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We all start somewhere

27 years ago

I was a copywriter working at Dillard's headquarters in Haltom City, Texas.

 

I was on my own with no money, a broken down Chevy Nova, a calico cat for a best friend ... and felt every bit as exhilarated and accomplished as Mary Tyler Moore spinning into downtown Minneapolis.

 

I wasn't at Dillard's Corporate long, but it prepared me for agency life as a copywriter for the next few years, which I don't usually include on my resume.

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Including those highlights below, and a link to my current CV, if you prefer to skip ahead.

1996-1997
Dillard's Corporate

Jr Copywriter

  • Wrote print ads for women's cosmetics, fragrances and shoes, and men's fragrances, shoes and accessories.
     

  • Learned the importance of checking one's own work after the copy chief missed my omission of a price point in the headline "Free Holiday Gift with Esteé Lauder Purchase." The Esteé Lauder counter was out of their entire holiday supply -- and eye pencil sharpeners -- before Thanksgiving.
     

  • Ate a lot of powdered mini donuts.

1997-1998
Grey Worldwide
(fka Regian & Wilson)

Jr Copywriter

  • Wrote print, radio, outdoor and television campaigns for clients like Dairy Queen, The Fort Worth Zoo and The National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame.
     

  • Copy edited six-point legal copy until my eyes bled out of my head.
     

  • Benefitted from free Blizzards before being diagnosed as lactose intolerant.
     

  • Won some awards, so that was fun.

1998-1999
Hawkeye
(fka The Marketing Continuum)

Copywriter

  • Wrote print, radio and promotional campaigns for clients like Nokia, Dr Pepper/7Up, Snapple, and the Labatt portfolio of beers (Tecate, Bohemia, Leffe, Dos Equis, Boddingtons, Höegaarden, etc.)
     

  • Developed understanding for strategy and development of promotional retail elements like end-caps, banner stands, shelf talkers, clip strips, header cards, standees, stand-alone POP displays, table tents, and more.
     

  • Learned how to spell "tchotchke."

1999-2000
Rapp Collins Worldwide

Copywriter

  • Wrote 20-25 segmented versions of the Dell Computers catalog on a monthly basis.
     

  • First experienced the thrill of real-time metrics and the ability to iterate and instantly improve creative via online advertising.
     

  • Jumped into this new thing called email marketing.
     

  • Left to give Silicon Valley a go during the dot-com boom (refer to Mary Tyler Moore video).

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