2. Anderson
This construction company built its reputation on
groundworks projects before adding remediation and
building development to the mix in recent years.
Communication challenge
With the groundworks arena increasingly competitive, the
board hired a communications agency – including Richard
as copywriter – to investigate re-positioning the company.
The research showed that Anderson was known to its
clients and associates, although potential clients were
either unaware of the Group or saw it as “just another
groundworks company”. The company needed a stand-
out marketing approach that put remediation and
development at its heart.
Copywriting solution
Richard worked with the agency team to generate a
number of design and copy options, all underpinned by
his new strapline: “Bringing life to lost land”.
This strapline re-positioned the brand within the right
marketplace, giving it a fresh tone and an emotional
appeal that was truly distinctive.
Richard also crafted dummy copy for the proposed new
website, case studies, ads, and other written materials.
3.
4. The Chartered
Institute of Building
The CIOB is the world’s largest professional body for
the construction industry. Its members work globally to
develop, conserve, and improve the built environment.
Communication challenge
The CIOB wanted to publish a book about Institute
members, past and present, responsible for famous
buildings around the world. The original manuscript
comprised profiles of current industry icons and
historical luminaries that all needed editing. The task
included reducing the word count and making the
language and structure of the profiles more consistent.
Copy-editing solution
Working with the CIOB’s press and communications
department, Richard agreed an editorial plan and the
guidelines for a typical profile entry. The latter ensured
consistency, while the former guaranteed a steady
workflow and the achievement of the printing deadline.
Richard continues to work with a variety of CIOB
departments, copy-editing research reports and other
publications including materials related to the
Institute’s Complex Projects Contract project.
5.
6. The MEL Group
This Suffolk engineering firm works in the
aerospace, defence and industrial sectors within
the UK and internationally.
Communication challenge
The company has grown organically, as well as
through acquisition, since 1968 and needed a new
corporate brochure to clarify the set-up and
services on offer. The MD invited Richard to create
the copy and bring consistency to the marketing
message.
Copywriting solution
Richard met the board to discuss the preferred
market positioning and messaging, then crafted
some draft pages to gain feedback on the tone and
content. After minimal amends, he then completed
the project and hit the publication deadline.
The Group’s internal marketing team adapted some
of the copy for the company’s new website.
7.
8. Royal Institute of
British Architects
Through the work of its members, as well as its own
advocacy, training and other initiatives, RIBA champions
better buildings, communities and the environment.
Communication challenge
The Institute had experienced a drop in subscription
renewals in successive years and wanted to reverse the
trend. The Marketing team hired Richard to review the
emails, letters and other reminders used in earlier
campaigns and to suggest amendments and
improvements.
Copywriting solution
Richard dissected the subscription communications
using his PAGES analysis technique to consider the
Power, Architecture (structure), Grammar, Eloquence and
Style of every piece of writing.
This allowed Richard to identify specific issues relating to
clarity and brevity, the use of language, and the overall
tone, impact and persuasiveness of the materials. As a
result, he was able to draft example texts that included
the appropriate changes, and to train the team in how to
adopt the improved style themselves.
9.
10. Vestas
The only global energy company dedicated
exclusively to harnessing the power of the wind,
Vestas develops, manufactures, sells and maintains
onshore and offshore turbines around the world.
Communication challenge
With a worldwide market to engage, Vestas employed
Publicis London to work on its communication
strategy and deliverables. The agency hired Richard
to write a series of wind turbine brochures that had to
make sense of each product’s technical complexity,
engage the audience and encourage further enquiries.
Copywriting solution
Richard discussed the products with the agency team
and the client’s experts, establishing an information
matrix that revealed several similarities and a number
of unique selling points. He was then able to create
passages that were applicable across the whole
series, and other sections that were product-specific.
In both scenarios, Richard emphasised the benefits
and structured the content in a way that made an
enquiry to find out more the natural next step.
11.
12.
13. Pioneer develops and manufactures hi-tech entertainment
products for the home and car – and nightclub, thanks to
its DJ division that caters for both the professional and
“bedroom DJ” markets.
Communication challenge
Pioneer DJ wanted to create online copy, plus a series of
brochures, that captured the imagination of its young,
image-conscious and tech-savvy audiences. While
conveying all of the technical features of the products in
question, the copy also had to be accessible and easy-to-
understand.
Copywriting solution
By talking to Pioneer’s in-house experts and the DJs who
use the equipment, Richard gained valuable insights into
the products. These discussions also revealed the
nuances of clubbing language and DJ terminology, helping
Richard to create the right tone and engage the audience.
The final copy for the web and brochures adopted the
appropriate vocabulary, without resorting to impenetrable
jargon, and highlighted the real benefits of the products.
Pioneer
14.
15. Dell provides customers with technology products
and services that help them do more – at home,
work, school, and everywhere else in their world.
Communication challenge
When Dell decided to create a customer support
service, it approached IT communications agency
Wilson Miller for help. The challenge involved
moving people away from their preconceptions of
Dell as a “box-shifter” and reaching out to the
audience with a non-technical approach.
Copywriting solution
Having developed an engaging brand name and
visual concept (using people’s reactions to solving
a PC problem), Wilson Miller asked Richard to
work on the copy platform.
As this double-page press ad shows, Richard
replaced industry-standard technical jargon with
conversational language to develop a tone of voice
that reinforced the brand’s visual style and
positioning.
Dell
16.
17. Sony
Sony is a consumer electronics company with well-known
brands in games, movies and music. From the late 1990s
until 2014, the company also manufactured and sold the
VAIO PC range.
Communication challenge
Sony Information Technology Europe needed a copywriter
to establish the tone of voice for the pan-European launch
of the VAIO PC range, and to deliver all the written
communications. The marketing – and the product –
needed to stand out in a crowded market while remaining
true to Sony’s history of stylish innovation.
Copywriting solution
Richard liaised with the engineers in Japan and national
marketing teams around Europe before creating the
English master-copy for all written materials used in the
pan-European VAIO PC launch. To help protect and
promote the VAIO brand after that time, he developed
editorial guidelines and provided training to the marketing
teams.
The new tone of voice sat comfortably within the Sony
brand family, and yet distinguished the VAIO brand from
the competition. Post-launch, Richard continued to write
about the VAIO range while also managing numerous
freelance writers, translators, designers, and ad agencies.
18.
19. The Economist
This weekly newspaper uses plain language
to offer authoritative insight and opinion on
international news, politics, business,
finance, science, and technology.
Communication challenge
The Economist wanted its marketing
materials and other external communications
to reflect the writing style of its journalists.
The newspaper decided to provide relevant
staff with writing training.
Copywriting training solution
Richard joined forces with two other writer-
trainers to deliver an intensive one-day
course to different groups of employees.
When the course generated positive
feedback, the newspaper extended the
training to even more staff, including several
teams in its New York offices.
20. Client Feedback
“Thanks for all the hard work on our pan-European campaigns. You really understand the Sony brand and what
we want to communicate.”
Akbar Huck, Marketing Communications Manager, Sony VAIO Europe
“You never forget that our primary aim is to increase sales, and your copy always manages to help us do that.”
Guy Marong, Marketing Manager, Sony e-Solutions Europe
“This training session was informative, fun and made total sense. I will certainly be cascading this down to as
many people as possible.”
One of 84 delegates from Crown Worldwide who attended a series of web-based training sessions
“You’ve really got under the skin of our clients – and they’re all as happy as we are.”
Stijn Vandenburgh, Account Director, Saatchi & Saatchi Business Communications
21. Client Feedback
“Richard is a creative copywriter who interrogates the brief in constructive and challenging ways. We
worked on a tricky project that required an imaginative interpretation of the brief and he did a really a
great job, on time and to budget. He’s also open and generous with his knowledge.”
Bridget Bouch, Marketing Communications Manager, Jablite & Styropack
“Richard has provided excellent written pieces and is able to pick up subjects incredibly quickly, showing
great expert knowledge. From our first meeting, he knew what we were looking for and his style of writing
was perfect. He’s one of the most genuine people you can meet; I’ve no hesitation in recommending him.”
Caroline Pennington, PR at FieldAware
“Richard’s one of the very few marketing and creative people I know who’s able to translate product
information into strong customer values, while keeping brand consistency across many products.”
Satoshi Koyama, Manager, AXA Life Japan
