I recently acquired web development skills to enhance some projects for my current copywriting role, and learning these technologies allowed me to build this custom website for a friend’s side business, Lavender Hill Properties. Skills I used to create this website included: writing the copy and taking the photographs for the properties, adding HTML and CSS code to structure and style each web page, setting up the domain name, and uploading the files to the web host.
I write original content for Whirlpool brands that are featured on Shop Your Way, which is Sears’ social media channel for customers who participate in their rewards program. Each month, I create a content calendar for KitchenAid, Maytag, and Whirlpool that the client approves. The KitchenAid lead-ins are particularly fun to write. KitchenAid’s small appliances division has a loyal following, and it’s assumed that the “smalls” enthusiasts enjoy cooking and own the equipment required for advanced techniques.
The agency that works with KitchenAid on their creative copy has written some fun headlines that the brand uses in conjunction with its recipe blog. I have written Shop Your Way lead-ins in the same voice to maintain brand consistency. These are some headlines I wrote that were approved as Shop Your Way lead-ins (in text form) to recipes. Important note: These headlines were approved for social media posts in text form by the client. I added images behind the headlines only to showcase them here. When looking for inspiration, I turned to KitchenAid’s headline campaign on Pinterest.
Image credits from the KitchenAid blog:
Sriracha Chicken Sausage – August 6, 2014
Entertaining with Spring Rolls – April 17, 2015
Vegetarian Farro Soft Tacos – March 20, 2015
Asparagus and Sweet Pea Soup – April 3, 2015
Meyer Lemon Rosemary Cupcakes – March 10, 2015
A campaign targeted to prospective students, #WeAreComm shows who are students are and what drives them to study communication. With eight different majors ranging from strategic corporate communication to the artistic disciplines of theatre arts, it can be confusing for incoming Freshmen to choose a career path. The purpose of the #WeAreComm campaign is to assure them that there is a place for them in our college.
I created this booklet as part of a recruiting campaign for the Diederich College of Communication at Marquette University. The previous printed materials that were distributed to students during Scholarship Testing Week were outdated and in need of a refresh. I handled all the copywriting and 90% of the design work, outsourcing the cover design work to a talented graphic design intern. I was also in charge of obtaining approvals from department heads, incorporating their changes, and handling prepress with our printer.
In my efforts to re-brand the college, I gave each major its own identity but worked to ensure that all majors work together to complete the Diederich College of Communication. This booklet was well received by the college’s leadership, and there is a new excitement over the voice that I have crafted that is designed to capture the enthusiasm of the students and the work-hard-play-hard mentality that the college continues to embrace.
College-of-Comm-Recruiting_Spring_2016
I wrote the copy for this Amana guide to highlight some of the new dishwasher features for consumers.
Amana has a conversational tone, so we speak directly to the customers, describing how Amana features can make their lives a little easier. The products are designed to be affordable, to perform well, and conserve resources. You get the features you need without the fluff.
Shop Your Way is a social site for Sears’ loyalty program, and I am the content manager for KitchenAid, Maytag, and Whirlpool brands. The site is reminiscent of Pinterest, with a single page for each brand and staggered posts.
I write some original content and share the calendar with the client every month, and once content is approved, I post it to the Shop Your Way site. I then use the analytical tools to determine which posts customers most relate to and tailor the content accordingly.
I am particularly proud of the work I’ve done for Maytag. When I started creating content for this brand, the page only had 80 followers. It became our mission to grow the following, and after six months of consistent posts and using feedback from analytical tools to tailor content, the following exploded to 5000+ followers and continues to grow!
For this project, we created a post card for the Sears sales associates to encourage them to win a tropical vacation for their store by selling Whirlpool products.
XX140030
During my tenure at Aisle Rocket Studios, I have written many Sales Today articles about new Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid and Kenmore appliances. The sales associates read them so that they can educate themselves about the new appliance lineups and sell the new products to consumers. We emphasize the new features and how they benefit customers (Sears now refers to the customers as members). I am particularly proud of the article that features Whirlpool’s first 5-door refrigerator, as I suggested a full spread layout. It looked cramped when confined to one page, and both the art director and client were open to working with a spread.
SGR_12298-Whirlpool-Refer-Cameo-Sales-Today-Article_0512151 SGD_11872_KA_Dish_SalesToday22714-copy SGL-11955-Whirlpool-Laundry-Alpha-Launch-Sales-Today_3b
Here is a small sample of the appliances for which I conducted keyword research and wrote product descriptions for Sears.com. In addition to writing descriptions and handling specifications, I manage this workload for two other junior copywriters and review all copy prior to client approval. I also work closely with the account team to ensure schedules are on track and within budget.
