
What’s one writing rule you love to break, and one you never do?
💔 Always break: Formal grammar. I like to pick punctuation based on what looks visually beautiful and feels right for the channel.
❤️ Never break: Writing to make people feel.
If you could ban one copy line/phrase, what would it be?
Copy + Copywriter. I’d replace with Words + Writer.
Do you have a personal mantra?
More heart.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
Interior designer or vintage store owner. I like sourcing treasures.
Describe your creative process in three words.
Mostly my subconscious.
Jennie Watson is the Copy Lead for stationery brand Papier. She spends her days crafting stories about the power of putting pen to paper. Write to her if you like – her DMs are always open xx
Where’s your hometown and where do you live currently?
I’m a proud Geordie, born and raised in Newcastle upon Tyne. Now I live in East London in a cute pink flat with my sister.
You mentioned growing up in a household of girls—how do you think this aspect of your upbringing influenced your perspective on storytelling?
It shaped so much. I’m one of four girls, and our childhood was full of self-expression. Reading storybooks, writing impromptu plays, naming imaginary friends, reciting Spice Girls lyrics on the living room stage.
Then came my magazine era—we always had them lying around the house. My Mam got me a Vogue subscription for my 15th birthday and kept it going ever since (my collection is out of control now—stacks of mags double as my bedside table, doorstops and a pedestal for my TV!). After school, my ritual was always the same: curl up with a cuppa and a magazine to read cover to cover. That was my education, more so than my English Lit degree. That’s where I learned to spot a beautiful editorial headline, appreciate words that wake you up, and fall in love with phrasing. Most importantly, it’s where I discovered: ‘Wait, I could’ve written that..’ and started taking writing seriously as a career option.
In a few sentences, describe what you do.
I’m the Copy Lead for stationery brand Papier, and spend my days writing about the magic of putting pen to paper. I work on lots of lovely things – from campaign storytelling to packaging.
What is the most challenging part of working in-house? And the most rewarding?
Pleasing different stakeholders is probably the trickiest part. You have those champions of the elevated, super-creative copy at one end of the table, then you’ll have senior leaders who love a lower-funnel line that converts. Naturally you want to write something that thrills everyone. And the customer. AND yourself. It can be hard nailing that balance, but it feels really good when you do.
The most rewarding thing about working in-house as long as I have (I’ve been at Papier almost seven years) is that the brand kind of becomes an extension of your own voice. That makes writing feel v. effortless and enjoyable.
How do you keep your writing fresh while writing for the same brand every day?
Finding different moods, stories and phrases to play with. There’s so much to say with stationery—we get to talk about productivity, self-love, cooking, travel. The list is endless.
I’m also starting to truly understand the power of not saying something fresh. If you have an amazing line for a campaign or product, the message can stay the same. In fact, it has more impact when we say it over and over. Definitely put your best lines on repeat.
Do you think overall perceptions of in-house versus agency work are correct? What do people get wrong?
I haven’t worked agency-side yet, but I know the rhetoric: agency is intense; in-house is slow. From my experience, in-house can be very fast-paced and comes with its own challenges and opportunities. I get to pour all of my energy in one voice and draw upon all this historical brand knowledge. At this point, my understanding of Papier runs deep and the long-standing relationships I’ve built with the team allow for lots of creativity and agility—none of it feels slow or monotonous. You don’t have the blockers of getting to know new clients or juggling several brand voices. I’m into in-house.
What was your experience refreshing Papier’s wedding voice? Tell us more about Papier's perspective on bridal?
I had so much fun relooking at our wedding voice. The main thing I wanted to kill was anything twee or overly traditional. Not many brands are making waves with wedding language—it’s often very sweet and safe. So, this felt like an exciting area we could really own.
More and more couples are craving a wedding that looks and feels like them. There’s been a real rise in the ‘anti-bride’ and cooler, low-key celebrations, which I wanted to reflect in the attitude of our language. We still love a romantic line, but we’re dumping anything sickly. The keep-forever, tactile nature of paper invitations vs. digital announcements is also a key story for us to tell. My fave line we’re playing with atm is: MARRIAGE MATERIAL.
What are the skills that make the biggest difference in your work?
A gut instinct that others trust. A good memory for compiling a mental catalogue of references. A vivid imagination for dreaming up ideas (my friends will tell you I live in my head most of the time).
What’s a piece of feedback that still haunts you?
“You don’t always have to write something clever.” This stuck with me in a good way and made me better. It’s normal to want to impress with fancy vocab and phrases you’d never usually say in real life when you’re just starting out, but, as you grow as a writer, you realise the cleverest thing to do is actually not trying to sound clever at all. Keeping things clear and natural-sounding is such a skill, and something I strive for in my writing every day.
What’s a piece of advice that still guides you?
Be yourself & try your best.
– Mama Liz.
You’ve said that you feel like brands should be braver with sale and promo copy. Which brands are getting it right? And how?
I don’t think anyone is being brave enough—lots of my all-time favourite brands lose their voice when it comes to sales. It’s like we’re all so scared to mess with that standard formula, but brands like Mejuri (bold headlines), Ace & Tate (fun copy) and Desmond & Dempsey (personality-packed promos) do it well.
Short, snappy and commercial is the age-old rule, but lines like “Final hours for 20% off” are registering less because we live in a sea of sales. For one of our many Black Friday emails, we experimented with a lengthier, brand-led poem and it performed incredibly The offer was almost the after-thought, we omitted urgency and were ambiguous with the subject line, which all goes against the grain, but that was part of its charm. Mystery, poise and the dance of conversation work in love, life and (yes!) sales.
Is there a project or campaign for Papier that has most shaped the way you view the brand? How so?
I was lucky to be around when we did our rebrand with Ragged Edge. I’m grateful I got to be part of that process, and learnt lots watching them define our message so brilliantly. That project still guides me every day in what I do. Our wild posting in London over the festive period also got me thinking about how people who don’t know us perceive our brand, and how can we educate and inspire them in one sentence.
What are you and your team working on currently that's got you excited? Challenged you?
Our latest campaign – Just Start – was a dream piece of work. The highlight was creating our own Papier newspaper, where we interviewed some incredible tastemakers, like Lucie Franc de Ferriere and Rollo Skinner. People who understand the magic of starting something. It made for some gorgeous storytelling and, as analogue lovers, the format made so much sense for us.
What's something that's been challenging as a leader on your team?
Resisting the urge to follow the herd, and getting others on board. There’s this habit we can all get into, which is following other brands and trying the same hooks as everyone else… purely because everyone else is saying it. Things like: ‘You asked, we listened’ or ‘If you do X, you’ll gain X’. Inside, your gut is saying this feels lazy or predictable—it rarely feels great when you jump on that band wagon.
There is something fun and valuable in acknowledging trending phrases and being in touch with the zeitgeist, but I wish we could all demonstrate a little more bravery in being ourselves. That’s when you find the space to coin the phrase that everyone else wants to copy.
What do you think is essential to be a great writer? And do you think reading and writing frequently outside of your job is a necessary prerequisite?
Taste. To me, writing is about telling stories well. And doing anything well starts with good taste, drawing on various sources—whether it’s music, fashion or vintage ephemera.
I don’t think you need to read and write outside of work. One or the other is plenty. Passion for words comes in many forms, and being a writer doesn’t necessarily mean being a traditional bookworm. Yes, feeding our subconscious matters, but we all devour words differently. Essays, film scripts, billboards, the care label in your clothes, the line on the back of your cereal box. If your way of absorbing language is unconventional, that’s a strength. It means you’ll bring something different to the table. Words and stories are all around us—let’s not be snobby about it.
What’s your favorite way to procrastinate?
Writing a to-do list.
What about the industry do you wish you knew starting out in your career?
That I have a say in the visual presentation of my words and my opinion matters. When you start your career, it can feel like you’re supposed to stay in your lane. Junior writers look after the writing, and junior designers do the designing. But with time and experience, you learn that the words and pictures are such a marriage.
I wish I had the confidence sooner to ask designers to try all caps or strip back the colour. When you express the vision for your words respectfully, build that trust with your designer and are open to their copy suggestions too, the results are much better.
Where can The Subtext readers keep up with you? (blog, social channels, linkedin, website, etc)
I’m on Insta & LinkedIn. I also own jenniewatson.com—a friend bought it for me as a gift and wrote a little note that said: Go write your story <3.
I haven’t touched it yet because my perfectionism won’t let me, but I pay GoDaddy every year so it’s still mine. Check back in five years…
What do you listen to while writing?
Uplifting, soulful stuff. My most-played songs of last year were Ann Peebles Until You Came Into My Life and Gwen McCrae Let Them Talk. And Bettye Swan’s self-titled album will forever be my work soundtrack. I get distracted when I discover new music, so I’ll put this on fifty million times in a row when I want to focus.
What’s your most creatively inspired time of day?
Hmm, before bed or in the middle of the night. If I get woken up by an idea, I’ll note it down on my phone so I don’t forget in the morning (not very Papier of me, sorry).
What’s one writing rule you love to break, and one you never do?
💔 Always break: Formal grammar. I like to pick punctuation based on what looks visually beautiful and feels right for the channel.
❤️ Never break: Writing to make people feel.
If you could ban one copy line/phrase, what would it be?
Copy + Copywriter. I’d replace with Words + Writer.
Do you have a personal mantra?
More heart.
If you weren’t in this industry, what would you be doing?
Interior designer or vintage store owner. I like sourcing treasures.
Describe your creative process in three words.
Mostly my subconscious.
Jennie Watson is the Copy Lead for stationery brand Papier. She spends her days crafting stories about the power of putting pen to paper. Write to her if you like – her DMs are always open xx
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