Branding and Design Copywriting and Naming

I have over 20 years experience as a Toronto creative director responsible for branding and re-branding organizations and services, including United Way Canada and several Canadian universities. I also get hands-on with product naming and label/package copy, because those 30 words or so are a big, private moment with a consumer, where you can tell your story, claim your difference, and get in their cart. On this page is a wine that I wrote the label copy for; it became the top-selling Ontario-wine the year it launched with a $0 advertising budget — just word of mouth, a great name, and, apparently, the label copy. I also work with many agencies and clients on their marketing strategies, from brainstorming, to developing and writing positioning options, to presenting to the board. I love finding something powerful about you that no one else can say.

LABEL COPY: BODACIOUS WINES

Back-label copy for Canada's #1 winemaker.

At over eight million bottles a year, Bodacious is a monster Canadian brand.
But owner Arterra wanted the label to work harder, and convey
the spunky sophistication of this superstar brand beyond typical tasting notes.

I captured the essence of each wine's experience in 20-25 words for all 16 SKU's.
Below are just a handful of the bottles I dran-- uh, could find in the store.

NAMING: AMPERE

Originally named Pinnguaq, this STEAM-education (Science-Technology-Engineering-Arts-Maths)
learning organization wanted a new name to reflects its evolution to delivering STEAM education
to learners of all ages and stages of life. Many names later, an acronym (see below) hit
like an electric current, and AMPERE was born.

STRATEGIC NAMING: UNITED WAY CANADA

"After 15 years, I finally know what we do." Testimonial from United Way board member after a nine-month strategy and copywriting process that honed UW's dozens of interests into three areas. Copywriting and strategy.

LABEL COPYWRITING: GRAND SPIRITS DISTILLERY

Design: Shawn Murenbeeld

LABEL COPYWRITING: D'ONT POKE THE BEAR WINE, GENERATIONS WINE

Named best new product, 2017/18 Elsie (LCBO) Awards.

Top selling new Ontario wine of 2017-18, with $0 advertising budget.
Customers walked into the LCBO, read, laughed, and bought.

BRANDING AND NAMING: NORTHERN TEMPLE VODKA

Copywriting. Design: Jason Hatcher

VARIOUS IDENTITY COPYWRITING, BRANDING AND NAMING

Manifest Communications. Creative Direction, sometimes Writing.
Design: Shawn Murenbeeld, Fei Lu, Deborah Caprara.

Just a few of the many organizations I led the branding and design work for as Creative Director.

ONTARIO '24 POTATOES

Copywriting and Naming. Design: Shawn Murenbeeld

GOODWILL ONTARIO REBRANDING

Manifest Communications. Creative Direction, Copywriting. Design: Shawn Murenbeeld

UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA REBRAND

Manifest Communications. Creative Direction, Writing. Design: Deborah Caprara.

Brand Guidelines: I've written and creative directed several.

WOODGREEN COMMUNITY SERVICES REBRAND

Manifest Communications. Creative Direction, Writing. Design: Deborah Caprara

COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS OF CANADA REBRAND

Manifest Communications. Creative Direction, Writing. Design: Fei Lu

NATIONAL ABORIGINAL ACHIEVEMENT FOUNDATION OF CANADA (Now INDSPIRE) REBRAND

Manifest Communications. Creative Direction, Writing. Design: Paul Bonsell

MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY (GRENFELL) REBRAND

Manifest Communications. Chief Idea Officer. Creative Team: Paul Bonsell, Trevor Mann, Joe O`Neill

The viewbook (with six different covers) opened like so:

CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP BRANDING

I led the creative development -- branding, copywriting and execution -- on corporate communications citizenship programs for Rogers, Manulife, Shoppers Drug Mart, Canadian Tire and other corporations.

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