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Ethan Lott

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Ethan Lott

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Filestage - Explainer Video

The brief:

Create an explainer video to show how Filestage takes the pain out of your review and approval process.

The process:

I was the lead creative on this project, responsible for the strategy, script and production with our animation agency.

I worked with the leadership team, sales and customer success to identify our prospects’ biggest pain points. Then I developed the key messages that would fuel the creative brief.

Then for the fun part! I wrote the script and worked on the creative concept with our animation agency, handling all feedback between the agency and internal stakeholders.

The results:

In an A/B test on the homepage, the explainer video increased conversion from 0.66% to 0.77%.

Deliveroo – Direct Mail

The brief:

Create a direct mail piece to complement Deliveroo’s Food Freedom campaign.

The process:

In 2018, I worked on a range of direct mail, email and B2B projects with Deliveroo. This two-sided flyer was one of my favourites.

They had a proven formula for the layout and structure, so I focused on having fun with the copy, warming people up to the idea of ordering Deliveroo.

The results:

A playful direct mail ad that was rolled out all over the UK.

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Farewill – TV and Radio Ads

The brief:

Write a TV and radio ad that encourages people to confront death by writing their will.

The process:

I started by chatting to older friends and family who didn’t have a will. They all knew they should probably have one, but they said it didn’t really feel urgent or high-priority enough. They also thought making a will would be quite complicated and admin-heavy.

This meant the ad needed to do two things. First, it needed to make people look up and take notice. Then it needed to communicate just how easy it is to write a will with Farewill.

Working with Creative Director, Anna Charity, and Designer, Louis Buck, I wrote three different concepts and pitched them to the CEO. I then developed the chosen concept, wrote the TV and radio scripts and directed the voiceover recording session.

The results:

1. Hundreds of people visited farewill.com to write their will.

2. One customer said: “Saw the ad on TV and just did something I’ve been putting off and putting off! I know everything is very straightforward for me, but I wish doing the expenses at work was that simple. All sorted in 15 mins and picking a guardian for the dog was a nice touch.”

Farewill Quote Tool – UX Copy

The brief:

Increase prospects and sales by replacing the call us now call to action with something more helpful and engaging.

The process:

I took part in a workshop to explore a range of options for the new call to action. The winning idea was a quote tool – something that lets people get a price online by answering a handful of quick questions.

That was easier in theory than in practice. Probate is a complicated beast, and there are lots of nuances that can affect the cost. I worked with a product designer, solicitor and salesperson to figure out the different paths people may take through the quote flow.

Then, after stripping away anything that wasn't absolutely necessary, I crafted the copy to make it all really simple and easy to follow.

The results:

1. The quote tool delivered 50% more prospects than the phone number on PPC landing pages.

2. There was very little drop-off through the flow, with 90% of people getting to the end.

3. 50% of people entered their details to see their quote, compared to an average of 20% for this kind of form.

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Farewill – PPC Landing Page

The brief:

Write a PPC landing page tailored to people searching “DIY probate” and encourage them to use Farewill’s service instead.

The process:

I worked with a search lead and data analyst to understand the key search terms within the PPC campaign. Then I explored all the reasons people may want to apply for probate themselves…

  1. It’s cheaper to apply yourself, so I reframed our price to make it clear that it’s only £155 upfront, then you can pay the rest later.

  2. They may not understand what’s involved, so I created a “What we do for you” section to show just how much they would be taking on.

  3. They may not know the consequences of getting things wrong, so I addressed the issue of mistakes and delays in the “Why choose Farewill?” section.

After pulling together the content, I worked with a product designer in Figma to craft the final version of the page.

The results:

In a split test against the old page, the new page delivered a 600% improvement in return on ad spend (ROAS).

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Farewill – SEO

The brief:
Write engaging content and tools to get Farewill to the top of Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs).

The process:
I worked closely with an SEO lead to find out which search terms we should be targeting. I then ghost-wrote 40+ guides and articles to cover these terms (each around 1,000 words) and published them using our Contentful CMS.

I also pulled these keywords through on our organic product pages. I reworked our H1s, tweaked body copy and introduced FAQs linking out to our new articles. This helped to take Farewill from not ranking to page one for a range of long and short-tail keywords – including some great featured snippets. But there was still work to be done…

Articles are great for getting people to your site, but big walls of text aren’t all that engaging. So I worked with the Growth team to create a tool for our How long does probate take? article. The idea was to help people in a faster and more personalised way.

I worked with a product designer and solicitor to understand what we needed to know before giving an accurate answer. I then whittled this down to a handful of short, easy-to-follow questions.

The results:
1. Farewill is now on page one for dozens of key search terms, driving thousands of organic page views per month.

2. 49% of people who landed on the How long does probate take? page engaged with the tool I created. And 93% of those who started it answered every question.

3. Farewill’s How long does probate take? page is now the featured snippet for a number of long tail keywords, including how long does probate take in the uk.

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Farewill – Emails

The brief:

Write an email campaign that empowers people to finish their will, and test if a time-sensitive 20% discount improves conversion.

The process:

I started by thinking about the people opening these emails. They signed up to write a will with Farewill, but never got around to finishing it. Maybe they got stuck. Maybe they found it a bit depressing. Or maybe it just didn’t seem important enough at the time.

Then I made a plan for what each email needed to communicate:

  • Email 1 should empower them to finish their will, remind them why it’s important and make Farewill feel like the best option

  • Email 2 should address objections people may have, like not understanding what they’re paying for or worrying that they’ll change their mind later

  • Email 3 should highlight positive reviews and show that it’s a relief to get your will out of the way

I then wrote the emails for the campaign and created alternate subject lines and content blocks for the test variant (including the 20% discount).

The results:

1. The campaign encouraged 160+ people to come back and finish their will.

2. There was an 84% uplift in conversion with the discount code, giving a clear learning for future campaigns.

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In The Buff – Branding

The brief:

Create a name, strapline and brand story for the first protein ketchup to hit the UK market

The process:
The ketchup market is pretty saturated, so you need to come up with something bold and eye-catching to encourage stockists to take a punt.

I started by working with a strategist to understand who would buy protein ketchup. The answer? Gym nuts. Beef cakes. People who will take any opportunity to add a few more grams of protein to their diet. And, more importantly, people who love to look good.

I then came up with a dozen different names and brand stories. Some with a luxurious foodie spin, others tapping into the science. But after pitching them all to the client, In The Buff stood out above all the rest, along with the strapline Go Au Naturel.

Why In The Buff? It’s a ketchup with nothing to hide. No salt, sugar, preservatives or additives. And because of all that, it helps people look and feel their best – especially in the buff.

As well as pulling together the packaging, I also created a B2B press ad, website and social posts to help bring the brand to life.

The results:
1. Since launching in 2018, In The Buff has been stocked by big names like Ocado, Waitrose and Whole Foods.

2. It was also featured in The Grocer and The Daily Mail, and was a finalist at the World Plant Based Awards 2020.

3. The brand has gone on to successfully launch two new flavours: Turmeric Fusion and Chipotle Spice.

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Tanqueray No. Ten - Brand Film Script

The brief:

Create a modern brand film for Tanqueray No. Ten that educates bartenders in a bold and engaging way.

The process:

I led the creative on this project, covering everything from initial concepts and client presentations to script writing and art direction on shoot.

Where bold meets beauty. That's the big idea behind this film. The liquid and the cocktails it can create are things of beauty, but the typography and the way the brand story is punctuated is bold and impactful. By marrying these elements together with indulgent slow-motion close-ups and frenetic speed ramps, I was able to create something that gets bartenders at every level excited about Tanqueray No. Ten.

Jack Daniel's – Social Content

The brief:

Write some engaging social posts for Jack Daniel’s Facebook channel.

The process:

When it comes to social media, repurposing assets is often a necessary evil. So when I was asked to write posting copy for Jack Daniel’s, I was determined to deliver something that added meaning, attitude and heart to the imagery.

By tapping into occasions from festival season to Father’s Day, I created 3 months of social content for fans to enjoy.

The results:

Each post got hundreds of likes on Facebook – with dozens of people taking the time to comment and share.

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Honda NSX Book – Brochure/Book

The brief:

Create an exclusive brochure for the new Honda NSX

The process:

How do you get the attention of a prospect being sent dozens of car brochures a week?Simple. You don’t send them a brochure.

Instead, I worked with an art director to create a luxurious coffee table book that could tell the story of the NSX in a beautiful and tactile way. Combining descriptive copy with inspirational quotes from the engineering team behind the car, we created a limited run of 350 oversized books that were sent out to leads across Europe.

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Charlie Wells High Hopped IPA – Brand Story

The brief:

Create a story that stands out among the worthy, well-trodden tales being told by craft breweries across London.

The process:

For the launch of Charlie Wells’ second beer, I was asked to write a story to accompany it – something that could really capture the imagination of beer drinkers. At the time, dozens of craft breweries were touting their credentials as ambassadors of flavour and fresh ingredients. This was a bland and predictable avenue I was keen to avoid.

Instead, I looked into the history of the India Pale Ale. I discovered that the beer being sent to the colonies in India was turning bad on the long, hot journey. Brewers discovered that they could add more hops to the beer to keep it fresh for longer, and so the IPA was born. This inspired me to write a story of how these barrels first appeared on the shores of Bombay; a tale I dubbed ‘The Great Shipwreck’.

The results:

This story came to life on everything from the packaging in supermarkets, to coasters and bar runners in pubs across London.

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Ketel One Vodka – Social Content

The brief:

Write and shoot a series of engaging social posts for Ketel One Vodka.

The process:

When kicking off this project, I had a good look around Ketel One’s social channels. And everything just felt a bit… flat.

The budget was tight, but I knew that, whatever I came up with, it had to be fun and exciting.

By playing around with attention-grabbing formats and introducing mouth-watering cocktails like the gingerbread espresso martini, I came up with a series of ideas. I then pitched them to the client and art directed everything on our one-day shoot. I even made a brief appearance as a hand model!

The results:

  1. Tens of thousands of views on Ketel One’s social channels

  2. Hundreds of likes, comments and shares

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London Food Month – Social Content

The challenge: Amplify Diageo’s presence at the Kensington Night Market and align the brand with London Food Month.

Street food has taken off in the UK over the last few years. From Mother Clucker to Smokestak, a night out in the capital is now almost certain to include a stop at a food truck, and Diageo want in on the action.

I was drafted in at short notice to generate concepts and art direct the shoot for a range of Diageo Reserve brands, including Ketel One, Bulleit, Tanqueray and Talisker. A lot of the ideas were pre-determined by the client and the event itself, so I didn’t have the freedom to really tell a story with the content. Instead, I found that the biggest creative opportunity was to experiment with formats in order to add a playful and surprising element to the content. 

As well as art directing the video below, which was sent around internally at Diageo to promote the event, I also edited and graded it to help the agency and client meet a tight deadline.

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Honda Adventure Roads – Press Ad/Brochure

The challenge: How do you create an information pack befitting of an epic, one-in-a-lifetime adventure from Oslo to Nordkapp?

Earlier this year, Honda took 40 riders on an epic Africa Twin adventure from Oslo to Nordkapp – the most northerly point in Europe. Before the event, they asked us to create an information booklet for the riders so that they knew what to expect, but this seemed far too pedestrian for such an exciting journey. Instead, I worked with a digital designer to create a beautifully-presented coffee table book entitled ‘Adventure Roads’, taking people on a visual journey through winding roads and stunning mountain vistas. This was peppered with details about the bike and its rich heritage, highlighting the magnitude of the adventure whilst showing that the Africa Twin was the perfect bike to take you there. We also produced a press ad, encouraging people to follow the adventure online.

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prev / next
Back to Copywriting portfolio
1
Filestage - Explainer Video
1
Deliveroo – Direct Mail
2
Farewill – TV and Radio Ads
6
Farewill Quote Tool – UX Copy
Get probate the easy way.png
1
Farewill – PPC Landing Page
What can you do with the ashes after a cremation.jpg
4
Farewill – SEO
3
Farewill – Emails
Banner image.jpg
6
In The Buff – Branding
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2
Tanqueray No. Ten - Brand Film Script
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4
Jack Daniel's – Social Content
Book 2.jpg
3
Honda NSX Book – Brochure/Book
200A5144.jpg
4
Charlie Wells High Hopped IPA – Brand Story
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4
Ketel One Vodka – Social Content
Ketel Brunch.jpg
7
London Food Month – Social Content
brochures960.jpg
4
Honda Adventure Roads – Press Ad/Brochure
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