instagram source: @beyonce
What do you do when you need tons fresh writing about and for women but you don't know exactly what you need? Well, you start by researching (for inspiration only!) the voices of accessible writers-- the same kinds of writers that Hallmark's own consumers might be connecting to every single day-- looking for range in voice, personality, and content.
Let me be clear: there is no "cutting and pasting" of thoughts occurring here. This is a tool to refocus and inspire writers and share some authentic, popular perspectives that don't necessarily "feel" like Hallmark. And for a team of writers that have written Mom and Daughter and Sister copy every year for the last 5, 10, 20 years of more... you need a refresh every now and then!
In this case, I selected 7 incredible bloggers and created profiles that would be easy to digest-- with quickie facts and quotes that captured who these ladies were. Then I turned my writers loose, challenging them to write as these women or to them... and soon my inbox was full of original, hilarious, fun, sweet, smart, and seriously wonderful copy like I had never read before. I also ended up with 3x the amount of writing that I originally asked for! This project was so successful it ended up feeding into Fem Birthday and Mother's Day product lines for years with glowing, appreciative consumer feedback.
See below for two examples of blogger profiles I created for this writing project.
Alex Baca, personal blogger: alexbaca.tumblr.com
Self-Deprecating, Tough, Honest, Embracing, Punk, Worldly, Vulnerable, Overwhelmed, & Feminine
“I am an adult human with a corporate job that provides disposable income, and I have selected to spend my money on worthwhile life experiences. ”
“My new roommate… waited for me to get things out of Chris’ apartment and said the right stuff when I got in the car with a tear-stained face.”
“Everything makes me feel hopeless right now. Mass shootings and endless reports on economic inequality and election news jolt me from the work I’m having a hard time doing because of my stupid brain and stupid panic attacks and stupid feelings; everything derails me and I don’t know how to regain focus when there’s nothing I feel good about. I don’t want to be where I am, but I don’t know how to leave in a way that ensures I don’t ever get to this point again.”
“Productive night of cutting my bangs and voting for San Francisco stuff. I ranted on Twitter about why local politics matter, and about how voting at the local level can often tilt things significantly. If you can vote, you damn well should have today, and every Election Day. Not enough of us do.”
“Most of my brain’s bandwidth goes to thinking about cities, transportation, housing, community development, historic preservation, and urban design, all things I have a fractured academic and professional background in.”
Joy Cho – Lifestyle Blogger, Author, Designer ohjoy.blogs.com
Charming, Fun, Hard-working, Uplifting, Sweet, Thoughtful, Intentional
“I am the mother to two girls who have taught me to enjoy the simplicity of every day. I am the wife to a person who has always believed in me even when I didn't know what the heck I was doing. I work really hard, and I go after what I want. I try and spend my time doing things that make me happy because life is too short to spend your time doing too many things that you hate. I also think about ice cream...all the time.”
“As a child of immigrant parents, we never did seasonal things like apple picking (my parents just weren't aware of it because it wasn't a part of their culture). So it's been fun starting new traditions like this with my own family.”
“A few months ago, Ruby (Joy’s 4-year-old) went through a phase where she kept saying, "I just want to be normal." She didn't like it when we said she was funny or cute or entertaining. I know we'll struggle with this issue throughout her life as she grows and changes and strives to fit in and be accepted by her peers (I spent a good chunk of my tween years wishing I looked like the other girls in my class). But for now, I feel a small bit of relief that we're helping her become more aware of everyone's differences and enjoying the beauty of that.”
“Valentine's Day is often about getting lovey-dovey with that special someone in your life. But remember when we were kids and we gave those little Valentine's Day cards to all our friends? I miss that gesture, and I thought it would be fun to come up with something to make to show your friends how much you love them, too…”
