About

Colin 2019

I’ve been a freelance copywriter for forty years, and now I’m semi-retired in Santa Barbara.

My new hobby is dissecting the websites of technology companies to see how much more informative and effective they could be with just a few improvements.

My first copywriting job was at a regional Sears center creating full-page newspaper ads.

I moved to the California coast and became an editor at the newly founded Santa Barbara Magazine.

I also wrote text for local clients and ad agencies, and that led to a portfolio good enough to attract an offer from BBDO Detroit, where I wrote Dodge Truck ads and commercials.

Then I returned to California and have worked ever since as a freelance/contract copywriter, creative director, and content strategist in Santa Barbara and Silicon Valley.

Science and technology fan

Apple fanboi

Baseball nut

Daily bicycler

 Earlier in my careeer I did a lot of work for art directors whose sole goal in life was to win awards for creativity. If the ads for the clients also increased sales, so much the better.

Back in those days I would investigate the client’s situation and suggest a line of attack: “here’s the thing we should focus on,” and the art directors illuminated that focal point with their graphic genius.

So the ads not only looked great, they worked, and that’s why they won awards. Just being pretty was never enough. So art directors frequently called me in on projects.

Professional Awards

American Institute of the Graphic Arts

Los Angeles Art Director’s Club

Western Art Director’s Club

Direct Marketing Association

Art Center College of Design

Art Director’s Club of Detroit

Santa Barbara Ad Club

Ventura Ad Club

Sacramento Ad Club

My work has been selected to appear in these publications:

Art Direction

Creativity Annual

Communication Arts

Print

Graphis