Here’s a fun video I wrote a while back (one of a 3-part series on Windows Azure) that communicates a complex topic as simply as possible.
Stick figures answer the burning question: what is SQL Azure?
September 16th, 2011 · Technology, Video, Work
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The Highbury
September 20th, 2010 · Real Estate, Web
We just finished writing a tagline and Web copy for The Highbury, upcoming Capitol Hill residences for the sophisticated urbanite (or the urban sophisticate, take your pick). Check it out!
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Of Bras and Caesar Salads
May 6th, 2010 · Print, Retail, Work
An oldie but goodie–Tamara’s intriguing copy from the Fall 2001 Nordstrom catalog.
Like nearly every other useful piece of information I possess, I learned about the expert bra fitting service Nordstrom offers while eating a Caesar salad with my best friend. “All those years I thought I was a B cup,” she whispered. “I was living a lie.” Glancing down at my own less than sleek silhouette, I had to admit that she was right again. It was time to put myself in the hands of a professional – literally.
The next day I wandered shyly through the lingerie department worrying about frowning experts poking me with calipers. Luckily, Mary found me before I bolted for the escalator. With a bright smile and a tape measure coiled expertly around her neck, she ushered me into a dressing room. Eyeing me confidently she mused, “There’s a bra out there for everybody.” I shook my head sadly, “But it’s going to take an hour to find it!” Mary’s laughed gently, “I’ve been doing this for ten years and that’s why it will only take me ten minutes to find what’s right for you.” She pulled the door softly shut and within moments returned with an armful of beautiful bras in every color.
The whisper of purple that she helped me into was a full cup size larger than what I thought I wore, but it felt delicious and it made me look as though I’d kept every last one of my New Year’s resolutions – even the ones about cinnamon rolls. Hey, it’s an obligation to wear underwear but with Mary’s expert eye I found a bra that fit, felt and looked like a luxury.
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God Bless America, indeed.
April 22nd, 2010 · Folderol
The best part is that they still have their Christmas lights up.
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Have you forgotten something?
April 22nd, 2010 · Folderol
Our post office here in Skyway. Too poor to buy an A.
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Copywriting for Clark Nuber, prestigious Northwest accounting firm
April 6th, 2010 · Professional Services, Web, Work
Clark Nuber isn’t your ordinary accounting firm. They’re known for long-term partnerships with their clients–mostly not-for-profits, closely held businesses, and high-net-worth individuals. Teaming with Clark Nuber’s chosen design firm, we crafted copy that captured the firm’s distinctive personality while still communicating professionalism and the weight of experience. Visit the site here. Check out the balance of quirky and serious on the bio pages.
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Copywriting and taglines for Kazi, a cosmo in a bottle
March 23rd, 2010 · Packaging, Work
Hornall Anderson brought us on as writers on this cutting-edge, good-time beverage brand: a bottled macho cosmo. We did a tagline (“Liquid Entertainment”), package and POS copy, and sassy pick-up lines under the cap for a added pizzazz. The packaging won a Silver Addy in 2003.
See package insert copy in this PDF.
Microsoft Office for Mac social media campaign: copywriting and content strategy
March 18th, 2010 · Social Media, Web
Seattle interactive pioneers ZAAZ hired us as copywriters for the big launch of Microsoft Office for Mac into the social media space, coinciding with Macworld 2010 in San Francisco. We ended up helping with the content strategy surrounding the campaign, as well. This successful collaboration garnered Office for Mac more than 23,000 followers on twitter, giving the Mac Office business unit a vital channel for conversing with customers.
The campaign gave personalities to each Office for Mac product, including their own twitter feeds, Facebook accounts, and viral videos. We wrote twitter feeds, blog posts, Facebook profiles, and landing page content to support the campaign.
Here’s a sample blog post from Microsoft Office Excel for Mac. Take it away, Excel!
Looking forward to meeting and counting you all
While I am normally purely content to work behind the scenes, I will gain a great deal of satisfaction from meeting in person you, my beloved architects, artists, designers, filmmakers, music producers, business people, and “other” at MacWorld 2010. (Note that this list is not exhaustive; I used sorting and filtering to winnow it to a reasonable size.) Do not be afraid to approach me, even if you are not a “numbers person.” You will find that I am quite friendly and ready to “show the love” in convenient tabular or graphic form. Additionally, I will have some good swag. See you there!
Part of the fun was working with Wexley School for Girls, the lead agency on the campaign and one known for attention-grabbing stunts. One of our key contributions was to support Wexley’s wacky stuff with useful content that would keep users coming back such as links to how-to content on the main Office for Mac site. It turned out to be a sweet spot for us, since we can comfortably combine technical know-how with zesty creative.
Links:
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Let’s make copywriting magic together
March 16th, 2010 · Blog
One advantage of being freelance copywriters is that you get to do a bit of everything. So, when clients ask, for example, “Have you written jokes that are printed on the undersides of bottle caps?” you can answer in the affirmative.
The real advantage of this experience (and we have 20 years of it between the two of us) is not the specific things we’ve written but the versatility we’ve gained. We know how to ask the right questions, collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, and get the work done fast. And, between the two of us, we can produce anything from technical white papers to attention-grabbing insanity. You’ll see a bit of both and things between on this site—don’t let it unnerve you. Matt won’t wear a propeller beanie to meetings with engineers, and Tamara won’t talk about statistics to the marketing manager of your lingerie department. Unless that’s your thing—like I said, we’re versatile.
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