Neal Shaffer
Creative workingman, American enthusiast.
Available for select projects, speaking gigs, and exploratory conversations. I look forward to hearing from you.
Misc. on Twitter- Writing on Medium
- Photos on Instagram
- Business on LinkedIn
- Confirmed Stock
- The Loss Column
- Get In Touch
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Tweets
- Damn. https://t.co/BXzaH0SFmT
- Just posted a photo https://t.co/loCC6IhgbK
- Welding Service + Cold Beer https://t.co/mPIvtlkJMs
- RT @EdwardEricsonJr: "25-year-old memoirist." Oooh, that'll leave a mark. https://t.co/Gqi3SfHMQM
- By this and other measures, our economy is healthy. And yet doesn't it seem like the malaise of the Great Recession… https://t.co/981pVr4rEw
- @Chris__Richards Cue some fool getting offended by this in 3…2…
- Just posted a photo https://t.co/C5Om8mz6XP
- RT @EdwardEricsonJr: The Future, also. https://t.co/DcRD0wNfJj
- RT @BWI_Airport: Normal conditions at BWI Marshall are normal
- Just posted a photo https://t.co/1KAvA1xixM
- RT @DrPuppykicker: This is the only way an increasingly large number of publications are willing to engage with art & it's exhausting https…
- Here's something to consider: "dope" never really went away and never got cheesy. It still works and it's still cool.
- Just posted a photo https://t.co/oFB54w15wF
- @little___ghost That's what I do
- Baltimore friends: check the picture for a dog who might be looking for her home! Hampden/Woodberry area. https://t.co/qxNLhB4wm1
- @Liz_Hazen happy birthday!
- RT @stacylondon: Writing this story is one of the most important things I've done in ages. https://t.co/x6yRNm5PcH
- .@MsShade Have you seen this site? Though long-abandoned I return to it periodically, for it is truly brilliant: https://t.co/ZipsyXxNLe
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Writing on Medium
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Photos
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Info
- Creative leadership from a strategic communications perspectiveMarketing and Advertising | Baltimore, Maryland Area, USSummary
I use creativity and communication to solve problems, provoke thought, and inspire action. I believe deeply in the value of good strategy married with the right way to express it.
Over time I've served a range of masters including: brand development, brand strategy, brand communications, copywriting, content development, editorial content, creative writing, advertising, event planning, journalism, publishing, and screenwriting.
I've won a Best of Baltimore from Baltimore Magazine (for my sports blog, The Loss Column), a Gold Addy (w/Orange Element for work with OneMain Financial), and a Communicator Award (w/Orange Element for work with W.R. Grace).
Conversations are encouraged.
Experience- Apr 2016 - PresentCreative Strategy Director / Feats
- Oct 2011 - Apr 2016Communications Director / Orange Element
Concepted, produced, and directed creative communications strategy and deliverables in service of both internal and client goals. Day-to-day: creative direction, copywriting, brand strategy & development, and client relations.
Highlights include:
● Led two large-scale strategic rebranding efforts for mid-size companies: CPS Gumpert --> Ironmark, and TBB Global Logistics --> Nexterus. In both cases I led an in-depth discovery and brand audit phase, developed and vetted new names and strategic positions, collaborated with executive decision-makers to ensure accuracy and effectiveness, developed rollout and implementation guidelines, produced brand messaging, and worked closely with the design team to ensure effective implementation of creative deliverables.
● Led the messaging and communications effort to deliver clarity to R4D, a DC-based nonprofit that works to address particularly challenging issues across the developing world. Worked in concert with internal Chief Communications Officer to provide brand auditing, brand strategy, creative strategy, and brand message development. Worked with design team to translate insights into deliverables.
● Helped bring a new regional brewery, Monument City Brewing, to market. Worked in close partnership with the founders to develop brand positioning, messaging, strategic direction, and creative direction.
● Supported a large, nationwide financial services company (OneMain Financial, previuosly CitiFinancial) through copywriting (direct mail, in-branch, internal) and brand strategy.
- 2009 - 2016Co-Organizer / Ignite Baltimore
Ignite Baltimore is a locally organized branch of the worldwide series of Ignite events (http://igniteshow.com/), which feature "lightning" talks about topics ranging from technology to business to arts and culture.
My work for the twice-yearly event included helping curate the speakers list and the event programming, hosting the event on a rotating basis, developing brand messaging and content as necessary, serving as point person for inquiries, and day-of event management.
- 2011 - 2012Founder/Co-Creative Director/Co-Organizer / Confirmed Stock
Founder and co-creative director of a menswear/accessories/Americana pop-up retail market, the first of its kind in Baltimore.
Together with my two partners we started from scratch and ultimately produced an event that drew more than 400 attendees and garnered favorable press mentions from Complex Mag, Well Spent, Valet Magazine, and others. During the six hours the event was open, our 16 vendors processed more than $20k in combined sales.
My partners and I were responsible for everything, including brand and messaging development, website development, venue selection and coordination, PR, and day-of event management.
- Aug 2010 - Oct 2011Managing Editor / Bmore Media/Issue Media Group
Bmore Media was a weekly online newsmagazine published by Detroit-based Issue Media Group. When I took over the publication it needed fresh thinking and across-the-board improvement in both editorial and brand. My task was to grow readership and revamp the content strategy in order to establish and maintain the publication as a credible media outlet.
● Managed the publication completely, including assigning, sourcing, and editing feature stories, news items, and curated links, along with day-to-day management
● Wrote feature stories and news items
● Managed quarterly editorial board meetings, including interfacing with business partners and the community
● Worked with parent company to identify and hire a new local Publisher
● Identified and hired a new local Innovation & Jobs News Editor
● Overhauled and managed the freelance group
● Grew "likes" on Facebook by over 200%
● Triple-digit percentage increase in readership as reflected via email subscriptions
● Earned favorable press coverage (City Paper, NewsTrust Baltimore)
- Aug 2007 - Oct 2011Content, Communications, Identity / Slant Six Creative
Slant Six Creative was a boutique communications studio I founded in 2007 as an umbrella for freelance work including advertising, copywriting, design, and special events.
Clients included magazines, newspapers, design studios, and websites:
baltimoresun.com, Vitamin, PressBox, Gadfly Magazine, OldSpeak online journal, the Van Aartrijk Group, Tilt Studio, Pixelsurgeon.com, Copyblogger.com, Baltimore City Paper, Erickson Retirement Communities - 2008 - 2009Guest Lecturer / MICA
Four semesters as a guest lecturer and co-teacher of 300-level course in Narrative Illustration with professor Daniel Krall of the illustration department.
Work included instruction and critiques, helping develop the assignments, consultation with students, and advising Mr. Krall on grades.
- 2002 - 2008Marketing/Communications / Atlantic Consulting
Oversight and management of communications and marketing for a small business. Work included strategic planning, corporate communications, RFP response, web content management, and writing and editing.
- 2002 - 2007Writer – Graphic Novels/Comic Books / Freelance
During the early part of my creative career I enjoyed a successful run as a writer of original graphic novels. Oni Press (Portland, OR) published four of my books (One Plus One, Last Exit Before Toll, The Awakening, and Borrowed Time) and I also appeared in several anthologies, including two for Image Comics.
Reference page on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/list/59422.Neal_Shaffer
Education- University of Maryland Baltimore CountyBA in Communications and Popular Culture
Additional Information-
Websites:
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Interests:Leadership Development, Writing, Editing, New Media, Design, Communications
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Confirmed Stock
- Menswear, vintage, dry goods, lifestyle. Currently considering a second event.Visit confirmedstock.com for more.
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The Loss Column
- Handcrafted sports blogging with a decidedly Baltimore flavor.Named to Baltimore Magazine's 2011 list of Ten Best Blogs. Retired (or semi-retired) in late 2013. Click here to see the site and read the archive.
