Jim Kelly

Digital Copywriter
Aimia Inc. (Aeroplan)

April, 2016 – Present

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• Write emails, landing pages, banners, social media content, video scripts and other digital communications to communicate to Aeroplan's 5 million members, including acquisition, retention and life cycle management messages for Aeroplan partners such as Air Canada, American Express, CIBC, TD, Toyota, Marriott Hotels, Avis Car Rental, Fairmont Hotels, Home Hardware, Esso and Costco.

• Develop and write content for Aeroplan's travel destination blog, encouraging engagement with members and providing information and tips for travel destinations popular among Aeroplan members.

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Freelance Writer/Copywriter

1998 – present

 

• Provided copywriting for marketing agencies TracyLocke/DDB (shopper marketing copy and ideation for Campbell’s, SC Johnson and Dairy Farmers of Canada), Sandbox Creative Group (branding copy) and Vibrant Marketing (website copy).

• Engaged readers with compelling stories for nationally distributed magazines (Chart, Canadian Musician, Words and Music, Long & McQuade), popular Toronto news/culture outlets (Eye Weekly/The Grid, Torontoist), top-tier companies (Chapters-Indigo) and industry-leading organizations (SOCAN, The JUNO Awards).

• Developed story ideas, sourced interview subjects and conducted interviews.

• Wrote blog articles for Long & McQuade and Sonicbids.com.

• Championed independent artists over a three-year stint writing the Showcase page in Canadian Musician magazine.

• Created promotional and press copy for independent and major-label music industry artists.

• Wrote the keynote speech for the president of A. V. Gauge & Fixture to mark the company’s 30th anniversary.

• Helped online customers discover more of what they liked through feature articles and online promotional content for Chapters.ca (Indigo).

• Authored the Report for The Strategic Counsel on Ontario Ministry of Education "School To Work" workshops, 1999.

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Lead Copywriter
TrojanOne (now The T1 Agency)

​June, 2011– March, 2014

 

• Developed engaging marketing communications materials that adhered to brand guidelines, style and voice: website content, newsletters, ad copy for print and web, emails, case studies, blog posts, event invitations, public correspondence, scripts for promotional videos, voice-blast scripts, SEO copy, conference marketing materials, corporate communications and more.

• Created copy for clients such as Nike, Mattel, Canadian Tire, Coca-Cola, the Canadian Football League and BMO Bank of Montreal.

• Created proposals and presentations for new business pitches and responses to RFPs.

• Led brainstorming sessions for experiential marketing brand activation concepts and campaigns.

 

Accomplishments:

• As part of the Creative Team, I provided promotional copy for the Sun Life Grey Cup Fan March, an innovative and successful brand activation that won GOLD: Best Pop-Up Activation at the 2013 PROMO! Awards.

• Wrote Gold-winning industry award submissions for clients.

• Initiated a review of the copy brief document and process.

 

 

Senior Copywriter

Direct Brands, Inc. (Columbia House/Doubleday)

May, 1999 – December, 2010

 

• Began as Copywriter in 1999; promoted to Senior Copywriter in 2004.

• Supervised copy production, wrote, edited and proofread copy for the company’s magazines, catalogues and websites including Columbia House, Doubleday Book Club, Book-of-the-Month Club, CHCanada.com, bookscene.ca and healthharmony.ca.

• Established and maintained copy style for all company print and online communications, ensuring clarity, accuracy and effectiveness.

• Supervised and edited the work of junior staff (copywriters, proofreader). Assigned jobs to writers and freelance translators.

• Created feature copy, display copy, promotional copy, emails, web content, banner ads, social media, e-newsletters, brochures, letters, voice-blast scripts and more.

 

Accomplishments:

I determined that standard copy database practices were requiring copywriters to produce some copy that was seldom used in the company's magazines. Eliminating this requirement saved copy production time and reduced translation turn-around time and costs.
Estimated savings: $5,000-$7,500 per year.