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If you're cold applying for a job (say on linked in or the company's website) then a cover letter is a good idea (and fill it with buzz words because they likely have an app that sorts the applicants by relevance based on key words).
But, and this is a big big "but" — sending in applications should be, maybe, 5% of your job search.
95% of the time, copywriters and art directors and creative directors get hired through direct connections with the people making the decisions.
So, reach out to people. Past co-workers. Friends of co-workers. People you admire. Send them a note. Compliment them. Ask if they'd be willing to check out your book.
Build connections. Work those connections.
What they said 👆
I do like a really brief note that says why THIS job is relevant and/or exciting to you. It helps focus me as I look through your resume. And @CD1 there is not an app that filters words in a cover letter. A human reads them.
Today I was about to reach out to someone for a role and in the cover letter section he wrote “I believe in me. Do you?” And I passed. Name the actual job you are applying for as well - a canned email never comes off well. It won’t take long - do it!
Thank you for that, I appreciate it.
I find that I'm getting more of a response when I send a cover letter now, but I do a few things that help my letters stand out.
One when I name the file I do FirstNameLastName_companyname.pdf
It shows you took the time to create the file and put some thought into it. My old boss mentioned that they knew when it was a mass template if it was Yourname_coverletter.pdf.
I have a template, but it’s very flexible, and I could personalize it fast.
The second thing I do is search the company on Google/Adage and see if they got any good press recently or won business. I’ll write that in hey I saw your job posting and by the way congratulations on whatever. Or great work for that client.
Thirdly I try and find a name so I’m not opening with “Hi”. If I can’t find the exact person hiring I’ll find the head of recruitment, creative recruiter, or creative head and add their name. 
I keep it simple and don’t think to much into but I try to add a little thought into it.
Perfect common sense right there ☝🏼. 👏🏼
Following. Typically ignore a request for a cover letter, especially if it feels like just an automated part of the application, just cause I was taught that, for creatives, a url and resume suffice in most cases. But yes, is that wrong???
In your experience, has ignoring the request for the cover letter made a difference? Have recruiters still reached out despite not including a cover letter?
I always send one, my 'getting an interview' hit rate is like 80%
So what’s your approach to writing them?
I don’t read cover letters as I don’t normally have time. I also find them to cloud my opinion as so many of them say such dumb stuff about the company and job. It’s obvious that they went to the website, messed around for twenty minutes then wrote the cover letter. So, for me I don’t see the value. “I really love the work you did on XYZ (the first case study on the site).”
That said, seems like it would be bad advice for me to recommend not writing one. Most of the applicants come through HR so they’ve likely been vetted and maybe HR recruiters get a kick out of it.
But I never read them.