Author Archive

test post

“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.”

Section 1.10.32 of “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum”, written by Cicero in 45 BC

“Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?”

| % » »

Continue Reading

The Great House — Web Copywriting & Tone of Voice Development

The Great House logo 150x150 - The Great House — Web Copywriting & Tone of Voice Development

The Great House logo d07b044839315c6255455306b0c284b3 - The Great House — Web Copywriting & Tone of Voice Development

Brief

Without, a London-based design agency, were working on a full rebrand for a luxurious hotel that had recently changed hands and had a complete makeover. Without often call me when they need a copywriter and so they did when their client, The Great House in Sonning, was in need of whizzy words. The initial tone of voice development was done, but needed it to be expanded and applied consistently across the website and several brochures.

Thoughts

This project had many moving parts and needed experienced hands to keep things on track. Without have that experience. What’s so nice about working with them is that they get copy — its potential and its challenges. They act as the conduit between me and client, giving clear, constructive feedback and generally making the whole process work smoothly.

Result

The new copy conveys a sense of welcoming luxury. It gives you the feeling that you will be looked after, but also that you can relax in an unstuffy environment. The website is beautifully designed with an intuitive and user-friendly layout. The brochures pack in lots of information without being dense or dull. Overall, a great result.

The Great House sample content

Inspire Decisions

The Great House is in the village of Sonning-on-Thames, just over half an hour’s journey from London. The village was described by Jerome K. Jerome in his book Three Men in a Boat as “the most fairy-like little nook on the whole river”.

The hotel sits on the banks of the river, close to where the 18th Century Sonning Bridge joins the counties of Berkshire and Oxfordshire. You’ll find the atmosphere relaxed and the service friendly.

The hotel has recently been refurbished to a high standard. There are 49 elegant bedrooms and a customisable events space, The Great House Lodge, which is fully equipped and ideal for meetings, private dinners and celebrations

Screen Shot 2018 10 31 at 16.52.15 - The Great House — Web Copywriting & Tone of Voice Development

Screen Shot 2018 10 31 at 16.52.26 - The Great House — Web Copywriting & Tone of Voice Development
Screen Shot 2018 10 31 at 16.52.40 - The Great House — Web Copywriting & Tone of Voice Development
Screen Shot 2018 10 31 at 16.53.18 - The Great House — Web Copywriting & Tone of Voice Development
Screen Shot 2018 10 31 at 16.53.12 - The Great House — Web Copywriting & Tone of Voice Development
Screen Shot 2018 10 31 at 16.52.49 - The Great House — Web Copywriting & Tone of Voice Development

 

« « % | % » »

Continue Reading

Scriptwriting and Concept Development for PwC (via MerchantCantos)

PwC logo 153cf0e18158b8c64d672f8e2dd9a160 - Scriptwriting and Concept Development for PwC (via MerchantCantos)

Brief

MerchantCantos is a creative communications agency that I work with sporadically and PwC, a consultancy, is one of its biggest clients. I was hired for several days for corporate film scriptwriting: to develop the concept and script for PwC’s short film on the theme of disruption. Climate change, urbanisation, global power shifts and technological developments are all contributing to economic uncertainty. The brief was to highlight PwC’s position on disruption and make it clear why businesses must act.

Thoughts

The client wanted a script, and a film, that would make people sit up and take notice without terrifying them. There are startling predictions about what might happen in the future, but no one knows exactly what will occur. So the script is based on current trends and where they might lead. It uses punchy language that complements the fast-paced visuals featuring actors and stock footage.

Result

The script went through several drafts until it was just right. Once it was signed off the footage was shot. The result is an engaging and genuinely unsettling short film. The last line is a nod to one of my favourite rap albums — The Future is Now by Non Phixion. It’s funny where inspiration comes from.

« « % | % » »

Continue Reading

Konica Minolta — Print Ad Copywriting

konica logo 150x150 - Konica Minolta — Print Ad Copywriting

konica logo 701a51737df17c482bf46550af3281e5 - Konica Minolta — Print Ad Copywriting

Brief

Jack Morton—a global brand experience agency—is one of my favourite agency clients to work with. They always get cool gigs. This one was a US print advertising campaign for Konica Minolta. The Japanese technology company is 150 years old, but very much focused on the future and how tech will reshape the world of work. The aim of the campaign was to drive people to a new website.

Thoughts

The concept for the campaign was to celebrate individuals — the hardworking entrepreneurs who are the backbone of the economy. They wanted copy that spoke directly to the reader, focusing on the challenges and opportunities they face and linking those to the services Konica Minolta provides. The trick was to pack big ideas into the small space allowed by a print ad.

Result

The result was four beautiful ads printed in trade publications across the US. The categories—doers, makers, innovators and up-all-nighters—are distinct but complementary. As was the tone and style of the copy. I’ve included the surfboard dude below because I harbour (not-so) secret dreams of riding tubes in my downtime.

Konica Minolta sample content

Konica sample 1564x2000 - Konica Minolta — Print Ad Copywriting

« « % | % » »

Continue Reading

Fabrik Brands SEO Copywriting

Fabrik logo 150x150 - Fabrik Brands SEO Copywriting

Fabrik logo a62f15359f0bfcf9b066cc92d8666d93 - Fabrik Brands SEO Copywriting

Brief

Fabrik Brands is a London-based design agency. They’ve been using their marketing expertise to help businesses succeed for more than ten years. Search engine optimisation (SEO) is a major part of their own marketing strategy. They turned to me for help writing long-form SEO website copy: landing pages designed to rank organically in search engine results and drive traffic to their website. Great content, essentially, with strategically chosen keywords woven naturally throughout.

Thoughts

SEO copywriting isn’t magic, but I still like to wear a cloak when I’m writing copy that pushes Google’s buttons. Working with Fabrik’s co-founder, I set up an efficient briefing process that allowed numerous pages to be produced quickly. First I mined Fabrik for their unique insight. This is not as painful as it sounds. I fleshed out their insight with my own research. Then I wrote it all up in an engaging style, in keeping with Fabrik’s jaunty tone of voice.

Result

Wow. The Fabrik Brands’ website is now ranking organically for hundreds of important long-tail keywords. Several of the landing pages have made it onto the first page of Google search results. Others are steadily climbing towards the promised land. The company is experiencing an increase in enquiries, and approaching 1,000 website hits per day. Would you like to read examples of the content I’ve written for Fabrik? Here’s a page about marketing companies in London, one about integrated marketing, and another on internal communications

Fabrik Brands sample content

Employees that work

harder, faster, better, longer.

The amazing power of

employee engagement.

Once upon a time, there was an employee. Let’s call her Julie. Julie worked at a uber-cool tech startup. The startup’s office was designed like a playground for adults. Julie came into work one day, paddled past the swim-up bar, rode her Segway over the skybridge and…handed in her notice.

Why?

Julie wasn’t engaged with her work. She enjoyed the perks, sure. But she didn’t feel an emotional commitment to the organisation and its goals.

Screen Shot 2018 10 31 at 16.46.40 - Fabrik Brands SEO Copywriting

« « % | % » »

Continue Reading

FitXR Tone of Voice Development and Copywriting

FXlogo 150x150 - FitXR Tone of Voice Development and Copywriting

FXlogo fa713d4fe39da4bff0534dbd2d04580c - FitXR Tone of Voice Development and Copywriting

Brief

Virtual reality (VR) hasn’t taken over the world yet. But it’s about to. FitXR is a tech startup that makes really cool fitness apps for VR headsets. You’ve heard of FinTech, right? Well this is FitTech, the new frontier. FitXR needed a copywriter to help develop their tone of voice and write copy for their new website.

Thoughts

Immersed in the day-to-day it’s not always easy to see the big picture and grasp how to make your business appealing to an online audience. But when you hire a copywriter you benefit from their objective opinion. I worked with the FitXR brand team to focus on the reader and craft copy that serves two audiences: gamers, who make up the bulk of customers right now, and, let’s call them people who shop at John Lewis, who FitXR want to reach in the future.

Result

The new website looks and reads beautifully. The FitXR team are much more confident about how they should write online. The company is growing fast. I’m happy to have played a small part in that. And watch out — VR really is coming.

What the client said: >

FitXR sample content

Perform at Your Best

BoxVR is a boxing-inspired app featuring vibrant graphics and uplifting music. Every aspect of the app is designed to help you focus completely and perform at your best.

Whatever your fitness level, you can put on a VR headset and immerse yourself in BoxVR’s high-intensity routines, choreographed by professional instructors. Jab, weave, and uppercut your way through the levels in time to pumping tracks. Upload your own music and instantly create a tailored boxing workout.

By playing BoxVR regularly you can increase your energy levels, build strength, lose weight, and improve your overall health.

Screen Shot 2018 10 31 at 13.11.48 - FitXR Tone of Voice Development and Copywriting

Screen Shot 2018 10 31 at 13.11.14 - FitXR Tone of Voice Development and Copywriting

Screen Shot 2018 10 31 at 13.10.52 - FitXR Tone of Voice Development and Copywriting

Testimonial

Emma Shoesmith, Head of Brand — FitXR

I contacted Olly for help making our business stand out online. We had a strong look and some clear brand values but we were lacking a consistent tone of voice. Olly understood what were trying to achieve straightaway. He wrote awesome website copy that does exactly what we asked — sell, but not too hard, and be direct, yet friendly and informative.

Olly’s feedback was great and he’s full of ideas. He saw things from a different angle, which enabled us to step out of our company bubble and look at the big picture. I look forward to working with Olly again and hopefully attending one of his copywriting workshops.

 

« « % | % » »

Continue Reading

The Bear Kitchen – Web, Flyer and Poster Copywriting

Bear logo 150x150 - The Bear Kitchen - Web, Flyer and Poster Copywriting

Bear logo 1828f33795b48d778473863e0eb3767a - The Bear Kitchen - Web, Flyer and Poster Copywriting

Brief

Food is a subject that’s very close to my heart. Or should that be stomach? Either way, I was thrilled to be contacted by The Bear Kitchen: an ambitious young company that wants to change the world by changing the way we eat. Co-founder Jens called me in need of web copy, as well as copy for a flyer and a poster.

Thoughts

My challenge was to turn Jens’ vast knowledge and undeniable passion into effective web copy. You have only limited time to convert a visitor to your website. You can’t say everything so you have to make tough choices about what goes in and what’s left out. The Bear Kitchen vision is huge—to reduce the risk of ecological meltdown by encouraging the rich world to eat less meat—but their requirements at the time were simple. Jens needed a tone of voice that would convey enthusiasm but also the seriousness of what they are trying to achieve.

Result

The website did its job and the supper clubs were sell-out affairs. I went to one myself and deeply enjoyable it was too. The web copy concisely communicates what they’re all about. Making the bear female was a nice touch. Just a tiny way of sticking it to the patriarchy.

Bear Kitchen sample content

Eat Your Way to a Better World

You have the power to change the world. How? By choosing to eat better food. We founded The Bear Kitchen to help you do just that. Our supper clubs and event catering service bring together food lovers who care about what they eat, and the planet it comes from.

This is not about diets, deprivation or turning foods into enemies. Food is joy. But we fully respect individual choices. Vegetarians, vegans, omnivores: all are welcome at The Bear Kitchen. We want to unite people around the pleasure of eating well.

Our philosophy is simple: eat like a bear. Our furry friend has no concept of local or seasonal ingredients, but she eats nothing else. She munches mostly plants, and treats herself occasionally to good quality fish and meat. Oh, and she’s never heard of a factory farm. She’d feel right at home with our menus. And so, we hope, will you.

Screen Shot 2018 10 31 at 16.48.35 - The Bear Kitchen - Web, Flyer and Poster Copywriting

Screen Shot 2018 10 31 at 16.49.13 - The Bear Kitchen - Web, Flyer and Poster Copywriting

Screen Shot 2018 10 31 at 16.49.22 - The Bear Kitchen - Web, Flyer and Poster Copywriting

Screen Shot 2018 10 31 at 16.49.44 - The Bear Kitchen - Web, Flyer and Poster Copywriting

 

« « % | % » »

Continue Reading

Huckle the Barber Blog

Huckle the Barber logo

Huckle the Barber e8d85fa2fbe917c223b4616771b054b6 - Huckle the Barber Blog

Brief

Huckle the Barber is a smart, gents barber with two shops in London. Chris Ward, founder and owner, wanted interesting, light-hearted content to help raise the brand’s online profile and engage their high-earning clientele.

I devised a content marketing strategy and began writing a fornightly blog. Recent posts include an interview with Oliver Spencer, a guide to clippers and trimmers, and a rallying cry for bald men everywhere to embrace their inner super villain

Thoughts

Huckle is smart but not stuffy, so my approach was to create sophisticated posts, written in an informal and witty voice that speaks directly to the audience. You can find the blog here.

What the client said: >

Huckle the Barber sample content

Going bald? Embrace it.
You might be a super villain

We never noticed it before. That’s how entrenched the negative portrayal of bald people in popular culture is. But thanks to this Youtube video we’ve woken up to the poisonous smear campaign terrorising the folliclely disabled.

Here are just two examples. Darth Vader begins life with decadent flowing locks. Then he discovers the Dark Side and the Bald Side simultaneously. Arnie always plays hirsute heroes. Except in Batman & Robin where, as the evil Mr. Freeze, he’s, you guessed it – BALD.

Joking aside, losing your hair is devastating. The shocking fact is 50% of men will experience some degree of male pattern baldness by the time they’re 50. You know what’s even sadder? There’s no cure and it’s caused by your own hormones. Cheers, biology..

Screenshots from the Huckle the Barber blog

Screen Shot 2017 09 29 at 15.28.17 - Huckle the Barber Blog
 

Testimonial

Chris Ward, Founder & Owner – Huckle the Barber

I needed content to engage with Huckle the Barber’s clients but I’m a barber, not a writer, and I’m pushed for time. Olly wrote quality marketing communications that cut through the fluff and weren’t too salesly. He got my brand straightaway and his copy hit the right tone.

He offered great advice and turned the work around with a professional and personable attitude. Hiring Olly is money well spent and I’d recommend him to any business. It’s the perfect solution for busy people who need copy: after briefing you can leave the job in his hands and you don’t have to worry – another box ticked.

 

« « % |

Continue Reading

The Flower Appreciation Society

Flower Appreciation Society (1)

FAS afd6cabffa7dd604303d948e5652f264 - The Flower Appreciation Society

Brief

The Flower Appreciation Society has been making flowers lovers happy for almost a decade. They are pioneers of the fresh, wild style that has helped drag floristry from its formality-dogged stupor. When they needed a new website they called me to write the lot.

Thoughts

The floristry market is super competitive, especially in London. The challenge was to help The Flower Appreciation Society stand out, communicate their passion and expertise, and highlight the fantastic brands they’ve worked with. All done with engaging copy as warm as the personalities of the founders, Anna and Ellie. No problem.

Result

The new website is receiving more traffic, bookings of The Flower Appreciation Society’s renowned floristy workshops have increased significantly and the site is now ranked third on Google, organically, for one of the company’s most important long tail keywords.

What the client said: >

The Flower Appreciation Society sample content

Our Story

When we met, pulling pints in a Hackney pub, we never dreamt we’d get this far. We started by creating flower arrangements for the Scolt Head in De Beauvoir. Now, nearly ten years later, we spend our days making couples happy and working with brilliant brands. It’s been quite a journey – we love what we do.

We were united by ‘visual thinking’ and a shared love of flowers. Our backgrounds in illustration (Anna) and textile design (Ellie) complement each other and inform our wild, natural style.

Today, our small but thriving team creates flowery magic at our studio in Hackney, East London. Come and say hello.
Our Garden

To really understand flowers we knew we had to grow our own, and now we do. We transformed a disused backyard in Hackney into an urban oasis. In spring and summer – when the sun shines and bees buzz around the cosmos, dahlias, snap dragons and poppies – there’s no place we’d rather be.

Our admiration for flowers deepened while we nurtured them from seed to maturity. It’s honed our eye for detail too. We love bendy stems, frilly petals and trailing vines; untamed touches that add character and intrigue to our arrangements.

Screenshots from The Flower Appreciation Society website

Screen Shot 2017 09 29 at 15.05.04 - The Flower Appreciation Society
Screen Shot 2017 09 29 at 15.06.58 - The Flower Appreciation Society
Screen Shot 2017 09 29 at 15.05.41 - The Flower Appreciation Society
 

Testimonial

Ellie Jauncey, Director and Co-founder – The Flower Appreciation Society

Our website needed a complete overhaul, to transform it from a site that looked pretty to one that worked hard to boost our brand. Our objectives were to attract more affluent clientele, stand out in a saturated market and sell our floristry workshops online. It was important to communicate our expertise and the bespoke service we offer.

Olly helped us do this with his clear, straightforward language, emphasising our passion and experience. The website content had to sound conversational and personable, as well as high-end and professional. Olly captured this tone of voice perfectly. His copy sells us without feeling like it’s selling.

We’d recommend Olly to any business needing copywriting services. He was very thorough in the initial briefing sessions, and understood our brand and what we were trying to achieve quickly. He encouraged us to be brave and use language which spoke to the customer, rather than looking inwards.

Before we worked with Olly, we didn’t realise the value of professional copywriting. But the difference is clear. We’re thrilled with our new website. The copy makes it shine.

 

« « % | % » »

Continue Reading

Rolls-Royce Copywriting at Goodwood

Rolls-Royce logo

rolls royce 1be8f4f0ea83382996305232c4c89405 - Rolls-Royce Copywriting at Goodwood

Brief

Who hasn’t heard of Rolls-Royce? It’s an iconic brand no doubt, but few people know the story of the risk-taking, ruling-breaking pioneers who founded the company. Charles Rolls was an aristrocratic daredevil, Henry Royce a working class engineering genius. Together they made history.

I was hired by ENERGY for Rolls-Royce copywriting at Goodwood Festival of Speeed in 2017. The stand was showcasing the Black Badge range; Rolls Royce’s menacing alter ego and their most powerful cars to date.

Thoughts

The challenge was to digest a huge amount of historical information in a short period, choose the most compelling anecdotes, then retell them for an event audience. The copy was displayed on panels around the beautifully designed stand.

Result

The production was very well received by festival goers, Rolls-Royce’s top brass and the wealthy individuals who placed orders during the festival. Rolls-Royce had a target for the number of Black Badge rollers they wanted to sell over the six months following the event. Thanks to the powerful impact of the stand, and the way it invoked the bold spirit of the company’s founders, that target was smashed in four days.

Rolls-Royce sold almost 30 new cars as a result of their Goodwood display, and the stand won a gold award at the Field Marketing and Brand Experience Awards 2017.

What the client said: >

Rolls-Royce sample content

‘The power of flight is a fresh gift from the Creator, the greatest treasure yet given to man’
Charles Rolls, co-founder of Rolls-Royce

8 October 1908 – a day that changed Charles Rolls’ life. It was a clear, crisp autumn morning at Camp d’Auvours near Le Mans, France. Conditions were perfect. They had to be. Early aircraft—flimsy constructions of wood and cloth—were alarmingly prone to sudden exits from the sky. Rolls, wearing a high collar, necktie and breast pocket handkerchief, seemed overdressed next to the pilot, Wilbur Wright, who wore a simple cap.

The Wright Flyer’s 25 hp engine roared to life. The machine was catapulted along the launching rail. The nose dipped. Then, to the relief of the massed crowd, the unlikely contraption rose gracefully to reach its top speed of 40 mph.

Rolls was only the third Englishman ever to experience powered flight. The event affected him so profoundly that in 1910 he resigned as technical managing director of Rolls-Royce to dedicate his life to flying. The same year he became the first man to make a non-stop double crossing of the English Channel.

On 12 July 1910 Rolls was killed when the tail of his plane broke off during a flying display at Bournemouth. He was 32.

Images from Goodwood Festival of Speed

rr sliders 0000 Layer 14 - Rolls-Royce Copywriting at Goodwood
rr sliders 0006 Layer 7 - Rolls-Royce Copywriting at Goodwood
rr sliders 0002 Layer 9 - Rolls-Royce Copywriting at Goodwood
 

Testimonial

Lee Jobling, Creative Director – ENERGY (brand experience agency)

The challenge for us at ENERGY was to create a show-stopping experience for Rolls-Royce at Goodwood Festival of Speed. The experience featured Rolls-Royce’s trilogy of Black Badge models: Wraith, Ghost and the new Dawn. Black Badge is Rolls-Royce’s edgier and darker alter ego, aimed at a younger audience.

Alongside the cars themselves, we wanted to convey the history of Rolls-Royce, from its pioneering inception right up to the modern day, to demonstrate how the Black Badge spirit has always been part of the brand, as embodied by the founders Charles Rolls and Henry Royce. Easy, right?

Olly’s Rolls-Royce copywriting told the story beautifully, picking out exciting highlights from Rolls-Royce’s epic history, and weaving the Black Badge spirit throughout. He created an engaging and informative narrative that was displayed on panels, and which visitors to the stand actually stopped to read! The story was at the heart of the experience, so great copy was vital to its success.

Olly is professional and very easy to work with. The copy he produced was outstanding and I loved the fact that he gave us options for how we could tell the story. He also managed to nail it on the first go, with only minor amends needed.

After using Olly for the first time, I’m confident that whatever he writes will be high quality. And I know I can leave him to get on with the job with minimal supervision. The way he went about researching and writing for this project leaves me with no doubt that he can deliver copy for whatever sector or client I might need.

He’s a bloody nice bloke and he’ll be my first port of call for future copywriting jobs.

 

|

Continue Reading