CLIENT: Alexi Giannoulias, Candidate for Secretary of State of Illinois

CREDITS: Creative Director, Copywriter | Campaign Concept, Scripting, Post

OVERVIEW:

Alexi Giannoulias, a long-time client of AL Media, needed a strong concept that would get him noticed and increase his likeability among Democratic-leaning voters in Illinois. Coach G, is basically a totally relatable dad-type with a huge passion for Illinois. Wherever he goes, on the court or out for ice cream, he takes to pontificating his dreams of a more inclusive, smarter Illinois.

Two months later, an AL partner informed me that folks were raving about this particular campaign. They also helped Alexi win his race.

CLIENT: Joseph C. Rocha, Candidate for California State Senate

CREDITS: Director, Copywriter, Producer, Art | Campaign Concept, Scripting, Pre- & Post-Production

OVERVIEW:

I directed “Homecoming” on a shoestring budget, in a single, 10-hour shoot while I was 7 months pregnant on a hella hot San Diego day.

Inspired by Rocha’s service in the U.S. armed forces, we chose a somber, cinematic opening that really didn’t give you typical politico vibes.

When we shared the first cut with the client, he responded in tears… we more than surpassed his expectations.

CLIENT: Michelle Wu, Boston Mayoral Candidate (won, 2021)

CREDITS: Director, Copywriter | Campaign Concept, Scripting, Pre & Post

CLIENT: Daniel Hernandez, Candidate for Congress (Arizona)

CREDITS: Creative Director, Copywriter | Concept, Scripting, Post

CLIENT: John Cranley, Candidate for Governor of Ohio

CREDITS: Creative Director, Copywriter | Campaign Concept, Scripting, Post

CREDITS: Copywriter, Creative Direction | Scripting, Concepting, VO Directing

OVERVIEW

Once it was clear that Joe Biden was the Democratic presidential pick, I scripted a series of videos that bolstered Joe’s appeal in targeted states. I did so by contrasting the chaotic, failed leadership of Donald Trump’s last four years, specifically during the Covid pandemic, to Joe Biden's long history of steady leadership, especially as Vice President.

Ads ran on Facebook and YouTube for six weeks in our target states, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, and Arizona. They performed well, resulting in .07pp voter sway toward Biden.

CREDITS: Copywriter, Creative Direction | Scripting, Concepting, VO Directing

OVERVIEW

Donald Trump’s failure to lead during the coronavirus set America up for one of its most challenging periods in generations.

My job was to show both visually and contextually how Trump’s constant lying and downplaying was ultimately what made the crisis that much worse. These videos highlighted how Trump’s inaction put America in the worst position imaginable. Driving home the dueling ideas: Trump failed to lead and it didn’t have to be this way.

This strategic framing worked really stinking well to decrease Trump’s approval ratings an average of 1.3pp among independent voters (April - October 2020). “Trump failed to lead” would become one of our better-performing themes throughout the election cycle. His endless stream of examples of failed leadership made it that more impactful.

CREDITS: Copywriter, Creative Direction | Jingle, Video & Audio Script, Concepting, VO Casting & Directing

OVERVIEW

Inspired by the classic Juicy Fruit and Big Red gum commercials of the 80s, I created the concept, wrote the jingle (lyrics/melody), and the script in a weekend while visions of Jazzercise instructors danced in my head. So infectious was this melody that even my then 4-year-old was running around the house belting out “We’ve all got to do it or America’s F*cked! Just vote!”

Blending a few meme-able moments from Trump’s presidency (here’s looking at you, Angry Eagle) to create a fast-paced, college-humor-inspired video geared toward younger voters (35 and under). The radio spot features the talented Alex Verde, providing the get-your-shit-together announcer voiceover.

CREDITS: Copywriter, Creative Direction | Scripting, Concepting, VO Directing, Social

OVERVIEW

Joe Biden is notorious for his punchy, relatable one-liners. Tasked with finding a good Biden “clap back” for all the Trumpian follies, I remember really liking Biden’s “Gimme a break” line at the 2016 Democratic Convention. Didn’t take me long to find numerous instances where he’s growled the very line in response to something stupid Trump had done.

I sourced both Biden and Trump clips and worked closely with the video editor to get the right pacing and tone. I really wanted the audience to get a sense of Biden's vitality (look he’s nearly 80, so having him appear young was crucial across the board) and I think we nailed it. He comes across as bold, competent, and energetic (and even a bit cheeky).

Our main target Demo was Black Americans across swing states, receiving good feedback across the board. We even worked with an outside PAC who bought the rights to air Gimme A Break in the Philadephia TV market.

CREDITS: Copywriter, Creative Direction | Scripting, Concepting, VO Directing

OVERVIEW

We didn’t want to just win back the White House, we also had our eyes on the Senate.

I came up with the “Together” campaign, tapping into the notion that it takes everyone to usher in change. With tensions abound in the US at the time, I incorporated the voices on the street and directed their anger at those in charge. In this case, Trump and the Republican Senators who enabled his failed leadership.

Though, in the end, we weren’t 100% successful in taking back the Senate on election day, we did make a tangible difference in Arizona, garnering a 24% engagement with the Together campaign across Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

We didn’t end up using “Bobbleheads” but I really liked how it turned out. I worked with an outside agency for the execution on this one and liked the rather biting, ship-of-fools sort of way it highlights Trump and the Senators’ failures. The aesthetic is right up my alley with its Pythonesque quality.

CREDITS: Copywriter, Creative Direction | Scripting, Concepting, Voiceover Casting/Directing

OVERVIEW

In preparation for, well, worst-case scenario, we were tasked with coming up with a couple of ads for TV and digital that we could run in case bad actors decided to create even more chaos while ballots were still being counted. Basically, we wanted to have ads at the ready just in case shit hit the fan post-Election Day with the goal of calming and reassuring America.

For both ads, our target audience was wide, encompassing middle America and urban, coastal cities. We wanted to strike a heartfelt, patriotic note without crossing too far into irony or cheekiness. Both ads feel genuine, sincere, and real.

We were on a shoestring budget for these, but I think they came out pretty well. For the selfies, we reached out to numerous folks we had worked with over the last year, and all were more than happy to lend their faces and voices along with many of my colleagues at Priorities.

As far as final projects go, this one had a lot of catharsis for me. After ten months of persuasion and mobilization ads, it felt good to produce public service announcement-style ads with only one agenda: To keep the peace and let the chips fall as they may.

In the end, we never had to run these ads which I think is a really good thing for America and our democracy. Albeit, I was a bit sad personally because I really liked making these ads. It’s a loss I’m willing to share though.

CREDITS: Copywriter, Creative Direction | Scripting, Concepting, Voiceover Directing, Social

OVERVIEW

I wrote a handful of radio spots in support of Priorities’ Get Out The Vote 2020 campaign. They ran on iHeartradio, Spotify, Pandora, and even on terrestrial radio.

These four were the best of the bunch, targeting voters across demographics in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, and Florida.

Zen Vote, though ultimately did not run because of some concerns around yoga. I still think it’s a funny-ass spot, so I’m sharing anyway. The fact that I got it greenlit was somewhat a shock to me and my creative director. You win some, you barely lose some!

CREDITS: Copywriter, Creative Direction | Scripting, Concepting, Voiceover Casting/Directing

OVERVIEW

The request was simple: Get as many people as possible motivated to vote without making it political. Our target was voters under 35, hence the 100% digital execution, in swing states.

The music is upbeat, punchy. The message is direct, conversational, and real. The voiceover talent delivered a matter-of-fact tone with a bit of playfulness. It was a fine line, but she nails it here. You wanna listen to what she has to say.

The sense of urgency in these ads is REAL and, as a result, we saw a huge jump in early voting in all our target states.

CREDITS: Copywriter, Content Strategy & Direction | Email Campaigns, Survey Questions, Style & Brand Guidelines

OVERVIEW

Everything For 420 (is/was/who can possibly remember) a fun, chill online head shop startup. They hired me to develop their brand identity, voice, and tone. I also wrote a few emails for them, too.

First, we planned a survey to get a feel for the EF420 customer. I scheduled the survey to hit inboxes at 4:20 on a Tuesday. Based on past EF420 email trends, Tuesday afternoon and late-evening had the highest Open Rates.

Then I created a batch of emails for August/early September based on their business needs and inventory.

Being a startup, they didn’t have loads of money to throw at it, so the design was lo-fi and scrappy.

Overall, messaging is funny, upbeat, and chill. The client was very motivated to create narratives that spoke directly to their customers (mostly 22-25 and male). And wanted to steer clear of marketing speak and sales messaging.

Site traffic increased by 42% YoY and conversion increased 23% YoY.

CREDITS: Copywriter | Branding, Tagline, Website, Brochure

OVERVIEW

TrinSecurity needed help and they needed it quick. Once just a word-of-mouth operation providing cybersecurity services to small and medium-sized businesses, they suddenly found themselves insanely busy when COVID-19 hit as many enterprises rushed to make remote work possible for their employees.

To help TrinSecurity support their booming business and attract new clients, I collaborated with DN Design, a creative agency in Hollywood, to create a brand that was friendly, professional, and trustworthy. Bold, edgy designs give way to smart, thoughtful copy targeting IT managers, executives, and business owners concerned about their company’s security.

TrinSecurity was incredibly happy with the final results. Their new website increased contact inquiries by 30% in the first month, helping TrinSecurity make a name for themselves in the cybersecurity space.

CREDITS: Copywriter | Branding, Website, Executive Resume, Blogging

OVERVIEW

When David Palmer decided to launch 90210 Management, he desperately needed a site that articulated his services, highlighted his successes, and made it very clear to prospective clients that with 90210 Management they would get decades of marketing and talent experience as well as all the connections behind it: David Palmer.

In the media and entertainment space, word of mouth is huge and connections can make or break a project, and Palmer knows just about everybody.

Our challenge was to parlay Palmer’s storied history in entertainment and marketing into a narrative that is very much about now. Since he had taken a number of years off, his background felt slightly antiquated even though his experience and capabilities were very relevant.

I worked closely with DN Design, an agency in Hollywood, to create a brand that was elevating, youthful, results-driven, and future- and business-focused.

CREDITS: Copywriter | Product Naming, Sell Sheets, Sales Deck, Emails, Digital Ads, Landing Page

OVERVIEW

Episource is a global healthcare data and analytics software company on a mission to simplify healthcare for clients in the health field.

For their Dual Enrollment 360 campaign, they really wanted highly scannable B2B messaging that was benefits-driven.

Initially, the thought was we could cover all with a single asset. But after some research on my end, I convinced the client that creating content curated for each target might prove more useful in the long run. These are educated professionals; watered-down material wasn’t going to cut it.

My driving strategy:

Arm Episource’s sales team with informative, easy-to-scan material for use out in the field.

Create a simple customer journey, starting with a targeted email campaign that sparks interest and drives interested parties to the landing page and into the new client funnel.

Expand Episource’s reach across a broader audience with targeted paid media ads covering three audiences.

CREDITS: Copywriter, Editor, Strategist | Web Page, Web Banners, Interview Questions, Social

OVERVIEW

When Microsoft launched Creators, an editorial series highlighting eight local (and not-so-local, i.e. Marimekko) visionaries, I co-led on copy creation, strategy, and execution.

Of those profiled, SassyBlack’s page recorded 2.5x more engagement than other Microsoft sites, with folks averaging over 2 minutes on the page. 77% of page visitors came back at a later date. And an astonishing 97% of visitors to SassyBlack’s page were net-new Microsoft store visitors.

CREDITS: Copywriter | Web Pages, Banners, Social

OVERVIEW

When Xbox preparing to launch its Gear Store, it reached out to Microsoft Creative Services, Microsoft’s in-house creative team where I was one of three senior copywriters. I was tasked with coming up with the voice, tone, and copy to be used across channels, including for web and social.

I was literally (yes, literally) told, “Do whatever you want.” I took the reins and ran with it, opting for playful, cheeky copy.

This full-body fashion statement sold out in hours thanks in part to full-on fan support, some hype on IG and Facebook, and flawless creative execution across numerous teams, including Creative Services and the Xbox Apparel team.

CREDITS: Lead Copywriter | Web Banners, Digital Ads, Emails, Store Displays, OTT Banners

OVERVIEW

For Microsoft’s grad campaign, I wanted to capture the optimism and uncertainty this milestone so often inspires both in the graduate and the graduate’s family, especially in these rather daunting times.

Working closely with a visual designer, we matched the joy and anxiety with an expansive and ethereal look and feel, emphasizing the infinite possibilities ahead.

We needed to create a concept that would resonate strongly with our target audience (grads & their family members) as well as work seamlessly across all channels. To make sure this happened, we executed the creative ourselves and made tweaks along the way to ensure we got the best engagement possible.

Our efforts were rewarded with a 20% jump in digital engagement and a 23% jump in revenue over the previous grad campaign.

CREDITS: Copywriter | Scripting, Storyboarding

OVERVIEW

Microsoft Accounts wanted to highlight the benefits of its Family Group of Accounts to increase customer awareness and increase subscribers. Working closely with an art director, we created this short, playful animated video for YouTube, social, and email.

Position Microsoft’s Family Account as the primer dashboard that makes a busy, modern family’s day that much easier.

The Microsoft Accounts team really dug the work we did, and has, from what I’ve been told, been using the in-house team for all their creative and not outside agencies since this project wrapped.

CREDITS: Copywriter, Content Strategy | Web Page

OVERVIEW

After several weeks of slumping sales, I was tapped to rework the Surface Pro 3 copy.

The previous page leaned heavily on marketing jargon and was pretty unclear in spots.

First I removed all that. Then I honed in on the incredible flexibility of Surface Pro 3 and built a narrative around that.

As for tone, I opted for friendlier and straightforward, like friends chatting over brunch.

Add to Cart increased 4x and conversion jumped 19%.

CREDITS: Copywriter | Web Page, Web Banners

OVERVIEW

Surface tapped me to create a new Surface Pro campaign targeting students (high school to college) to support an upcoming email campaign for back to school.

I worked with a designer to transform the Surface Pro story into one that the younger crowd could relate to. Few high school freshmen, for instance, give two sh*ts that Surface Pro runs Excel. They want something that’ll play games and keep up with their online streaming habits.

Sales for Surface Pro rose 28% during Microsoft’s back-to-school campaign, a 13% jump over the year before.

CREDITS: Copywriter | Digital & Email Banners, Web Page

OVERVIEW

When HTC came out with a Windows phone it was a big stinking deal.

For the HTC One I went with the idea of “the one” and made it all about love at first ring. It worked like a charm. The One sold really stinking well online and in physical stores.

CREDITS: Copywriter | Digital Banners, Web Page

OVERVIEW

The Lumia 640 XL made it easy for people to get things done while on the run. It was also an affordable phone with one heck of a camera.

Capturing the workhorse capabilities and the playfulness of this phone was priority number one. The price point made it a reasonable option for many, so I kept the storytelling informative and light, while the tone is friendly and a wee playful.

CREDITS: Copywriter | Web Page

OVERVIEW

Huawei and Microsoft briefly collaborated before all the bad press and other nefarious rumblings pushed Huawei virtually out of the U.S. marketplace. I wrote the copy for a few of these devices.

The Huawei MateBook was a ridiculously sleek machine, even for this been-there, seen-that tech writer. It was geared toward the perpetually busy pro with little desire to lug around heavy business laptops of yesteryear. I kept the copy classy, clean, and succinct. Like a pro.

CREDITS: Copywriter & Editor | Digital Ads

OVERVIEW

Can you write headlines? Do politicians pander for votes?

I wrote and edited thousands of digital ads for the web, social, and demand generation over the years.

In my first year on the creative team at Microsoft, my ads increased site traffic by 29% YoY. Web ads averaged a CTR of 37% (up from 19%).