Here are a few success stories.
refreshing WEB COPY FOR H&H Classics
Client: H&H CLASSICS
Role: Copywriter
Brief: H&H Classics was seeking to reinvigorate its website, and put a more accessible and friendly face to its online and in-person classic vehicle auctions. I was tasked with creating a new tone of voice for the site and drafting all-new copy.
Solution: I started by interviewing MD Collette McKay in order to truly understand the ethos of H&H, so that I would be able to tell the brand’s story with the right tone. Because we established the right approach from the start my first draft copy required very few amends.
How successful was it? Client feedback was that “the copy certainly reads well and is very poignant.” H&H came back for more.
LAUNCHING THE ALL-NEW, ALL-ELECTRIC MAZDA MX-30
Client: REdwood / MAZDA
Role: Creative lead
Brief: The launch of Mazda’s first EV was business-critical – this vehicle needed to make an impact. But with no car to film or shoot for the launch video and photography this brief was doubly challenging. First, I had to come up with a concept to highlight the unique features and concept of this vehicle and second, I had to come up with an idea that limited the amount of screen-time the car would have as it would need to be created with CGI.
Solution: The concept that I came up with was based around ‘Open’: the car features free-style doors that reveal its spacious and airy interior and is targeted at open-minded individuals seeking an eco-friendly car with distinctive design. The ‘Open’ theme carried through the narrative of the launch film and the art direction of the launch photography. In addition to the film a number of social media teasers were created to be revealed in the run up to the launch.
How successful was it? The film opened Mazda’s Tokyo Motor Show press conference and was used as a lead-generator as well as gaining significant media exposure.
BLOG & COPYWRITING
Client: HAGERTY INSURANCE / MCLAREN / Detour
Role: Blog and copywriting
Brief: Whether it's from a brief or my own pitch, I will always turn in accurate, on-brand copy on deadline and word count. Recent happy clients include McLaren Racing and Hagerty Insurance. I am also running Detour - a motoring and travel site, dedicated to the romance of the road trip.
Monterey 2019: The Most Famous Car in the World
Client: CHROME PRODUCTIONS / RM SOTHEBY’S
Role: Lead creative
Brief: Promote the Monterey 2019 RM Sotheby’s sale of one of the famous Aston Martin DB5s from Goldfinger with a witty, watchable video on a tight budget.
Solution: A pastiche of the original trailer for Goldfinger, shot in a single day in one location.
How successful was it? The car sold for $6m!
MAZDA – THE ART OF MANUFACTURING
Client: Redwood / Mazda
Role: Lead creative / producer
Creative partner: The Progress Film Company
Brief: To create an emotive film to highlight the remarkable skill of Mazda's takumi craftsmen who work in the Tool and Die department.
Solution: Another difficult challenge. How to portray the skill and passion of engineers in a task that the public doesn't even know exists? This film had to link Mazda's design ethos, with its manufacturing facilities and show a common value between all Mazda employees.
How successful was it? This piece was requested by a group of leading Mazda's marketing executives. Upon seeing the final film they were delighted. It has been used by many Mazda markets online, in dealerships and repurposed for commercials.
MAZDA – THE ART OF COLOUR
Client: Redwood / Mazda
Role: Lead creative / producer
Creative partner: The Progress Film Company
Brief: To create a short, stylish film which showcases Mazda's Soul Red Crystal paint and explains the innovation behind this unique finish.
Solution: Watching paint dry. Perhaps not the most promising brief, but by digging deep into the stories behind the innovation, looking back into Mazda's history and forward to the future, this film 'paints' a portrait of an innovative company, with craftsmen at its heart
How successful was it? The film was highly praised by Mazda's marketing and Brand Style departments, has been used by numerous markets online and in social channels. It also led to further commissions.
Zoom-Zoom / MAZda Stories
Client: Redwood / Mazda
Role: Editor-in-chief
Brief: To create a global magazine for Mazda customers
Solution: Along with the team at Redwood Nik Berg has created a multiple-award-winning product which distils Mazda's brand values and provides readers with insight and entertainment.
How successful is it? Zoom-Zoom magazine (now Mazda Stories) is Mazda's biggest single CRM tool. Over 1.2 million Mazda customers receive each edition. A further 100k more view the magazine online, on mobile or on iPad editions that are produced for Mazda in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Zoom-Zoom won the Content Marketing Association's Best Automotive title no less than three times.
EDITION DIGITAL WEBSITE AND CONTENT HUB
Client: Edition Digital
Role: Editorial lead / tone of voice guardian
Brief: To define the tone of voice for the relaunch of the Edition Digital publishing platform, write/edit all copy across the entire website, newsletters, investor information and Content Hub.
Solution: By getting to know the Edition Digital team, their personalities, capabilities and ambitions, it was clear that the company's ethos needed to be reflected in the tone of voice used across all its communication channels. English is not the team's first language and the need to explain some advanced web technology to the audience provided additional challenges. We settled upon a friendly, accessible tone of voice, that mirrored the Edition Digital unique approach, the boundless enthusiasm and dedication to an ever-advancing product.
How successful was it? Edition Digital is positioned as thought and technology leader in the digital publishing world. One whose technology is advanced but whose user experience is simple.
Mazda2 vs the wall of death
Client: Redwood / Mazda
Role: Lead creative / producer
Creative partner: Dumpling Productions / Demon Drome
Brief: To showcase the agility of the lightweight Mazda2 and to Defy Convention.
Solution: Defy Gravity. Taking Mazda's city car far out of its comfort zone and onto a vertical Wall of Death not only proved how nimble the Mazda2 is, but proved that Mazda was willing to challenge convention like no other car maker. Putting a modern car on this historic fairground attraction was a genuine world first and, until the very day it happened, nobody knew if it could even be done.
How successful was it? Over 1.2 million views and counting. Bronze Winner, 2012 Lovie Awards
The world's Fastest – ONE UNINVITED GUEST
Client: Redwood / Mazda Canada / Mazda USA
Role: Lead creative / producer
Creative partner: Dumpling Productions
Brief: To highlight the Mazda MX-5 Miata's Power Retractable Hard Top and increase brand awareness.
Solution: A race with a difference. The Mazda MX-5 can't compete with the likes of Lamborghini or Porsche in terms of speed on track. But there is one area where it is actually faster - and that's the operation of its folding roof, which takes just 12 seconds. In a line-up of exotic cars Mazda cheekily takes the advantage by making it rain before the green flag and 'trolling' its rivals.
How successful was it? Over three million views and counting and sparked a lengthy debate on social channels.
sebtoots goes 'carboarding'
Client: Redwood / Mazda Canada
Role: Lead creative / producer
Creative partner: Sayer Danforth
Brief: To create an entertaining film that would raise awareness of Mazda Canada's sponsorship of Canada Snowboard and, in particular, Olympic snowboarder Sebastien Toutant.
Solution: Create a whole new sport - a fusion of snowboarding and car racing. With SebToots behind the wheel and snowboards under the rear wheels of his Mazda3, a Montreal race track was the venue for the first ever 'carboarding' demonstration.
How successful was it? 40,000 views on Mazda Canada's YouTube channel, making it one of the most popular unpromoted films on the channel
Fiat 500L – ENDLESS SUMMER
Client: Redwood / Fiat UK
Role: Lead creative / producer
Creative partner: The Progress Film Company
Brief: To create a short film which highlights key product features of three models in the Fiat 500L range.
Solution: The festival season need never finish if you own a Fiat 500L. This film showed how each model would bring something unique to the party: the MPW (The Big One) would bring the camp gear, the Trekking (The Adventurous One) would bring the action and the Beats Edition (The Noisy One) would bring the entertainment. Three shorter product information films were also cut to highlight the key features of each vehicle.
How successful was it? The film was the lead piece in the Fiat Us! digital magazine. The films were also posted on Fiat UK's YouTube channel and promoted in social channels.