The Goods
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Copywriting/Editing
Copywriting is more than just a profession to me; it is a genuine passion. The art of crafting compelling and persuasive messaging, the thrill of capturing the essence of a brand, and the power of words to elicit emotion and drive action all fuel my enthusiasm for this creative field. I find immense satisfaction in using my skills and creativity to help businesses connect with their target audience, tell their unique stories, and ultimately achieve their goals. Copywriting allows me to blend my love for language, strategic thinking, and storytelling, making it an incredibly fulfilling and rewarding pursuit.
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PR & Crisis Communications
The intricacies of managing and resolving challenging situations, the ability to protect and enhance a brand's reputation, and the opportunity to navigate through turbulent times with strategic communication strategies are quite satisfying for me. I thrive in high-pressure environments, developing carefully crafted messaging that instills confidence, trust, and transparency. Being at the forefront of crisis management and PR allows me to utilize my skills to not only protect and support organizations but also to create meaningful connections with stakeholders and make a positive impact during times of adversity.
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Video
Writing for the screen — big or small — is one of my favorite tasks for a client. The ability to transform a concept or vision into a compelling narrative, envisioning the perfect shots and capturing the essence of a message, brings me immense joy and satisfaction. I absolutely love diving into the scriptwriting process and creating something that engages, educates, entertains, and ultimately moves audiences to take action. It is a true gift to have the opportunity to bring stories to life through the power of video, utilizing my imagination and storytelling prowess to create memorable and impactful content. It’s also just a lot of fun.
Copywriting/Video
DRIVE SMART Virginia | What’s Your Game Plan?
Tailgate Tournament of Champions Video | 2022
In 2022, DRIVE SMART Virginia wanted a new video asset for its “What’s Your Game Plan?” campaign, which is safe and sober driving initiative targeted on college sports fans. The specific ask for this new video was that it needed to speak to college-age drivers as it would be featured during pre-game festivities in-stadium at numerous games. The version featured here was created specifically for in-stadium use at HBCU football games, with another version created for all other universities.
Bronze Telly Award | Non-Broadcast - General - Health & Safety | 2023
Silver Telly Award | Non-Broadcast - Craft - Use of Humor | 2023
Copywriting/PR/Video
DRIVE SMART Virginia
Handheld Cellphone Use Ban Communications Strategy | 2019
Peculiar Put Downs Video | 2021
For more than a decade, DRIVE SMART Virginia pushed state legislators to prohibit using cellphones while driving in Virginia with little results. In 2019, the organization turned up the heat. At Madison+Main, I worked with the organization’s leadership to amplify their message beyond the chambers and halls of Virginia’s General Assembly. We created a communications strategy that would activate an intensive statewide Letter to the Editor and Op/Ed campaign anytime there was a report of a texting-while-driving fatality in Virginia. The goal was to engage the general citizenry to push their legislators into action — and the pressure was relentless leading up to the 2020 session of the General Assembly. It worked. On January 1, 2021, it became illegal to hold a handheld personal communications device (e.g., your smartphone) while driving a moving motor vehicle on Virginia highways.
To help spread the news of the new law (and their hard-fought victory), DRIVE SMART Virginia asked us to create a new PSA for their new “Phone Down. It’s The Law.” campaign, that would be distributed digitally as an unskippable pre-roll advertisement.
Silver Telly Award | Online Commercials - Public Service/PSA | 2021
Bronze Telly Award | Online Commercials - Craft - Writing | 2021
Copywriting/Video/
Web/Social
Virginia’s Office of the Attorney General
Respect Richmond Campaign | 2018-2019
When Virginia’s Office of the Attorney General wanted to crack down on rising gang and gun violence crimes in the city of Richmond, VA, they needed a bold approach that would cut through the clutter and connect with at-risk youth on a deeply emotional level. The goal and the objective of this initiative was to decrease gang-related homicides, aggravated assaults, and robberies in Richmond, Virginia. They wanted to launch a mutli-platform outreach campaign that would work in unison with their street-level law enforcement activities.
The campaign needed to communicate a deterrent message to would-be criminals, with the simultaneous promotion of community resources. A portion of the campaign also needed to build on community responsibility and utilizing community members as force multipliers. Finally, we wanted to address a major issue: once a shooting happens, there is typically a retaliatory event within about two weeks. Geographically, the campaign was hyper-focused on three neighborhoods within the Richmond city limits. However, within those three neighborhoods, we identified those three different “audiences” that needed to be reached with different messaging:
Direct messaging to reach the gang members
Community messaging to reach our community members
Anti-reactionary “audience” which was a segment of the direct and community audiences with specific anti-retaliatory messaging that was deployed after a qualifying incident
Despite having a very small geographic target market and even more segmented psychographic and behavioral audiences, we developed a relatable, surround sound campaign called Respect Richmond. We utilized billboards, in-store marketing at gas stations and convenience stores in the relevant neighborhoods, television, radio, digital, and social ads and even appeared on internet-connected devices such as Xbox consoles and Smart TVs. If an audience member was in our targeted neighborhoods, they weren’t able to get away from our messaging.
The Respect Richmond Campaign was an overwhelming success. During a summer launch of the campaign in 2018, from Memorial Day through Labor Day, violent crime decreased in the targeted neighborhoods of Creighton Court, Fairfield Court, Gilpin Court, and Whitcomb Court. Collectively, these neighborhoods saw a:
50 percent decrease in homicides
41 percent decrease in robbery with a firearm
100 percent decrease in robbery victims shot
34 percent decrease in aggravated assault with a firearm
57 percent decrease in aggravated assault victims shot
30 percent decrease in total violent crimes
In addition, Creighton Court saw a 100 percent decrease in homicides and a 55 percent decrease in total violent crimes. Fairfield Court saw zero homicides during the campaign and had an 80 percent decrease in aggravated assault and a 50 percent decrease in total violent crimes. Gilpin Court had a 100 percent decrease in homicides and robbery with a firearm as well as a 75 percent decrease in aggravated assault victims who had been shot. Finally, Whitcomb Court saw a 100 percent decrease in robbery victims who were shot.
Commonwealth Award of Excellence | Public Service | PRSA Richmond | 2019
Excellence in New Communications Award | Society for New Communications Research of The Conference Board | 2018
Capitol Award of Merit | Public Service | PRSA Richmond | 2018
Silver Addy Award | Integrated Media Public Service Campaign | American Advertising Awards | 2018
Copywriting/Video/
Web/Social/Event
DRIVE SMART Virginia | Who’s Your Driver?
Public Safety Awareness Campaign | 2017-2020
From 2017-2020, DRIVE SMART Virginia engaged with our team at Madison+Main to focus their efforts on 18-34-year-old rural, truck driving males, which studies show contribute to a large portion of the alcohol-related crashes in Virginia. Besides ensuring that their media spend reached the target demographic, the client also wanted to increase their presence at numerous motorsports events throughout the state and increase participation in their Safe Driving Pledge.
To support the organization’s ongoing motorsports-focused “Who’s Your Driver?” initiative, our team created and placed paid media on Facebook and Twitter with three goals. The first goal was general awareness to promote sign-ups for the pledge among our target audience. The second goal was geo-targeted ads that were targeted around the race tracks where DRIVE SMART Virginia had a physical presence on race days. The last goal was to increase participation in the VIP experiences, which we attended and helped facilitate. Throughout our work, we found that “Who’s Your Driver?” engaged fans and followers from our target audience on multiple platforms. They participated in the VIP experiences through more than one activity and communicated with us organically on social content. Madison+Main created social media content that, through geo and psychographic targeting techniques, enticed targeted users to take the Safe Driving pledge and to participate in the VIP experiences.
Traffic to the website from social media increased 346.51% during the campaign, resulting in more than 5,000 Virginians signing the sober driver pledge. Facebook visits more than doubled during the campaign. Overall, the campaign exceeded expectations in every trackable metric: likes, shares, social interactions, website interaction, and pledge sign-ups.
Silver Telly Award | Public Service and Activism Video | 2020
Storytelling/Journalism/
Interviewing
Richmond Magazine
As a customer, I’ve known David Johnson since I was in college and could barely afford to buy a cigar from him. I didn’t know much about him. He worked at my favorite cigar shop. He was a distinguished black gentleman of a certain age, but I wasn’t sure which age. He could hold a conversation with anyone, and he would easily recall facts about you and your previous conversations. He was just cool. He was like my world’s Fonz — just the epitome of cool…like Miles Davis level of cool. He has always intrigued me. When Richmond Magazine reached out to me to pitch a freelance assignment, the editor said, “So, I recently bought some cigars in Carytown for my husband’s birthday and there was this guy at the shop. I don’t know how to explain him, but I want to know more about him for the magazine.” I told her to say no more. I had been waiting for this opportunity to meet this walking, talking, smoking enigma for almost two decades.
As a journalist, I’ve met and questioned G.W. Bush, both Clintons, Obama, John McCain, Carl Rove, and countless other famous politicians, business leaders, actors, and musicians. None of those experiences hold a candle to my conversation with David Johnson.
Copywriting/Video/
Web/Social
Southern Goodman
The Official Sponsor of Indoor Weather | 2019
Southern Goodman is a full-service heating and air conditioning company serving both residential and commercial clients throughout Central Virginia since 1917. On top of some major branding updates, a snazzy new bold tagline (“The Official Sponsor of Indoor Weather”), and a complete overhaul of their website and social media presence, we also created a new TV spot for the company. This was a very fun concept to create and it was written specially for legendary Richmond TV news anchor, Gene Cox, who had recently retired. I am just glad he actually said yes.
Silver Cannonball | Advertising Show | Richmond Ad Club | 2019
Copywriting/Video/
Social/Event
Virginia Energy Sense | Value Your Power Campaign
“Jack” PSA Video Series | 2017-2021
Virginia Energy Sense is the Commonwealth’s energy education program, which was created to help Virginians meet a goal to reduce electric energy consumption 10 percent below the 2006 level by 2022. The goals of this statewide public awareness campaign are to help consumers make informed choices, increase awareness of options for conserving electricity, and enable consumers to reduce their energy consumption.
To help reach their goals, Madison+Main created a bold new multifaceted marketing and PR campaign that appealed to a wide range of Virginians and put more of an emphasis on digital media to maximize the campaign reach and most importantly, get Virginians to take small steps towards energy reduction.
We created Jack, a wise-cracking power outlet, who sounds remarkably similar to an Academy award-winning actor with the same first name. Jack achieved instant recognition, expanding VES’s digital reach across the state, securing coverage and mention in high-impact media targets. In addition, we helped them strengthen existing partnerships and cultivated new ones to increase awareness of energy conservation as well as share the many ways that Virginians can easily and cost-effectively save energy in their homes, at work, or at school.
In 2019 alone, VES attended more than 17 large public events across the Commonwealth, resulting in 215,450 impressions of program material. We generated 5,829,275 paid and organic Facebook impressions and 5,467,374 impressions on Google Ad Networks. After designing and launching a new website to enhance the program’s online presence, their website had a month-over-month visitor increase of 38 percent, website page view growth of 18 percent, and a significant increase in mobile viewers, which accounted for more than 80 percent of total users and visits to the site. In addition to bringing their partner count to over 200 organizations, solidifying 13 new affinity partners, we developed and launched the program’s first-ever partner newsletter to create additional touch points to drive partner engagement. VES distributed their energy efficiency curriculum to more than 250 public and private school systems throughout the state, which accounts for 60 percent of total school districts in Virginia — delivering 14,000 copies of the energy-saving curriculum to third-grade students. We also secured $29,000 in added value broadcast spots through Cox and other media groups. Last but not least, we served 21,842 ads featuring VES “spokesplug”, Jack, generating more than 12,354,220 impressions in seven markets.
Bronze Telly Award | Series - Social Video | 2021
Bronze Telly Award | Public Service and Activism Video | 2020
Silver Telly Award | Public Service and Activism Video | 2020
Bronze Telly Award | Online Video | 2018
3 x Bronze Telly Award | Online Video | 2017
Bronze Telly Award | Online Video Campaign | 2017
Capitol Award of Merit | Online Video | PRSA Richmond | 2017
Commonwealth Award of Merit | Public Service | PRSA Richmond | 2017
Copywriting/PR/Media Relations/Reputation Management
Pocahontas Parkway
Annual Toll Raise & 20th Anniversary Awareness | 2019-2023
Pocahontas Parkway is an 8.8-mile toll road in Greater Richmond, Virginia, that is operated by privately held Pocahontas Parkway Operations, LLC, under an agreement with the Virginia Department of Transportation. Also known as Va. State Route 895 or Pocahontas 895, it first opened to motorists in May 2002 and was the Virginia highway project financed under the Commonwealth’s Public-Private Transportation Act, which was passed in 1995. Though it is used by more than 6 million vehicles annually, not many people seem to know the unique nature of the toll road, which has led to a lot of misconceptions and negative media coverage over it’s 20-plus years of operation.
The root of the confusion: Even though it looks like a seamless part of our highway infrastructure, Pocahontas Parkway is a privately-owned roadway and receives no state or federal financial support. Therefore, collected tolls, which are the highest in the Richmond region, are dedicated to both maintenance and operation of the road, including snow removal and motorist assistance in case of a traffic accident. Fees are also used to fund future repaving projects. Each year, tolls may be increased in accordance with the Concession Agreement between VDOT and Pocahontas Parkway, which allows a provision to adjust tolls to match changes in the overall economy.
After a few ownership changes (the previous owners did not handle media relations very well), a lack of public clarity about the private nature of the road, and additional negative media attention, the newest owners approached our firm to help clear the air and improve the roadway’s standing with the public. In 2019, we bolstered the announcement of the annual toll increase by inviting media organizations to the toll plaza for an all-access look behind the scenes. We offered interviews with leadership and provided full transparency. For months leading up to the 2019 increase, we also created a series of informational brochures, which were offered to all motorists passing through the cash lanes at the toll road. Media coverage of the toll road since 2019 has skewed from negative to neutral (teetering on positive occasionally) with public sentiment also improving.
To further improve public perception and community support, we orchestrated a donation to CIS of Richmond during the COVID pandemic as well as series of donations to local transportation-related non-profit organizations in 2022 to celebrate Pocahontas’ 20th anniversary. Liberation Veteran Services received a $20,000 grant to acquire a van to help transport its homeless residents to and from the local VA hospital, Feed More received $20,000, which was earmarked for its Meals on Wheels program, and DRIVE SMART Virginia received $20,000 to support its traffic accident victim advocacy programs.
Press Releases
Pocahontas Parkway provides $20k grant to Liberation Veteran Services to celebrate 20th anniversary | Coverage
Pocahontas Parkway provides $20k grant to Feed More to celebrate 20th anniversary | Coverage 1 Coverage 2
Pocahontas Parkway provides $20k grant to DRIVE SMART Virginia to celebrate 20th anniversary
Pocahontas Parkway provides $20,000 to CIS of Richmond’s COVID-19 Emergency Food Assistance for Henrico Co. | Coverage
Pocahontas Parkway tolls to increase on April 1, 2019 | Coverage
Copywriting/Video/
Web/Social/Event/PR/Media Relations
Housing Families First
Opening Doors for Families Capital Campaign | 2021-2022
Doing good work doesn’t always mean that you are going to get recognition for it or achieve the kind of funding that you need to continue helping people. This is the challenge of many non-profits — creating brand awareness and turning those efforts into solid fundraising. The amount of at-risk families in the Richmond community has been growing, so Madison+Main stepped in to help this worthwhile organization build its profile in the community, and more importantly, to secure funds to help more families, and sustain its mission for years to come.
In addition to helping with branding, marketing, and public relations work, Madison+Main has helped Housing Families First with a capital campaign (Opening Doors For Families) designed to raise $4.4 million for facility upgrades. We’ve also assisted Housing Families First staffers by taking their grant proposal process to the next level by creating custom templates and producing a special video appeal specifically for the Robins Foundation.
The Opening Doors for Families campaign was a huge success and the organization reached its goal in August 2022, thanks in part to a generous grant from the Bezos Day One Family Fund of $2.5 million. Our help with Housing Families First’s proposals and the video we produced also helped land them a generous $500,000 Community Innovation Grant from the Robins Foundation. In addition, they have received numerous positive earned media mentions in the Richmond region and their executive director is now a go-to on-air media subject matter resource for local stories involving homelessness or the housing crisis.
Honorable Mention | Nonprofit Fundraising Campaign | PRNEWS Nonprofit Awards | 2023
