RéSUMé
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, FEARLESS – 2018 - PRESENT
FEARLESS is a network of top-tier advertising professionals dedicated to helping ambitious clients achieve outrageous goals through provocative strategy and disruptive ideas. We’re not for everyone, just those who want to stand out. forthefearless.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, o2ideas – 2010 - 2018
HONDA/ACURA Lead Creative Director/Writer/Producer on brand communications and big picture thinking. Created campaign themes for the launch of the 2010 and 2016 Honda Civic, 2013 Honda Accord and 2012 Acura ILX. Worked on a year long campaign that identified and brought to life the company’s core values and philosophical positioning. Also worked on numerous community, philanthropic and inclusion initiatives.
VERIZON Lead Creative Director/Writer/Producer on internal brand messaging and communications. For five straight years, between 2010 and 2015, wrote and produced all creative for the company’s annual “Rockstar” event, a six month competition designed to find the best retail salesman. The executional elements included integrated web, video and event staging. Also worked on a variety of internal videos and a major retail manager summit.
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR, o2ideas – 2006 - 2010
TOYS ‘R’ US Created and developed entire internal communications campaign together with tools to aid implementation, specifically, print and integrated media. Created brand identity for the company’s philosophical platform as well as a campus recruitment initiative.
TAYLOR MORRISON Helped lead and develop full scale ad campaign that included integrated media, print, TV, outdoor, radio and direct. Also created a branded corporate identity package that included on boarding materials and internal communication tools.
Primary writer/producer on VERIZON and HONDA (see above).
SENIOR COPYWRITER, o2ideas – 1998 - 2006
ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY Helped create and establish the campaign theme that informed all university communication and recruitment initiatives for five years, writing and producing all executional creative elements, specifically, TV, radio, print, outdoor and web.
Lead writer on HONDA, HOME DEPOT, DUNKIN’ DONUTS and SAKS
CREATIVE, The Leith Agency –1990 - 1994
Part of the creative team that worked on BASS ALE, TENNENT’S LAGER, DRAMBUIE, EDINBURGH ZOO and EDINBURGH LYCEUM THEATRE across print, TV, outdoor and radio.
Education
West Midlands College of Higher Education – BA Hons. Visual Communications.
Skills
Advertising – Creative Direction. Writing. TV, Video and Radio Production. Brand Identity. Strategic Development. Mentorship. Employment Branding. Internal Communications.
Books – Contributing author to “First Chapter,” August, 2019. Co-author of "BarCode: The Pocket Decoder to the Modern Dating Scene." Published by Conari Press, an imprint of RedWheel Wieser, 2006.
Blog – Blokewriter.com An advertising blog of “hard truths and occasional wisdom”
Television and Film – Screenwriting enthusiast currently working on a number of projects.
References
Available on request.
BIO
I know you’re busy so I’ll keep it simple.
Here’s what you’ll get when you hire me.
LEADERSHIP
I’ve fulfilled the role of Creative Director for more than ten years. In that time, I’ve led, pitched and sold campaigns boasting straight-talking strategy and big ideas. I know how to cajole, inspire and fire up those around me and lead a team into battle.
EXPERIENCE
There isn’t much I haven’t seen or done. Twice. A wordsmith by trade, I can write copy – powerful, persuasive, emotive copy; copy that can make a point, make you laugh or cry, reconsider a position or rethink an opinion. I can do it for TV, video, web, radio, strategic decks and pitches – you name it, I’ve got it handled.
KNOWLEDGE
I can stake out a position, articulate values, verbalize philosophies, firefight trouble spots and bring clarity to confusion. I’m not the only one who can do this but I think it’s fair to say our numbers are diminishing.
PASSION
An enthusiastic advocate of a great idea, I am old enough to cherish the traditional mores of classic advertising and young enough to get a buzz from the new and provocative. Put simply, a great idea engagingly executed still gives me goosebumps The more disruptive the better.
If any of the above sounds like what you want, need or desire, then let’s talk.