Helen: storyteller, foodie and our new Content Manager

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

More than anything else, it’s the opportunity to come up with new ideas and write copy for the amazing brands I work with. From being a child, I’ve always loved telling stories – and it still amazes me that I get to do that for a living.

What’s the first thing that you do when you get to your desk?

Every day starts with two things – a brew and a list. I’m a traditionalist in that I love a pen and a notebook, and always have a to-do list for the day. It gives me great pleasure to cross things off as I do them (in a different coloured pen, of course.)

Dream brand to work with.

It’s obviously a food or drink brand, but there’s a few in the running. I love Fortnum & Mason’s copy because it’s so evocative and packed with alliteration. And Dishoom is up there too because they have such a rich, detailed backstory that really brings the heritage and tradition of their restaurants to life.  

Summarise your Insta feed.

My bio on Instagram reads ‘mainly food, some cocktails, occasional view’, and I think that sums it up quite well. I’m a bit of a sucker for photographing my food… whether it’s in a restaurant or something I’ve made!

What do you like to do in your downtime?

A lot like my Instagram, my spare time revolves around food! Eating out is my absolute favourite thing to do, especially in Manchester which has such an amazing restaurant scene with so many new places opening all the time. Then at home I love to cook, research new recipes and sometimes read menus recreationally… even if its somewhere I’ll never go! I also always like to have a book on the go, because it’s great to get inspiration from other writers.

What’s your favourite cuisine?

This is a lot like asking me what my favourite song is… an impossible question and absolutely dependent on what mood I’m in. I love cooking and eating everything from Asian delicacies to British classics, but I think above all, carbs are what I love the most! 

Favourite platforms to use to keep ahead of trends?

I try to keep my ear to the ground in a few different ways. I like to keep track of how other brands are using Instagram, subscribe to emails from various media outlets, and listen to a few different podcasts to keep up with current conversations.

What’s your top tip for executing a content campaign?

I think it’s all about having a good balance of inspiration and organisation. It all starts with an idea, and I’m always jotting down notes as things pop into my head. But once I’m happy with the creative part, I take a step back to re-examine how the campaign comes together as a whole, plan how it’ll be deployed at specific times, and reinforce how it tells the brand’s overall story. 

What does success look like to you?

I’d love to look at a famous, multimedia campaign and say ‘I wrote that’ or ‘that was my idea’, but ultimately, having a job where I get to use my imagination and creativity every day represents success to me.

Where do you look for inspiration?

Everywhere! Anything can spark an idea – whether it’s a conversation with a friend, a product description on some packaging, a social post, an email, a book, a recipe, a website, a podcast… the list goes on! I read and consume as much as I can to keep the ideas flowing. 

Get in touch about working with us here.