Campaign for ultra-lux lighting and design retailer.
This ad has the art director's fingerprints all over it. No, really – those are his fingerprints.
FTC imports flowers and ships them directly to retailers, so they're not getting pawed over
all day at a wholesaler's warehouse. Appeared in florist trade pubs.
FTC imports flowers and ships them directly to retailers, so they're not getting pawed over
all day at a wholesaler's warehouse. Appeared in florist trade pubs.
Strategy: Evoke glamorous, old-money Palm Beach to tell people they don't have to come from
old money to experience glamorous Palm Beach. (For a few days, anyway.)
old money to experience glamorous Palm Beach. (For a few days, anyway.)
A New York institution opens a location in the low-key Florida beach town of Delray.Tagline: A New York shopping trip without all the baggage.
Just what South Florida needs: another New Yorker with attitude.
Campaign introducing Wee Blocks, a line of sunglasses that protects children's eyes from UV radiation. To make sure the model felt comfortable, everyone at the shoot went naked.
It's punny because it's true.
Muvico theaters always have a theme. This one went ancient Egyptian and featured stadium-style stepped seating, so the mummy in front of you wouldn't block your view.
Wrote spec radio scripts. Cold-called the company to ask to present. Won the account.Created this magazine campaign to position the Nutrio program as a fun, active
and healthy way for women to lose weight. The models took a long time
to make, but their day rate was very reasonable.
Changing the way dieters think about food, and about themselves –
a key part of the Nutrio program.
Campaign informing media buyers that Telemundo's Ugly Betty and other offerings routinely cream competing English-language shows.
"Laura en America" attracted new viewers much faster than Oprah's show did,
no matter how many cars she gave away.
no matter how many cars she gave away.
Ad promoting columnist Dave Barry. I bought his latest book when I got the project
and thought of the ad walking back from the bookstore. Kept the book anyway.
"A Community of Historic Dimensions": Campaign for Settlers Market,
a faux-colonial planned community near Williamsburg, Va.
a faux-colonial planned community near Williamsburg, Va.
Few people know it, but I actually coined the term "cold day in hell." It came to me while test-driving an Intrepid in a winter storm off Newfoundland. No, really.
COPY: The wind shreds the sea into furious swells. The rain slashes sideways into your face.
And you're either in an Intrepid, or in a panic. Cutting-edge design and materials,
uncompromisingly crafted by hand, make Intrepids more boat than you'll ever need.
But then, you never know when you might catch hell.
COPY: The wind shreds the sea into furious swells. The rain slashes sideways into your face.
And you're either in an Intrepid, or in a panic. Cutting-edge design and materials,
uncompromisingly crafted by hand, make Intrepids more boat than you'll ever need.
But then, you never know when you might catch hell.
Campaign for a simplified business-service telecom that eventually became WorldCom and then imploded into MCI. How the campaign happened: The art director burst in holding
a photographer's samples (disturbing portraits shot with mirrors) and demanded that we
use them for our next project. When we were assigned this campaign, I meekly complied,
as is my policy with disturbed art directors.
a photographer's samples (disturbing portraits shot with mirrors) and demanded that we
use them for our next project. When we were assigned this campaign, I meekly complied,
as is my policy with disturbed art directors.
Campaign for the Bahamas resort; never produced.
To announce a huge new shark lagoon.Attraction closed after loss of large Japanese tour group.
Client comment: "We don't want to imply that card sharks come here."
MEDIA ALERT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 18, 2011
South Florida Freelance Copywriter Weighs 2012 Presidential Bid
(HOLLYWOOD, Fla.) "I'm Steve Horowitz, and I approved this message – and wrote it." That's the sign-off voters could be hearing soon if noted freelance copywriter Steve Horowitz decides America is ready for its first adman president.
"I'm thinking about it," Horowitz said Thursday. "Everyone knows that political discourse in this country has degenerated into empty slogans and mean-spirited, the-other-guy-sucks campaign ads. Well I say, let's embrace that. Let's just have a really good copywriter writing them. Specifically, me."
"Take a problem like the budget deficit," Horowitz continued. "You've got all these supposed experts working on it – politicians, economists, business leaders – but nothing gets done. Why? No creatives! And who knows more about sticking to a budget than creatives?"
Horowitz bristled when asked about his lack of actual political experience, calling the economy, terrorism and global warming "cuddly kittens" compared to the "marketing monsters" he tames by his fourth cup of coffee.
"Besides," he said, "a quarter-century in ad agencies is more than enough actual experience with politics."
The would-be Creative-in-Chief said he would announce his decision in the next few weeks, and said he would discuss his qualifications for president or freelance projects in any public or private forum. He then departed for a free vacation at a major celebrity's Martha's Vineyard beach home.
ABOUT
Steve Horowitz is a senior-level freelance copywriter with experience on a wide variety of advertising accounts. He is currently expecting your call, because if you've spent all this time looking at his work you might as well take a few minutes to talk to him.
CONTACT INFORMATION
stevecopy@bellsouth.net
954-920-7495
###
Steve Horowitz, Freelance Senior CopywriterIdea Generator & Communications Specialist954-920-7495 • Hollywood, Fla. • stevecopy@bellsouth.net
Energetic, versatile, tenaciously committed advertising veteran seeks freelance or full-time opportunity with company that encourages initiative and demands results. Fast learner; excels working independently and as member of a team. Adapts quickly to changes and new circumstances. Taught in journalism school that deadlines are not suggestions; hard-earned reputation for producing excellent work that's accurate, memorable, on time and on target.
Special strengths: in-depth analysis; strategic thinking; unexpected insights; creative problem-solving; tight, smooth, concise writing.
ADVERTISING EXPERIENCE
Created and produced newspaper, magazine, radio, television, outdoor, direct mail and online/email campaigns (retail, branding, direct response, consumer, B2B, internal/employee-directed) for dozens of agencies and accounts. Helped develop and execute marketing and creative strategies. Worked closely with creative directors; art directors and designers; media, account and PR executives; broadcast talent and technicians; and clients.
1996-Present Freelance Senior Copywriter
1999-2001 Freelance to Creative Director, William Harris Advertising, Boca Raton
1994-96 Senior Copywriter, Beber Silverstein & Partners, Miami
1990-94 Senior Copywriter, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Miami
1988-90 Copywriter, Harris Drury Cohen, Fort Lauderdale
1986-88 Copywriter, Levy & Asch, Fort Lauderdale
SOME ACCOUNTS I'VE WORKED ON
AvMed Health Plans, Miami Dolphins, Miami Marlins, Broward Health hospital network, Dole Food Co., Palace Resorts, Muvico Theaters, Florida's Turnpike, Marriott Hotels, Le Blanc Resort & Spa, Interim Services, Premier Cruises, Costa Cruises, Take Stock in Children, Palm Beach Post, South Florida Commuter Services, Nassau/Paradise Island Tourism, Palm Beach County Tourism, Hospital Management Association, Fine Art Lamps, SunPass Prepaid Toll System, Telemundo Network
A FAVOR FOR A FRIEND: The CautionWalker Safety Leash
Personally created and wrote every page of this unique pet product's website. Monitored traffic and sales daily with detailed site analytics, adjusting text and pricing based on data and customer feedback. Created and targeted Google ad campaigns, adapting and rewriting based on Google analytics. Joined and participated in LinkedIn groups of pet owners and pet store owners. Wrote and supervised design of merchandise tag. Please see CautionWalker.com.
ADVERTISING APPROACH
STEP 1: Listen– hard – for the answers to these questions:
What's the marketing problem? What's the marketing strategy? Who's not convinced that your product or service isn't the best thing since sliced multigrain bread? How have you tried to convince them in the past? What has worked, and what hasn't? Where do you stand among your competitors in terms of market share, brand awareness, and product offerings? Are there false perceptions that need to be corrected? Are there strengths that need to be reinforced? Which media will most effectively deliver our marketing message?
STEP 2: Ask questions not answered in Step 1.
And any others relevant to the marketing problem. Or that challenge existing assumptions regarding the problem and its solution. Then get some coffee …
STEP 3: And think.
Hard. Toss around the various aspects of the problem like someone learning to juggle – focusing on each individual piece as it rises and falls, then two together, then three, until I only see a smoothly flowing circle. Analyze and reshape any one piece that keeps bringing the whole thing crashing down.
STEP 4: Read.
Wear out a highlighter going through the creative brief and any provided market research. Move on to the Internet, exploring competitors, social sites, and news reports. Get more coffee, then come back and write down everything I highlighted, plus relevant Web nuggets.
STEP 5: Talk.
To my art-director partner. To the AE. To the creative director – any recommendations on the creative strategy? To my mother– she may have needed or even used your product or service at some point, or may need it now. What was her decision-making process? Then it's back to the art director. It's up to us now. I'd better get more coffee.
STEP 6: Create.
This is the fun part, and the hardest part, but fun, in part, because it's so hard. It's here that the problem gets solved, and the creative challenge is what I love most about advertising. It never happens the same way. The art director (I should note that many agencies bring me in to work independently) and I can focus diligently on the task for hours, throwing around ideas, browsing the award books, looking through the research again, trying our professional best to build on each others ideas, and … nothing. Then one of us has to hit the restroom, and comes back flushed (no pun intended) with excitement: "I've got it!" Or a song comes on that triggers the Big Idea. Maybe the "Eureka" moment doesn't happen until the next day, or the day after that. But if we stick with it, and keep our minds open, something good usually happens. The concept will need to be thought through and extended, turned from a geat start into a cohesive, memorable campaign, but an experienced pro can see the potential. Now it's all in the craftsmanship.
STEP 7: Craft.
In journalism school I was trained to say the most with the least, which also happens to be the key to good copywriting. I want to make my case clearly, persuasively, and, above all, concisely – with a bit of style and, when appropriate, humor. I want the headline to crackle and the copy to hum. And I'm experienced enough to get the ad where I want it before other writers are out of Step 6.
STEP 8: Etc.
I consider it part of my job to provide a number of good creative alternatives for any given project, which means repeating Steps 6 and 7 several times. Then there's the whole process of presenting the work, internally and externally, which sometimes involves a little dramatic flair and always involves responding to critiques on message, strategy, and execution.
CREATIVE AWARDS
Clio, One Show, Charlie (Best ad in Florida), CA Annual, Creativity Annual, ShowSouth, Addys
OTHER EXPERIENCE
1983-84 Campaign Manager, Tim Kolly for Congress, Florida's 20th District
Wrote speeches and campaign literature, arranged appearances, communicated with media, organized volunteers
1977-82 U.S.Navy
Trained in shipfitting, carpentry, and firefighting. Honorably discharged, Petty Officer 2nd class.
EDUCATION
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
Master of Science, 1985
Florida Atlantic University
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science/Communication, 1984
