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I help companies define, position, and communicate their brands in ways that drive measurable business results—whether that’s launching something new, clarifying complex offerings, or strengthening market perception. I bring 15+ years of experience as a brand strategist, messaging expert, and content leader, working with Fortune 500 companies, top-tier consultancies, and high-growth businesses. My clients include organizations like Johnson & Johnson, Canon, ADP, and UPS, as well as work with Deloitte and McKinsey. I’ve also partnered with leading agencies including McCann/FutureBrand, Ogilvy, and FCB to support brand transformation, product launches, and global marketing initiatives. What I Do I focus on the intersection of brand strategy, messaging, and execution for strategies that have a real-world impact in building your business reputation and revenue. Brand Strategy & Positioning: Clarifying what you stand for, how you differentiate, and where you win Messaging & Verbal Identity: Turning complex ideas into clear, compelling narratives that resonate with customers and stakeholders Naming & Brand Architecture: Developing names and systems that are strategically grounded and market-ready Content & Thought Leadership: Creating high-value content that builds authority, drives engagement, and supports sales Sales Enablement & Campaign Development: Equipping teams with the tools and messaging needed to convert opportunities into revenue How I Help Clients Clients typically bring me in when they need to: Launch a new brand, product, or initiative Reposition or modernize an existing brand Align internal teams around a clear, consistent story Translate technical or complex offerings into market-facing clarity Build thought leadership that supports growth and credibility Selected Experience Former Director, Brand Strategy at McCann’s FutureBrand consultancy Four years as brand strategist and copywriter for Johnson & Johnson's internal agency Marketing leadership roles in both startup and enterprise environments, including early-stage work with E Ink (technology behind the Amazon Kindle) Experience spanning industries including healthcare, technology, financial services, manufacturing, and consumer brands I’ve also taught digital marketing in the Columbia University EMBA program and hold certifications from the Search Engine Academy, eMarketing Institute, and HubSpot. Writing & Thought Leadership Contributor to major media outlets including NPR, CNN, BBC, and Forbes. Author of Merriam’s Guide to Naming and co-author of multiple books, including a New York Times bestseller. Engagement Approach I operate as a strategic partner—whether leading projects independently or collaborating with internal teams and agency partners. Typical engagements include: Brand positioning and messaging development Naming projects Brand and communications audits Thought leadership and content strategy Who I’m Best For: Fortune 500 and enterprise organizations navigating change or growth Mid-sized companies preparing to scale or reposition Founders and leadership teams who need clarity, alignment, and market impact

✴ Upwork Top 1% Talent - Expert Vetted With 15+ years of building premium brands across the US, LATAM, and Europe, I deliver structured Brand Positioning and Identity engagements for B2B, B2C, lifestyle, fintech, and CPG brands. Each project includes competitive analysis, SWOT, audience and positioning frameworks, brand architecture, archetype definition, and a complete visual identity system (logo, color, typography, photography direction, Figma prototype, and social visual framework). The result is a comprehensive brand guidelines document designed to support long-term consistency, clarity, and growth. Awards and Recognition • New York Festivals Award • TikTok Award – Best Financial Channel Strategy • Wall Street Online Marketing Award • Asociación Argentina de Marketing Award • National Costume Museum Honoree – Founder and Creative Director of MIIST, featured in Harper’s Bazaar, Vanidades, and Buenos Aires Fashion Week Jury Roles • Grand Juror, New York Festivals Awards • Juror, Shorty Impact Awards • Juror, A’ Design Awards

➤ 𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗗𝗢𝗡'𝗧 𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗟 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗗𝗨𝗖𝗧𝗦. 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗬 𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗟 𝗕𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗘𝗙. When your packaging signals quality, scarcity, and story, your product moves from “purchase” to “possession.” It becomes something people desire to hold onto. That’s when customers pay more, share more, and remember you. I design luxury packaging systems for beauty, fashion, and high-end consumer brands that don’t just protect your product, they elevate it into an object of desire. 𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗦 𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗘 𝗠𝗘 You’ve invested heavily in your formula, product, or materials, but your packaging feels generic and fails to communicate the value. You’re preparing for retail (Sephora, Selfridges, Net-a-Porter, Whole Foods, etc.) and know your packaging needs to meet elevated standards. You want unboxing to double as marketing. Packaging that makes customers post, share, and rave. You want consistency across packaging, decks, mailers, and investor collateral. A brand story that feels inevitable. That's exactly what I deliver. 𝗠𝗬 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗖𝗛 ➤ Story First Packaging is brand storytelling in three dimensions. I translate your identity into tactile cues that make customers feel your value before they’ve even tried the product. ➤ Material Fluency From embossing, foiling, and textured papers to magnetic closures, inserts, and soft-touch finishes. I know how to use materials and finishes to trigger the “luxury reflex.” ➤ Systems Thinking I create modular packaging systems that scale with your product line, save costs in production, and feel cohesive across SKUs. ➤ Detail Obsession Every crease, font, and swatch matters. A 1-millimeter shift can mean the difference between “premium” and “cheap.” 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗠𝗘 • Packaging design that elevates your brand into the luxury tier • Structural solutions (closures, inserts, dielines) engineered for both impact and efficiency • Material and finish recommendations that maximize perceived value without unnecessary spend • Investor- and retailer-ready brand presence: packaging that convinces buyers, stockists, and press your brand belongs on the top shelf • Optional add-ons: unboxing kits, influencer mailers, POP displays, retail guidelines, and collateral to unify your story across every touchpoint 𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗨𝗟𝗧𝗦 & 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 Designed modular packaging systems for Tom Ford Beauty and Estée Lauder, global brands where exclusivity, craftsmanship, and detail were non-negotiable. Created event kits and influencer mailers that turned unboxing into shareable, earned media moments. Partnered with emerging consumer brands to move from “startup look” to “luxury-ready,” helping them secure retail placement and investor confidence. Worked across beauty, fashion, climate-tech consumer goods, and high-end lifestyle products. ➤ 𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙨 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 “𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚” 𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮’𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚. 𝗪𝗛𝗢 𝗜 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 Beauty and fragrance brands ready to launch or elevate packaging Fashion and lifestyle startups looking to compete with legacy luxury houses Consumer goods companies moving from scrappy prototypes to retail shelves Founders raising capital who want packaging that signals inevitability to investors and retailers alike 𝗞𝗘𝗬𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗦 & 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗦 Luxury packaging design | Beauty packaging | Fashion packaging | High-end consumer goods | Structural packaging | Packaging systems | Unboxing design | Packaging mockups | Dielines | Packaging materials | Embossing | Foiling | Soft-touch finishes | Investor-ready packaging | Retail packaging | Packaging guidelines | Influencer mailers | Event kits | POP displays 𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗠𝗘 𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗔 𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧 Most designers can make something look nice. Few can design packaging that feels like luxury, holds up in production, and tells a story investors and customers believe. I combine: Luxury brand experience (Tom Ford Beauty, Estée Lauder) Narrative fluency (translating brand essence into tactile design) Production know-how (working with printers, dielines, and manufacturing teams) So you don't just get a pretty box, you get a packaging system that wins over customers, buyers, and investors. ➤ 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙚, 𝙡𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠. Click “Invite to Job” and let’s design packaging that customers can’t throw away — because it feels like part of what they bought. Talk soon, Jade

I have over 14 years in messaging, positioning, branding, copywriting, and content marketing, as well as ~5 years of end-to-end marketing program strategy and execution. I focus on translating complex, technical topics into clear, clean, and easy-to-digest marketing content. I also provide full marketing strategy, execution, and leadership, as I have built these systems for clients before, and acted as an internal Head of Marketing where I designed and executed a full multichannel marketing strategy from scratch. My clients have said: ——"A+ -- Highly responsive, great work, and most importantly actually understands what he is talking about." ——“Craig is a real talent, he doesn't just write, he does business development, asks useful questions and makes you think through your business strategy. He re-wrote our entire website, shaping our ideas and inspiring us to market new service packages. Craig is our go-to top gun from now on. Great work, couldn't be happier.” ——“You will not find a better writer, researcher and planner for whatever work you have in mind. This freelancer can do it all. If you need it done, hire him.” ——“Was great to work with. He always responded quickly and kept us regularly updated. All work was completed quickly to an excellent standard. Would not hesitate to recommend and would definitely rehire if we had another content writing project come along. Thanks!” ——"I recommend Craig to anyone who wants to move their content quality to the next level” If you feel we might be a good fit for each other, reach out, and we’ll chat about your project or ongoing needs." -Craig

No, I'm not THAT Michael Jordan. ;) I'm a Global Communications Advisor and author of "The Global Communications Toolkit." I feel fortunate to have lived on four continents - from America to Europe, from Africa to Asia - during my career, which has spanned three fields: International Journalism, International Education and Communications Consulting. Now back in New York, I'm an organizational Communications Strategist, Storytelling Specialist and Team Trainer on the one hand, while also working with individual professionals as an Executive Coach, Personal Branding Guru, Writer and Editor, I relish the challenge of helping you or your organization prove your words, deliver your message, build your brand, and impact your audience. All of it, as persuasively as possible. How? With evidence-driven content. Among the skills and strategies I'll apply to your work - and share with you - is my approach: identify a core message; support it with credible evidence; weave it into what I call "Strategic Storytelling." I do all this for my clients as Founder of MJ Method Communications, a New York-based boutique consultancy specializing in Global Communications, Media Relations, Executive Coaching, Staff Training, Thought Leadership, Strategic Storytelling - and other forms of brand-building content-creation. As for my background, I feel fortunate to have lived on four continents - from America to Europe, from Africa to Asia - during a career that's spanned three fields: International Journalism, International Education and Communications Consulting. As a freelance Foreign Correspondent, I'm a former UN correspondent who's reported from 30 countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Southern Africa, for media like Foreign Policy magazine; the French news agency AFP; the Christian Science Monitor newspaper; and South Africa's Mail & Guardian. I was also a UN correspondent for four years, covering the entire Sept. 11th aftermath. Twenty years ago, I also began teaching university students and training professionals in the field. As a Visiting Professor of International Journalism, I've taught from New York to Central Europe, from China to Southern Africa. both undergrads and grad students. From 2011-15, I lived in the remote African kingdom of Lesotho, which is where I first adapted all of my International Journalism skills, strategies and storytelling styles to the challenges of Global Communications. Especially in the areas of Health, Development and Environmental Protection. Among my most meaningful projects in Lesotho was to illuminate one American NGO’s impact on the large community of HIV orphans. I interviewed, photographed and wrote the stories of 24 beneficiaries, which the NGO – Management Sciences for Health – then published as an e-book. From this experience, I crafted my own interviewing-storytelling method to identify, unearth and illustrate any organization’s true on-the-ground impact, which I call "The Fork in the Road." I apply this to the needs of my non-profit and for-profit clients, creating new specialties like Sustainability Storytelling, ESG Storytelling, SDG Storytelling, DEI Storytelling, and so on. From 2015-2020, I lived in Beijing. Among my projects there, I was a Global Communications specialist (for clients like Huawei and Mars); a News Editor, Scriptwriter and Media Analyst for the China Global Television Network; and a Visiting Professor of International Journalism. I taught at Renmin University of China, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Shanghai International Studies University and Hong Kong Baptist University. I've also taught in New York, at Long Island University; in Europe, at University of Saints Cyril and Methodius, in Trnava, Slovakia, and at Masaryk University, in Brno, Czechia; and in Africa, at the National University of Lesotho. Now back in New York, among my clients, I'm proud to assist three African organizations: *As Global Communications Advisor to Tech Herfrica, a Nigerian NGO empowering rural women. *As Global Communications Advisor to Beberavi, a Kenyan social enterprise for HIV widows. *As Global Communications Advisor to SIA-Africa, a Ghanaian NGO supporting youth education. In the field of Fashion, Sustainability and Communications, I serve as an Impact Communications Coach for the “Conscious Fashion Design Academy” and will soon lead a three-session Content-Creation Workshop. In New York, I'm also the Strategic Communications Advisor to A Song For You, a music-therapy NGO for hospice patients founded during COVID. Moreover, as an Executive Coach, I work with a range of individuals: from leaders and staffers climbing the career ladder - coaching them with any Executive Communications, like writing speeches, opinion pieces, blog posts, cover-letters, building their LinkedIn platforms, etc. - down to their sons and daughters, guiding them through writing their Personal Essays for University Applications.

Hey there, I’m a music marketing consultant and brand strategist with over 10 years of experience in the entertainment industry, including roles at WME and Sony Music/RCA Records. I help independent artists release music with strategy, not guesswork. Whether you’re putting out your first single or trying to level up your rollout, I’ll help you build a plan that actually connects with fans. What I Offer: 🎯 Music Marketing Audits – to evaluate what’s working, what’s not, and where to grow 📅 Music Release Strategy – full rollout calendars, asset planning, and pre/post-release tactics 📢 Playlist Pitching – organic approach to playlist strategy and pitching prep 📈 Social Media Growth Campaigns – tailored strategies to grow fanbase and engagement 🎨 Artist Development – branding, storytelling, and positioning for long-term impact I’ve worked with both developing and established artists, across genres, and my approach blends industry insight with hands-on execution. My background in talent buying, partnerships, and artist relations means I see the full picture, from audience building to long-term career moves. Bonus: I also offer limited services for creatives looking to revamp their resumes, cover letters, or LinkedIn profiles and can be especially helpful for those trying to break into the music or entertainment business.