It's All Child's Play

I've had the great pleasure of working with Hasbro this year and can now proudly say that I'm well-versed in both the Transformers and My Little Pony lexicons (among others). This titan of the toy industry is also responsible for favorite brands including Playskool, G.I. Joe, Nerf, Littlest Pet Shop, Mr. Potato Head, Play-Doh and many, oh, many more.

Currently, I'm tasked with writing the product descriptions that appear on the Hasbro site and that they send to other retailers. At this point, nearly all of their U.S. products come through me and, let me tell you, it's a lot. But fun! Lots of fun. Also, when I went to see the G.I. Joe movie, I so knew aaaaaaall of the characters, scenes and vehicles. Beat that, 14 year-old boys.

Here is a minute sampling of some of the work I've done for Hasbro.

Travel and Marketing, What a Wonderful Pair

Ah yes, 'tis about time I posted more interactive samples of my work at Smarter Travel Media, especially considering I've been working with them for well over a year. Time flies when you're writing copy.

Here we have a few marketing emails (designs by Kate Orchard), two of the 20+ travel-tips-by-city on the BookingBuddy site's deals section and a couple of blog posts from blog.bookingbuddy.com. Also, thrillingly, I'll soon have new posts for Smarter Travel Media as projects that are in the works are soon to be revealed...

Copywriting Gets Romantic

Okay, now, this gig is just a riot. Yours truly is one of the freelance copywriters that — get this — writes the back cover copy for Harlequin romance novels. SERIOUSLY. How much fun is that?

Here are a couple I've written that have been published. There are several more on the way, including, believe it or not, the back cover copy for Quarterback Daddy, so stay tuned...

Print Work for an Interactive Company. Go Figure.

I've been working with Smarter Travel Media for over a year now, so it's about time I put up some more samples, wouldn't you say? I'll post a few emails and landing pages later today, but for now, here are a few print pieces we did to promote new products.

Delicious Coffee in Under a Minute — Trust Me

I will say that working with the Keurig people was especially pleasant because they sent me a coffee machine of my own so I could get the "full experience." And, let me tell you, once you go single-cup brewing, you never go back. Got an order of K-Cups on the way, as a matter of fact. Pumpkin Spice anyone?

Anyway, I worked with Wilde Agency to help Keurig launch a promotion to small businesses. There were several different versions and, fascinating though they all are, I'll spare you a bit and include just one of the envelopes, one of the sales letters and a few pages from the longer brochure. Drink up!

All designs by Doug Geer.

Another Season, Another Reebok Mailing

Ah retail, there's a certain beauty in its predictability. For every new season, there must be new styles. And for every new set of styles, there must be new direct mail. Did Elton John write "The Circle of Life" about retail mailings, after all?

Not that I know of. But he definitely could have.

Here are the spring direct mail pieces for the Reebok Outlet store, the first set of which promotes the breast cancer awareness concept. All designs by Nicole Dickinson.

Data Back-Up: Tape Libraries Are Sooooo Two Thousand and Late

If you've got, oh, tons and tons of information that's integral to your business, you've got to store this information somewhere. And, for years and years and years, businesses have been backing up this information every night to tape libraries. Now, tape used to be the definitive way to go; say, when Bananarama came on the scene. But do you remember what your Walk-Man did to your Bananarama cassette? Or, how after repeatedly rewinding and fastforwarding to listen to "Cruel Summer" again and again, the tape finally just disintigrated? That's a lot like what can happen to your integral business information when you back up to tape libraries.

Enter Exagrid, whose digital back-up systems will save your assets. This was a three-dimensional mailing, so the images might look a little wonky, but I'm confident you'll be able to get the gist. All designs by Nicole Dickinson.

Simplified Parts Sourcing

So, to make a long story short, when an engineer is designing a new product, they often don't have the best information about the parts to use. And, often, it's difficult to get the information about the best parts to use from Sourcing because there's no simple system to use. Then, when the best parts chosen for the design, the design ends up in multiple rounds of approvals until things can get straightened out.

Bummer, huh?

So the good folks at Endeca have come up with a system that makes it easier for both the Design and Sourcing departments. Below is the direct mail piece we sent to both departments (the front was the same and the backs were customized.) All designs by Nicole Dickinson.

Dentists Need Insurance, Too

And when said dentists need insurance, who do they turn to? Or, more specifically, who do the good people of Wilde Agency and I want them to turn to? The comprehensive plans available from the American Dental Association. By dentists, for dentists: really, how can there be any question?

Below are samples from the acquisition campaign for new Income Protection clients — you'll see the envelope, sales letter and outside and inside of the brochure. Below that is a lapse notice for those who are currently clients and have been letting their protection slide. (I apologize for any readability issues; the transition from PDF to JPG has been a trying one.)

All designs by Nicole Dickinson.

A Fortunate Writer in a Crummy Economy

Well friends, here they come: the updates to my portfolio I've been promising for nigh on a year. On the upside, my reason for being so negligent hasn't been that I haven't had anything to post, but, rather, I've been too damn busy working to share the fruits of my labor. Here, here, for freelance work! Huzzah!

So, over the next couple of days, I'll be posting a few select samples of the work I've done for last year's clients including Wilde Agency, SmarterTravel, Hasbro and...wait for it...Harlequin. Aaaaaaw yeeeeeeah.

Thanks for your patience (in my head, you've been feverishly checking back every few days) — it will be rewarded shortly.

Sorrento, Amherst and Why You Simply Must Visit

Once again, I've had the pleasure of writing travel articles for SmarterTravel.com. They were a true treat to write, so I hope they'll be as equally treat-y to read.

(Click on the images for readable versions, if you would be so kind.)