Content coming soon…
Tired of generic content and mistakes from their third-party copywriters, NHV Natural Pet Products (natural pet supplement company) decided to hire a copywriter (me) in-house to re-do the copy to better reflect the brand voice, deliver customer value and make content that is descriptive and relevant to specific pet health conditions.
*Photo: you can’t really tell what breed this is because it is just their head and it isn’t a popular enough breed for this to be descriptive.
*Breed overview: very little info and missing key pieces of info.
*Breed-related conditions: very little info, no product recommendations, no product links.
*Photo : a full-body image is more descriptive; will build trust with your audience on breed authority.
*Breed info: broken into two sections for better information architecture; relevant research completed to write unique content that will hopefully entertain as well as inform. Meta-description and keywords added to increase searchability.
*Breed-related conditions: product links added that are relevant to this breed.
Website https://hoovie.movie
I worked at Hoovie (briefly due to the global pandemic). During my short time there, I learned to write copy for their newsletter, their social channels and for their website. Below is a social graphic I designed to better align with their brand voice and brand values. I have also included an example of content from a product page (film synopsis for the Hoovie catalog).
With the brand voice and values in mind, I came up with this visual style for social graphics that puts independent film and community front and center. There is a touch of cinematic grit mixed in with a punk photo aesthetic.
Film Synopsis:
As someone who is accustomed to telling her life story through film, it’s not surprising that Agnes Varda ended her career by creating her own memorial: VARDA BY AGNÈS premiered at the 2019 Berlinale, just one month before she passed away at the age of 90. Even if you haven't seen any of her movies, it's like meeting an old friend. Part history lesson, part self-portrait, and one totally beautiful farewell, this doc is an unforgettable invitation to explore her groundbreaking contributions to photography, installation art and French New Wave cinema. For anyone interested in film, whether a beginner or seasoned filmmaker, this film is a refreshing meditation on craft and doing things your own way and Varda gets fascinatingly specific.
Awards + Accolades: Official Selection at the Berlinale 2019, Official Selection at TIFF 2019, Official Selection at NY Film Festival 2019, honorary Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2015.
You can watch the trailer here: Varda by Agnes trailer
As a member of a small collaborative team at Curiko (formerly Kudoz), I completed a 4 month User Experience Design Fellowship with a focus on Accessibility and Usability where I worked as the tech coach to help our primary users a.k.a kudoers (youth and adults with cognitive disability) better navigate the learning platform for booking new experiences.
My first major UX challenge was deciding on what area of the platform to focus on and how to map information in such a way that did not create a generic user persona. Something that I learned early on was the importance of inclusivity and this meant a big change in my approach to design. Rather than focusing on specific details like physical appearance or socio economic status, I focused on mental models to better understand the biggest usability issues.
To begin this exploration, I started gathering insights from the tech coaching sessions with kudoers and by interviewing kudoz hosts.
The second major UX challenge was that there was a major pain point when logging into the platform. 7 out of 10 times, a user forgot their password and would not receive a helpful prompt from the system and then would need to reset their password, further increasing frustration and decreasing the likelihood of them ever reaching the catalog of experiences.
For many kudoers, they responded best when given prompts and there was a high likelihood (more then 70% chance that they would be navigating the platform with their support worker).
Below is a potential user flow for how to improve login success and to decrease the amount of time and energy spent on remembering passwords.
The prompt was changed to Login rather than Sign in.
Helpful microcopy at the top of the screen
The button changes to black to indicate an action.
Short message that reassures the user and hopefully bring a little delight too!
Large button and clear messaging tells user to check email
Giving the user feedback and helping them along to the last step.
Suggestion to save password for later.
As their in-house copywriter at NHV Natural Pet Products (natural pet supplement company), I was tasked with researching and re-writing this product page to be more informative and written in the brand voice (friendly yet authoritative).
As their in-house copywriter at NHV Natural Pet Products (natural pet supplement company), I was tasked with researching and re-writing this breed page about the Basenji dog.
As their in-house copywriter at NHV Natural Pet Products (natural pet supplement company), I was tasked with researching and writing a blog post that attempts to answer questions about funny cat behaviors. The blog post in full: https://nhvpethealth.com/blog/why-do-cats-experts-answer-your-questions/
As their in-house copywriter at NHV Natural Pet Products (natural pet supplement company), I was tasked with researching and writing a blog post about the history and medicinal properties of alfalfa and how NHV uses it in many of its natural formulations. The blog post in full: https://nhvpethealth.com/blog/benefits-of-alfalfa-for-dogs-and-cats/
As their in-house copywriter at NHV Natural Pet Products (natural pet supplement company), I was tasked with researching and writing a blog post about the history of amber glass and why it is the gold standard when it comes to preservation. The blog post in full: https://nhvpethealth.com/blog/why-nhv-uses-glass-bottles/
As their in-house copywriter at NHV Natural Pet Products (natural pet supplement company), I was tasked with researching and writing a product video script about proactive eyecare in pets and why using NHV supplements may be helpful for preventing progressive eye conditions like glaucoma, cataracts and more.
Website https://legends.cafe/
To celebrate the site going live, Legends Cafe wanted to write a long form interview featuring one of their first supporters and collaborators Dave Ehrenreich. As a long time friend of Dave, I jumped at the chance to find out more about his process and ask important questions like what he thinks the film industry can do to bring in more BIPOC talent.
MEL KING: Hey Dave, it’s been a minute. Thanks for getting me to watch Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson’s intoxicating film A White White Day. The opening quote about days when ‘everything is white and there is no difference between the earth and the sky and the dead can talk to the living,’ really got me thinking about life and loss. What is it about this film that speaks to you?
DAVE EHRENREICH: I’m glad you enjoyed it. Sometimes I get so into films and start recommending them to everyone without being cognisant of how bleak or tedious they may be. I obviously think that everyone is capable of understanding and enjoying challenging films, it can just be nice to know as a viewer what you’re getting into. I’m often guilty of failing to include that context. I’m not suggesting A White White Day is bleak or tedious, in fact, I think it’s so full of humanity and love. But it’s a film based around tragedy and death, and how those are such subjective experiences. I just really enjoy the film, it’s well-directed, I love the characters. It feels fresh but it’s also a classic story. It fucks with the world in such a playful way. It’s my favourite movie I’ve seen recently.
I like that you recommend challenging films. Art isn’t meant to be passively consumed! Speaking of active participation, how is studio life treating you? Tell me a little about the community there.
I love it, I love having a space. In my studio I daydream, and write, I prep projects, I edit a lot – and try to keep organized. I used to work in my apartment but that was problematic. I’m very fortunate to share a studio with lovely people who I trust and admire – like Alana who shot these photos. I’m not going to put anyone on blast but there’s currently six of us plus 3 dogs, a couple skylights, and a little photo studio area that is often repurposed into a set of some kind. Any plant that comes in dies, It’s often messy, it’s full of love.
I think it is important to have a separate space for creative work if possible. When you’re trying to work in your house, it can be challenging to daydream when all you’re thinking about is doing laundry or what you’re going to eat for lunch. I love having a studio! I go there as much as I can. So to further this conversation about work, I wanted your perspective on what you think the industry is doing to bring in more BIPOC talent and what work still needs to be done.
Lots needs to be done, mostly by white men, everyone else has already been working super hard. Who wants to work in a ‘Creative industry’ that continues to support oppressive, patriarchal, colonialist, and systemic racist values – I don’t, you don’t. Acknowledging that all capitalist systems here in Canada do that is baseline. What to do after that is either really complicated or really simple. Hold yourself and the people around you accountable for making your industry, your workplace, your community a more inclusive and positive space moving forward.
Do your reading, stay up on what it takes to make space for people, opposed to pressuring them into having to tell you.
Don’t make yourself the center of the world. There have been films locally like “The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open” (2019) – Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Kathleen Hepburn, that are not only authored by indigenous talent, in front and behind the camera, but they also used the production as an onset practical education tool where they had young indigenous film students shadowing and contributing to all the roles on set. That’s how you do it right there.
There are also so many trailblazers, marginalized people who smashed through the glass ceiling, all over the world, who fought adversity to make seminal work. Seek out their films, watch, support and champion them. We as the consumer can also do our part…
Link to full interview: https://legends.cafe/visit-with-dave/
Website https://peacegeeks.org/
While working at Umbrella Pro in 2018, I co-wrote a marketing script to launch the rebranded Arrival Advisor app to explain how it works and to spread the word.
Arrival Advisor is a redesign (funded by Google.org Impact Challenge) - for a Canadian context - of a prototype that PeaceGeeks developed in partnership with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) called Services Advisor. Services Advisor helps UNHCR provide over 3 million refugees in Jordan and Turkey with access to accurate and up-to-date information on lifesaving humanitarian services.
Script:
So you’ve just moved to Canada, what now?
You’ll need to find resources to help you and your family navigate this new life but the information is scattered and overwhelming.
That’s why we created Arrival Advisor - a free app that streamlines information and services for newcomers to British Columbia. Designed by PeaceGeeks alongside immigrants, refugees and community service providers, Arrival Advisor is making settling into a new community easier than ever before.
Want to work in BC? Or register your child for school? Access information about housing, work, education, health and other services in BC, all in one place.
Answer a few optional questions and get a personalized list of recommended topics. You can also find service locations close to you and bookmark important topics for later.
Arrival Advisor is a trusted companion to help you thrive in your new home. Settle in BC with confidence.