Tara Croft
Branding/Editorial Direction/Content Guidance/Writing
General info
Branding/Editorial Direction/Content Guidance/Writing
New York, NY & Los Angeles, CA
New York, NY & Los Angeles, CA
WRITER AND STORYTELLER with extensive experience in advertising, branding, marketing, publishing and journalism. Able to conduct large branding and content initiatives; execute persuasive marketing pieces, ads, social media videos and website copy; and write in-depth content for thought leadership, product positioning and brochures. Reputation for excellence in delivering superior content to support brand strategy.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Branding & Execution
Copywriting
Content Guidance
Concept Development
Website Content Creation
Thought Leadership
CORE COMPETENCIES
Branding & Execution
Copywriting
Content Guidance
Concept Development
Website Content Creation
Thought Leadership
Experience
Editorial Director, Content Expert, Writer and Storyteller
Blue Slate Branding
There's a story behind everything. Let's find your brand's story and give it the unique voice it deserves.
• Specialties: Brand voice and positioning. Brand and product naming. Digital content. Product and service website writing. Social media video scripting. Content guidance and strategy. Thought leadership. UX writing. Conversion copywriting.
• Client Industries: Consumer, Travel, Financial Services, Technology, Fintech, Healthcare, Fitness
Specific Clients (and work done):
• IBM: See "Gather" below
• Sweeten: Landing page, UX and website writing
• Nico, The Neighborhood Investment Company: Brand positioning, brand voice, content strategy, conversion copywriting
• Gaiam Yoga, FILA, Spri, PetWell, Kidnasium: Naming, brand and product positioning, brand voice, digital copywriting
• Harvard Business Review Analytic Services: Thought leadership
• UBS: Financial wellness seminar narratives, advisor video narratives, digital copywriting
• City National Rochdale: Content strategy, digital content positioning, narrative, conversion copywriting
• MedPro: Content strategy, digital content positioning, narrative, website copywriting
• Via contract with Momentum: tZero Advisors: Brand voice, UX and website copywriting
• Specialties: Brand voice and positioning. Brand and product naming. Digital content. Product and service website writing. Social media video scripting. Content guidance and strategy. Thought leadership. UX writing. Conversion copywriting.
• Client Industries: Consumer, Travel, Financial Services, Technology, Fintech, Healthcare, Fitness
Specific Clients (and work done):
• IBM: See "Gather" below
• Sweeten: Landing page, UX and website writing
• Nico, The Neighborhood Investment Company: Brand positioning, brand voice, content strategy, conversion copywriting
• Gaiam Yoga, FILA, Spri, PetWell, Kidnasium: Naming, brand and product positioning, brand voice, digital copywriting
• Harvard Business Review Analytic Services: Thought leadership
• UBS: Financial wellness seminar narratives, advisor video narratives, digital copywriting
• City National Rochdale: Content strategy, digital content positioning, narrative, conversion copywriting
• MedPro: Content strategy, digital content positioning, narrative, website copywriting
• Via contract with Momentum: tZero Advisors: Brand voice, UX and website copywriting
Creative Consultant
Current Engagement: IBM.com
Role: Currently embedded as a content writer and content guidance expert within an IBM team to revamp digital content and templates for IBM.com page content types. Responsible for creating content guidance for every part of every page type to direct teams of writers.
Previously embedded within IBM Automation and IBM Cloud Pak teams to construct new product narratives and conversion copy by working with internal teams to identify positioning and value proposition.
Role: Currently embedded as a content writer and content guidance expert within an IBM team to revamp digital content and templates for IBM.com page content types. Responsible for creating content guidance for every part of every page type to direct teams of writers.
Previously embedded within IBM Automation and IBM Cloud Pak teams to construct new product narratives and conversion copy by working with internal teams to identify positioning and value proposition.
Associate Editorial Director
VSA Partners
Clients: technology (IBM, IBM Watson, MVSC), financial (Bloomberg, BMO Harris Bank, Golub), fashion (Aldo), jewelry (Jared), travel (Serena del Mar), paper (Sappi) and home design (Belgard)
• Work with a driven team of designers, strategists, UX architects, client managers and more using competitive analysis to determine a client’s best brand positioning, social engagement, product naming and external communications strategy.
• Help shape a consistent and definable voice for a client’s brand and create brand guidelines, websites, videos and other internal and external marketing.
• Collaborate with clients to develop brand experiences—using copy, content strategy and storytelling to help them achieve distinction.
• Oversee fellow writers on a variety of concepting and naming efforts to bring client brand strategies to life.
• Work with a driven team of designers, strategists, UX architects, client managers and more using competitive analysis to determine a client’s best brand positioning, social engagement, product naming and external communications strategy.
• Help shape a consistent and definable voice for a client’s brand and create brand guidelines, websites, videos and other internal and external marketing.
• Collaborate with clients to develop brand experiences—using copy, content strategy and storytelling to help them achieve distinction.
• Oversee fellow writers on a variety of concepting and naming efforts to bring client brand strategies to life.
Senior Copywriter (Contract)
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
• Developed concepts for global commercial banking ads and campaigns, and wrote concise yet powerful copy that aligned with brand voice.
• Interviewed executives and subject matter experts to create brochures, white papers, case studies, thought leadership, website copy, video copy, fact sheets, invitations and executive letters using enterprise-wide brand voice.
• Worked closely with account executives to understand client and line-of-business needs in developing content (LOBs included middle-market banking, commercial real estate banking and wealth management).
• Interviewed executives and subject matter experts to create brochures, white papers, case studies, thought leadership, website copy, video copy, fact sheets, invitations and executive letters using enterprise-wide brand voice.
• Worked closely with account executives to understand client and line-of-business needs in developing content (LOBs included middle-market banking, commercial real estate banking and wealth management).
Senior Copywriter
Self-Employed
Clients: QBE, Capital One Bank, OppenheimerFunds, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, DiscoverReady, Schwab, Ameriprise, Bloomberg, Citi, Credit Suisse
• QBE: Helped develop brand voice, worked with LOBs to create rebranded website copy and wrote concept statements and marketing collateral for the multibillion-dollar insurer.
• Capital One Bank: Wrote newsletters and pitch books targeting middle-market businesses and executives using the bank’s conversational tone.
• OppenheimerFunds: Created clever ads with headlines targeted to advisors and clients.
• Morgan Stanley Smith Barney: Wrote financial advice articles about retirement strategies for advisors to share with their clients.
• DiscoverReady: Wrote product and sales brochures, concept statements, website copy and other materials for legal client, collaborating with designers to meet tight deadlines.
• Schwab: Wrote advisor-marketing case studies and copy for investment advisor websites.
• Ameriprise: Developed concepts and wrote copy for reimagined “DreamBook,” a tool for advisors to use with clients when addressing retirement planning and goals.
• QBE: Helped develop brand voice, worked with LOBs to create rebranded website copy and wrote concept statements and marketing collateral for the multibillion-dollar insurer.
• Capital One Bank: Wrote newsletters and pitch books targeting middle-market businesses and executives using the bank’s conversational tone.
• OppenheimerFunds: Created clever ads with headlines targeted to advisors and clients.
• Morgan Stanley Smith Barney: Wrote financial advice articles about retirement strategies for advisors to share with their clients.
• DiscoverReady: Wrote product and sales brochures, concept statements, website copy and other materials for legal client, collaborating with designers to meet tight deadlines.
• Schwab: Wrote advisor-marketing case studies and copy for investment advisor websites.
• Ameriprise: Developed concepts and wrote copy for reimagined “DreamBook,” a tool for advisors to use with clients when addressing retirement planning and goals.
Senior Writer
Alger Management
• Conceptualized, researched, wrote and edited internal and external messaging for asset management company with $15 billion in assets.
• Lead writer on initiatives including firm brochures, website content, white papers, market commentaries, flyers, talking points, newsletters, client letters, annual reports, fact sheets, press releases and investor presentations for use in roll-outs and continuing sales efforts.
• Worked with CEO and portfolio managers to create communications, including writing Q&As as well as the CEO’s annual shareholder letter.
Key Achievements:
• Acted as lead writer for major initiatives.
• Created compelling brand messaging for use in the company’s rebranding efforts.
• Helped double the firm’s output of marketing materials.
• Lead writer on initiatives including firm brochures, website content, white papers, market commentaries, flyers, talking points, newsletters, client letters, annual reports, fact sheets, press releases and investor presentations for use in roll-outs and continuing sales efforts.
• Worked with CEO and portfolio managers to create communications, including writing Q&As as well as the CEO’s annual shareholder letter.
Key Achievements:
• Acted as lead writer for major initiatives.
• Created compelling brand messaging for use in the company’s rebranding efforts.
• Helped double the firm’s output of marketing materials.
Senior Writer
The Deal Magazine
• Responsible for all major healthcare stories for financial publication’s daily website and weekly print magazine targeting wealthy investors.
• Analyzed company reports and interviewed executives, industry consultants and analysts to ascertain industry shifts.
• Researched and wrote features on trends in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, retail, technology and consumer industries to keep website and weekly print magazine.
• Wrote engaging and detailed stories describing how various financial deals worked in order to be understandable to a broader audience.
• Collaborated with designers to meet tight deadlines.
Key Achievements:
• Scooped The Wall Street Journal with a feature on Eli Lilly (The Deal, April 2007) and a cover story about Teva Ltd. (The Deal, October 2004); also scooped The New York Times with a cover story on Bill Wrigley Jr. (The Deal, May 2004).
• Interviewed on CNBC’s Power Lunch about pharmaceutical deals in China; stories featured regularly in The New York Times’ DealBook newsletter.
• Analyzed company reports and interviewed executives, industry consultants and analysts to ascertain industry shifts.
• Researched and wrote features on trends in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, retail, technology and consumer industries to keep website and weekly print magazine.
• Wrote engaging and detailed stories describing how various financial deals worked in order to be understandable to a broader audience.
• Collaborated with designers to meet tight deadlines.
Key Achievements:
• Scooped The Wall Street Journal with a feature on Eli Lilly (The Deal, April 2007) and a cover story about Teva Ltd. (The Deal, October 2004); also scooped The New York Times with a cover story on Bill Wrigley Jr. (The Deal, May 2004).
• Interviewed on CNBC’s Power Lunch about pharmaceutical deals in China; stories featured regularly in The New York Times’ DealBook newsletter.
Other Relevant Experience
Internet Cool Guide, Inc., Senior Editor / New York, NY
• Developed editorial concepts in collaboration with designers for printed guidebooks and searchable website to appeal to a high-end consumer market.
• Hired freelancers to write arts, entertainment and business features and reviews.
• Published three guidebooks in a six-month timeframe, including assignments and edits.
• Launched a complex website with a searchable database and complete editorial content.
Chicago Magazine, Associate Editor / Chicago, IL
• Over four years on staff, wrote for national print magazine, producing cover stories, an entertainment column, back-page celebrity interviews and travel features.
• Launched website redesign and increased page views fivefold within one year.
• Managed content for the website and drove traffic between the magazine and site.
• Editorial team award winner for “Through Thick and Thin,” a story on Chicago pizza.
• Developed editorial concepts in collaboration with designers for printed guidebooks and searchable website to appeal to a high-end consumer market.
• Hired freelancers to write arts, entertainment and business features and reviews.
• Published three guidebooks in a six-month timeframe, including assignments and edits.
• Launched a complex website with a searchable database and complete editorial content.
Chicago Magazine, Associate Editor / Chicago, IL
• Over four years on staff, wrote for national print magazine, producing cover stories, an entertainment column, back-page celebrity interviews and travel features.
• Launched website redesign and increased page views fivefold within one year.
• Managed content for the website and drove traffic between the magazine and site.
• Editorial team award winner for “Through Thick and Thin,” a story on Chicago pizza.
Education
MS Journalism
Northwestern University
Earned a master's degree in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism.
BA Political Science
Northwestern University
Earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Northwestern University.
Junior-Year Abroad
University of Sussex
Studied history, photography and political science for a junior-year abroad program at the University of Sussex.
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Professional Memberships
National Association of Professional Women, NU Start-Up Society, Women in Digital Media
View Tara's Portfolio for work samples.|taracroft@me.com| office