UNITED NATIONS + WONDER WOMAN
THE SCOOP & THE SCANDAL
As a kid, my two career ambitions were: mermaid and Wonder Woman (in that order). So it was a dream come true when I got the chance to collaborate with DC, Warner Bros., and the United Nations on a campaign making Wonder Woman an honorary ambassador. Who knew Wonder Woman was such a polarizing figure? Before the campaign was released worldwide and the movie starring Gal Gadot came out showing everyone the wonders of Wonder Woman, protesters declared her unfit for spokesperson-ship. Ugh. To this day, I remain super proud of the work we created—from elevator wraps to billboards and social posts—for my childhood hero.
ADIDAS SWIM
THE SCOOP
When adidas decided to launch a line of modest swimwear targeted at athletes in the Middle East, I was there from the start. We researched the statistics, discovering how only 12% of women actually felt comfortable wearing a swimsuit in public, and I crafted a mantra and tagline that captured the sense of inclusion the brand was hoping to achieve: BEYOND THE SURFACE.
My mantra served as inspiration for the poet, Asma Elbadawi, who created a spoken word poem I helped hone for the commercial featuring a variety of women finding their own sense of belonging in water. The original tagline was later picked up by an agency in Dubai who used it on a brilliant "liquid billboard" campaign that won the Outdoor Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions.
ADIDAS HANDBALL
THE SCOOP
When you read "handball" did you, even just for a second, picture this? Because I did. I had no idea about this. European handball is basically a gladiator-meets-rugby match on a hard indoor court and definitely not for the meek. I tapped into my inner barbarian to develop branding, strategy, and a social media campaign for adidas that spoke to the passion of the people who play this beyond hardcore sport.
BARBIE
I'm a Barbie girl living in a Barbie world. There, I've said it. For many PMS219-hued years I wrote for a variety of Mattel's brands, but mostly for Barbie. From her collaborations with major fashion designers like Christian Louboutin, Jonathan Adler, Bob Mackie, and The Blonds, to pop culture icons and her main squeeze, Ken, I was proud and delighted to craft messaging for the world's chicest 11.5-inch giant.
NIKE
THE SCOOP
Marking a common theme in my career, my first project for Nike was for Running. (Uhh...I don't run.) As a writer, I believe the best writing doesn't require a mastery of the subject. It requires an understanding of human nature. How we all want to belong, to feel great, look good, be admired, and be heard. Whether it's a catalog, a hangtag, in-store signage, packaging, branding, or a mantra, I try to bring an empathetic, human connection to every project I work on.
MGM GRAND
THE SCOOP
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas—unless it's time for a rebranding. Then it takes a team really analyzing what makes Vegas so very Vegas. I had a great time working on the relaunch of the MGM Grand website and writing the overviews for their restaurants, clubs, and shows.
STARBUCKS X TASTEMADE
THE SCOOP
Is there anything better than a curling up with a cup of coffee and a good book? What about curling up with a cup of coffee and a good coffee table book about coffee? Tastemade, the lifestyle channel, collaborated with Starbucks to create a book of recipes meant to be enjoyed from morning to midnight. My role was to write the headers, subheaders, and general copyediting which I did while—you know where I'm going—sipping coffee.
SWIRL BY DAILY CANDY
THE SCOOP
Before there was Byrdie, Buzzfeed, or Goop, there was Daily Candy, a site the Times called “the undisputed grande dame of style sites.” The tone of writing was always savvy, irreverent, and effortlessly cool. I was part of the team who worked on their shopping site, Swirl, and had a blast learning about new fashion designers and writing sample sale product descriptions for some of fashion's greats like Chanel, Cynthia Rowley, Betsey Johnson, and others.
FEBREZE
THE SCOOP
VOCs, benzisothiazolinones, cyclodextrins, and polymers—oh my! The team at Febreze needed to create a Safety Toolkit for their team which could also be used for the FAQs section on their website. The problem? The information was in scientist-speak, not normal-person speak. I enjoyed acting as "translator" and taking info that could have veered into a serious doze-fest and turning it into something more engaging. My favorite header? When Life Hands You Limonene.