Jun 18, 2025
At some point in a writer’s career they will have been asked to make a brand’s copy read more like The Economist. Or worse, make it feel more “Economisty.” For companies selling legal services and compliance software this may seem like a tall order. But it’s not impossible. As a senior editor for The Economist Group’s branded content team I spent half a decade doing it. So here are the five secrets you need to know to make your writing feel more Economisty:
The five secrets to writing like The Economist
At some point in a writer’s career they will have been asked to make a brand’s copy read more like The Economist. Or worse, make it feel more “Economisty.” For companies selling legal services and compliance software this may seem like a tall order. But it’s not impossible. As a senior editor for The Economist Group’s branded content team I spent half a decade doing it. So here are the five secrets to making your writing more Economisty:
Write for a Dentist in Wisconsin
How would you write an article on cryptocurrency for an audience of 1.25 million people? Most people would launch into it in the belief that every reader from the butcher in Barnsley to the banker in Beirut has a reasonable grasp of global stablecoin regulation. Writers at The Economist don’t. Instead, they write for a Dentist in Wisconsin: someone who’s smart but not academic; well-off but not mega-rich; and critically, someone in an American swing-state. Having this character in mind allows them to ask “Would my reader know what this means?” and tighten it accordingly.
Use the rubric
Each Economist article starts with two things: the heading, which is a hook for the reader, and the rubric, which is a tool for the writer. An example from the July 2025 edition titled “Will AI make you stupid?” presents readers with new research into the cognitive decline of ChatGPT users, summarising arguments on both sides of the debate. But here’s the trick. By referring back to the rubric (“creativity and critical thinking might take a hit. But there are ways to soften the blow”) the writer is able to keep the narrative on track and structure an argument that keeps the reader engaged until they hear the solution.
Find a creative perspective
Look at any top publication. How many articles give you the big picture straight away? Unless they’re breaking news, the best journalists help you understand a global issue through local stories. Take this article from the August 2023 edition: “A blunder costs a British town billions.” The story is not only entertaining in its own right, it’s—as the rubric points out—”the worst example of an unwelcome trend.
If in doubt, cut it out
There’s a reason The Economist feels slick. It’s because the editors go to exorbitant lengths to cut out any big picture concepts, future-focused ideas or transformational strategies, because jargon is the literary equivalent of empty calories. If your aim is to keep an article under 700 words then if in doubt cut it out.
5. Stick to your editorial position
Hang around The Economist offices long enough and you’ll hear someone tell you that the newspaper was started in 1843 to champion liberal values such as free trade and small government. Some of these notions have fallen out of fashion in the modern era, and not for the first time. But whenever popular opinion shifts against the newspaper, subscriptions tend to go up. Why? Because holding onto your values gives you credibility, but it also gives your writing the tension that so many of us are looking for.
Infuse all of these ideas into your writing and you will have the foundations for a more Economist-style of branded content. To build on it, you need to start thinking about how these styles should differ across your newsletters, social platforms, even your investor letters. If so, make sure to check out our guide to developing a style across different mediums:
