Writing by committee makes everything shitty

Anyone who’s ever worked at a big company knows this pain: you write a killer piece of copy, then it goes through three layers of “input”… and comes out bland as mashed potatoes.

Why committees kill creativity

In big orgs, everyone wants to play it safe. Each layer edits out anything that might upset “someone.” The problem? Those spicy, risky bits are usually what make copy work in the first place.

Why it works (or doesn’t)

• Committees optimize for approval, not emotion
• Risk aversion kills personality and voice
• Too many cooks chase consensus, not clarity
• The best copy makes one bold promise, not twelve watered-down ones

Examples

• Original Wendy’s tweets: sassy, funny, viral. Approval-friendly brands? Forgotten.
• Apple’s “Think Different” ad had rebels, not paperwork.
• Dollar Shave Club launched with one weird video. No committee could’ve written that.