Lauri Maerov
Writer/Editor
Skills:
A highly versatile wordsmith and consultant with expertise in several arenas including beauty, natural products, technology, restaurants, entertainment and the Internet. A team player with a flair for taglines, naming and creating brand voice. Fast, original, witty and prolific.
Marketing, Branding, Naming and Collateral Media
- DIRECTV (May 2005 - Present) Freelance Copywriter
- Concepted and wrote award-winning ads, posters and campaigns
- Created taglines, themelines and headlines for product launches and special offers
- Wrote ad copy and collateral media
- Consulted on several major naming projects including new products and new channels.
- Zia Naturals [Hain Celestials] (February 2006 to present) Senior Writer
- Developed brand voice for Brilliance, a major new all-natural, eco-conscious skincare line
- Wrote first brochure, new product descriptions and created unique poetic theme for packaging featuring my original haikus
- Currently working with branding team to relaunch Zia brand.
- Jason Naturals [Hain Celestials] (April 2006-Present) Senior Writer
- Developed brand voice and collateral marketing materials for new all-natural, eco-conscious Salon Hair Care line
- Wrote first brochures, label copy, shelf talkers, sales sheets, etc. for this new line.
- Maddocks+ (December 2005 - Present) Writer/Naming Consultant
- Worked with creative team to rebrand a major skincare line, e.g. new product names, taglines, positioning, etc.
- Named two new grooming lines for dogs, created taglines, and developed the brand voice for Maddocks client, Central Garden & Pet Company
- Wrote the brochure copy for Red Bull’s first venture into branding itself in the golf arena.
- Murad (June-July 2006) Senior Copywriter/Naming Consultant
- Developed ad campaign concepts to refresh this famous skincare brand
- Consulted on naming a new brand line to launch in ‘08
- Wrote article on hormonal aging vis à vis Murad line.
- Cala Beauty Products (May 2005 - Present) Naming Consultant/Writer
- Consulted on naming for several Cala sub-brands and products
- Wrote new product copy for launch of repackaged and extended line.
- Hamagami/Carroll (November 2005) Naming Consultant
- Provided a comprehensive list of names for a new subgenre of games for major mobile games company. Rush basis project accomplished in less than 24-hour turnaround.
- SpaRitual (April 2004 - Spring 2005) Senior Writer
- Involved on ground floor creation of major new eco-friendly, high-end beauty product line, developing brand identity in communication materials
- Created the voice of SPARITUAL (see www.sparitual.com)
- Brainstormed the concept for and wrote the Chroma Guide, a 72-card “intuition” deck inspired by tarot, to promote SPARITUAL’s 72 Nail Lacquer colors
- Wrote original product mission statement, introductory brochure copy and all packaging and sell copy for product launch
- Naming consultant for the product line, displays and product subhierarchies.
- Kissingfish Skincare (March 2005) Copywriter
- Brought in on rush basis to revise and polish copy for the packaging, marketing, p.r. and website content for deadline launch of this new high-end line of skin nutrition.
- Created taglines and product descriptions for launch, including “Sea Love for Your Skin.”
- ORLY International (April 2004 - June 2004) Senior Writer
- Brainstormed new umbrella name for relaunch of the Original French Manicure (French Evolution), as well as sub-hierarchical category names
- Created new headlines and taglines for relaunch campaign
- Wrote copy for the new French Manicure Look Book and packaging.
- Media Portfolio (December 2004) Naming Consultant
- Co-developed approach to re-naming mobile phone music company, Chaoticom
- Suggested new name: Groove Mobile.
- Educational Insights (November 2004; November - December 2003) Senior Copywriter
- From Jeopardy to GeoSafari, created product description copy for both the parent-directed toys and games catalog and teacher-oriented educational catalog
- Developed a new concept for the introductory page for Sea Monkeys and rewrote copy to revitalize that catalog section.
- Buckner & Company (August 2004 - September 2004) Senior Writer
- Wrote and helped to reconceive product brochure for this internationally recognized corporate consultant and leadership guru.
- BeautyRevolution.com (July 2004 - August 2004) Copywriter
- Brainstormed taglines and headlines for Beauty Revolution awareness campaign targeted at professional salon owners
- Wrote the Beauty Revolution Manifesto underscoring the organization’s aims at education and advocacy for salon professionals.
- Fearless Branding (June 2002 - Present) Consulting Copywriter
- Co-wrote case studies for Fearless Branding website
- Wrote taglines and headlines for the newly-branded 2004 US Tennis Open
- Helped develop a new brand concept for The Marilyn Brush, a new hairbrush, and wrote tagline, headlines and ad copy for the product.
- Zyanya.com (November 2000-Present) Copywriter
- Wrote website and brochure devoted to a new line of aromatherapy products
- Continue to update website as new products are added.
- National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) (April 2002 to present) Senior Copywriter
- Developed theme line concepts and headlines for 2003, 2005 and 2006 NNFA marketplace
- Wrote Pre-Guides, promotional materials, and other conference literature for 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 Conferences.
- Watson Wyatt (February 2004 - March 2004) Senior Writer
- Brainstormed conceptual approach and branding for a five-year strategic health re-education program for a Watson Wyatt client
- Involved in naming of the overall health program and hierarchical names for subprograms
- Developed strategic components of the communications aspects of the re-education program with the creative team and wrote supporting copy.
- RRR Group (October 2001 - March 2005) Writer/Consultant
- Wrote business plan for this worldwide restaurant consulting firm based in Dallas
- Wrote delivery/catering/to-go brochure for Tom Tom Noodle House
- Wrote Tom Tom headline/tagline copy for billboard launched in Dallas
- Created headlines and several restaurant ads for placement in Dallas Morning News
- Developed and wrote RRR Group’s promotional material and biographies
- Wrote RRR’s concept presentations and branding material.
- CSB Construction (January 2003 - Present) Senior Copywriter/Web Content Consultant
- Developed and wrote two distinct sales brochures for divergent target clientele of this niche design/construction company
- Wrote/updated website: www.csb2001.com.
- The Little Black Book of Visual Effects/Razorview, Inc. (March 2002) Writer
- Wrote press release for launch of Web version of this entertainment industry resource.
- Ajula Inc. & Carol Kipling.com (Fall 2001 - Spring 2002) Writer/consultant
- Wrote marketing materials, collateral and press releases for high-end line of home fashions
- Developed marketing and p.r. campaign, as well as branding approach for the products
- Wrote website content for designer Carol Kipling’s site and for www.ajula.com.
- Bos Design (March 2000 to March 2002) Senior Copywriter/Naming Consultant
- Participated in development of branding and design concepts for two major international restaurant chains
- As naming specialist and lead copywriter, consulted on several projects including the high-end Southern cosmetics line, Olivia; the eGrip II pen and more for Avery Products
- Created advertising concepts and wrote copy for several clients including Avery and southwestern restaurants Star Canyon. Canyonita, Samba Room and Fishbowl
- Wrote business plan, store brochures and ad copy for Dallas’s Olivia cosmetics boutique.
- Bonterra Wines (December 2000 - February 2001) Writer/Consultant
- Commissioned to help create a new tag line for California’s leading organic vineyard
- Developed and wrote a point-of-sale “necker” for display on wines in release.
- eCompanies (December 2000- February) Naming Consultant
- Consulted on naming of a new company developed by this top Internet incubator.
- EarthLink (October 1999 - March 2000) Managing Editor of Collateral Projects
- Created and wrote ad campaigns and other print-related media
- Supervised copywriters and edited collateral projects for Member Services Division
- Principal writer of EarthLink’s award-winning 1999 Annual Report.
- The Magazine Consultancy (Summer 1999) Writer
- Wrote marketing letters and media kits for national magazines First for Women and Twist.
- Disney (February 1999) Naming Consultant
- Consulted by Disney’s Buena Vista Pictures Marketing on the Academy Award-nominated feature concerning the tobacco industry starring Al Pacino and Russell Crowe. Suggested the name, The Insider, chosen as the title of the critically acclaimed motion picture.
The Internet, Technology and New Media
- GaiaBuilders.com (June-July 2006) Content Writer/Developer
- Created the concepts, co-developed the site, and wrote all content for this award-winning site recently honored by Intel and the Small Business Technology Institute.
- Mountainpad.com (November 2002-Present) Consulting Writer/Editor
- Advised and helped write/edit copy for this web development company’s brochure website.
- IAM.COM (April 2000 through August 2000) Editorial Director
- Managed a team of writers, editors and freelancers on a magazine-style site catering to actors, musicians, dancers, models and entertainment industry casting professionals
- Co-developed overall concept of content for relaunch of website
- Project lead and principal writer of over 100 Web pages for relaunch of site.
- PetPlanet.com (August through September 1999 Freelance Copywriter
- Brought in four members of the West Coast writing team
- Set the tone (breezy and humorous) for cat products and other copy.
- Venu Interactive (August 1999) Freelance copywriter
- Wrote weekly newsletter and humor-driven copy including games and other “Seinfeldia” for the official Seinfeld website (Warner/Castle-Rock, a Venu Interactive client).
Awards & Recognition
- 2006 American Inhouse Design Awards - for DIRECTV Poster & other collateral media
- 2006 Intel/Small Business Technology Institute She Business 2nd prize - for gaiabuilders.com.
Publishing, Editing, Creative Writing and Teaching
- Freelance book jacket copy editor for St. Martin’s Press, Penguin and Kensington, 1993 to 1998
- Editorial consultant on screenplays, fiction, nonfiction and academic papers
- Private writing coach and teacher of creative writing workshops for five years
- Award-winning writer of essays and short stories published in ACM, Kalliope, Pif Online, Southern Humanities Review and the Warner Books’ collection, Every Woman Has a Story. Author of the novel, Copycat (Penguin, 1995).
Professional Memberships
PEN West, Women in Film
Education
California Institute of the Arts - MFA Theater Program
Brandeis University — Waltham, MA and Northeastern University — Boston, MA
BA Summa Cum Laude in Theater/Film Management