Language Leverage: Effective messaging starts with words

A few years ago, I made a mistake. It’s a common mistake that happens to the best of us, but I made it publicly and refused to recognize my error until it was too late. As a copywriter, I hold myself to certain standards of linguistic and literary abilities. I also entertain the notion of… Read more »

Partnerships and Patience

In the last decade or so, few barriers have remained between the sport of soccer and widespread popularity in America. One of those few, though—and possibly the most important—was that the sport still had yet to produce an American poster boy, someone kids would idolize and marketers would court. Until now. Tim Howard is the… Read more »

How do I say this gingerly?

Not far from our office at the Milwaukee/Halsted intersection there use to be this billboard for Skyy Infusion All Natural Ginger vodka. The ad shows a glamorous redhead woman lying in sheets of satin (nudity implied) with a tag line that says “Go Natural”. Being in the strategy and communications field naturally I have a… Read more »

I HEART Information Consumption

This past weekend I took a short trip to New York. Being a city girl myself I have always had an appreciation for bustling towns so naturally I love the big apple. As always when I travel I tend to forget a few things so I popped into a drug store. As I waited in… Read more »

Lessons from the Egg Delivery Man

On this past cold snow-filled ‘spring’ day in Chicago – I was not expecting for my day to be inspired by the local egg delivery man. Yes – an egg delivery man. I was volunteered for a social project of a graduate student in the arts who by raising and delivering eggs wants to assist in the advocacy for community-controlled food systems. At first I was not looking forward to making time to receive this student in my home – the invitation to free eggs was nice but not completely compelling to a person who does not always cook. I got a call 5 minutes before the scheduled delivery expecting a postponement due to the weather but was informed the egg delivery man was outside.