Every year I have the privilege of writing the stories for the UC Me campaign. This involves meeting with each student to hear their story, then writing our conversation up in a Q&A format. It never fails to amaze me how many bright sparks there are at UC. I genuinely love meeting each student and hope their stories inspire others as much as they inspire me.

See this year’s stories at canterbury.ac.nz/ucme/

I have been involved in strategic and creative work for Mike Greer Homes for a number of years. One creative output has been the Mike Greer Architectural website. An emotive website, it has been crafted to draw the audience in with inspiring images and simple, polished copy. A great example of attracting customers through a ‘show don’t tell’ approach that stands apart from the crowd.

View the site at mikegreerarchitectural.co.nz

This billboard campaign was created to sell the Tannery – not for its products, but for the genuine local proprietors and creative minds behind each store. Recognising the need to reflect the personalised nature of the Tannery experience as well as the promise of exceptional goods on offer, I created this two-part headline structure that could easily adapt to each store or venue. An overarching line ‘Exceptional Encounters’ was created to unite the campaign in a tone befitting this boutique shopping and cultural destination.

Some lighthearted copy gives this donut packaging a little extra flavour.

This poster was created to commemorate just a few of the many Christchurch buildings lost in the Feb 2011 earthquake. I created the illustrations and the design was done together with Stephen McCarthy.

If you like it, you can still buy A4 prints at our website! https://retraceit.bigcartel.com.

Method Building Systems is a company that's championing the use of Structurally Insulated Panels for building in New Zealand.

The job entailed naming the parent company, which became Method Building Systems, as well as creating a name for their product, which became 'Formance'.

I then created copy for the Method Building Systems website, which included a short philosophy piece as well as interviews with key industry players.

The Tannery is a boutique shopping emporium located in a historical working-class district of Christchurch.

Opening its doors in 2013, Beauty at the Tannery offers an immersive, pampering experience. This 12-page brochure was written to convey the richness of the experience and entice beauty-seekers into the spa.

Intus is a private clinic specialising in digestive and colorectal care.

As part of their rebrand I helped to develop a suite of ads. The purpose of the ads was to encourage the target demographic to choose Intus for their digestive health needs. The tone of voice has been crafted to sound empathetic and professional: a delicate approach for a delicate matter.

This work is over a decade old, but I believe it stands the test of time. Both campaigns are based on the simple insight that karate will make your kids stronger, happier and more active.

The headline-driven campaign was carefully art directed to ensure the words would have visual interest on the page.

The image-driven campaign lets the photos speak for themselves. Minimal copy brings the message home.

Websites are often the first port of call for new customers these days. Ensuring a brand’s story is portrayed in a clear and compelling way is essential. I have written dozens of websites over the years, from one-pagers to complex beasts. It’s a craft I enjoy and continue to refine as the digital space evolves.

Naming is part art, part science and all challenge. Over the years I’ve created a range of names for a variety of industries and organisations. Many of these have been in a team environment working with both agencies and clients. I’ve found that naming is an area requiring both leadership and collaboration, and the persistent pursuit of those undiscovered treasures…