I've been a writer for brands since 1993. I've worked in agencies, co-founded a studio at 26 (somewhat recklessly), spent 11 years as a freelancer and now lead the team at Reed Words.
We make brands and businesses stronger through language. From our offices in London, Manchester and New York, we work with clients and agency partners around the world.
We've developed the voices for Heinz, Formula 1, the World Trade Center, Colgate and Madame Tussaud's. We’ve created international ad campaigns for software brand Bluebeam. We've developed chatbots with Skype. We've written packaging for Tesco, K-Y and Argos. We’ve named all sorts of companies, products and services – including insurance startup Thimble, investment firm Tellimer, Supermade yoghurt and Wallbaby poster store. We run training workshops, both for our clients and as open sessions for all comers.
Projects
- Bang & Olufsen: tone of voiceBang & Olufsen is an audio icon. But their voice didn’t resonate with music lovers like it should. It was distorted with overly technical language, and lacked the precision and power they’re famous for. Working in harmony with design agency Snask and Bang & Olufsen’s in-house team, we created a voice that plays on the senses, de-waffles language, and balances the tech specs of each product with the experience of listening to it. It’s not about X watts of power or a however-many-Hz frequency ra
- Byron: Poetry in a BunWith patties pressed from the finest meats and burgers stacked with an artist’s touch, the food Byron makes is poetry in a bun. We helped put that poetry into motion. It was time for Byron to beef up their branding. Inspired by their famous namesake, they worked with Taxi to develop a strategy all around poetry. There was just one thing missing. Poems. First we wrote a lyrical manifesto, capturing the Byron philosophy in verse form. Then, we came up with rhymes for all the flavours of the men
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Projects credited in
- Hoxton Street Monster Supplies Postal ServiceThe Ministry of Stories wanted to get more young people writing. The solution? The Hoxton Street Monster Supplies Postal Service. For a small fee, humans of all ages can write to a vampire, yeti, werewolf, mummy, dragon, or gremlin. And a month later – with a little help from a volunteer ghostwriter – they’ll receive a personal reply. We helped the Ministry launch this ambitious inter-creature initiative by crafting six monster personas, plus a set of guidelines that enable a team of ghostwrite
- D&AD Award-winning Hoxton Street Monster Supplies Postal ServiceIn caves and cupboards the world over, there are monsters – monsters who are curious about humans and would love to hear from them. Meanwhile, there are many young people who’d love to write to them. So we helped the Ministry of Stories launch the Hoxton Street Monster Supplies Postal Service. For a small fee, humans of all ages can write to a monster and receive a personal reply, with all proceeds going toward the Ministry’s creative writing workshops. We created six monster personas, plus gu
Work history
Founder & Creative DirectorReed Words
London, United KingdomFull Time
I lead the team at Reed Words, one of the world's few fully-fledged brand language agencies. We’re based in London, Manchester and New York City.
We've developed the voices of Formula 1, Bang & Olufsen, the World Trade Center, Madame Tussaud's, and Argos. We've written campaigns for Shopify and Bluebeam, and packaging for Tesco. We've named brands like Wallbaby (Swedish poster company), Thimble (small business insurance), and Chewbrew (a bubble tea restaurant). We run training workshops, both as part of client projects and as open sessions.
We sum up who we are, what we do, and what we want to be as “The world's brightest words”. And we deliver on that every day.
When I'm not trying to keep up with my remarkable team, I (very occasionally) add something to my personal creative-noodlings site at http://www.someofmike.com
CopywriterYouView
- London, United KingdomFreelance
For a bit of each week I worked on contract at YouView, the revolutionary new IPTV platform being developed through a joint venture by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, BT, TalkTalk and Arqiva. I was mainly there to write for the box UX (user experience), but also did a lot on the brand side, including the website and a script for the brand launch video. YouView launched in June 2012.
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Skills
- Advertising
- Writing
- Corporate Identity
- Copywriting
- Creative Direction
- Brand Development
- Creative Writing
- Creative Strategy
- User Exerience
- Brand Campaigns
Education
U
U
Literature PhilosophyUEA
- Norwich, United Kingdom
Awards
Graphite Pencil, Writing for DesignD&AD
For Argos Simple Value Packaging with The PartnersWooden Pencil, Writing for DesignD&AD
For Argos Simple Value Packaging with The Partners+ Show more