Rad Dewey
Web Content Editor & Writer - Direct Response Copywriter
San Francisco, California
415-722-4386
radewey@radewey.com
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[ Rad Dewey's Career Experience ]
PayPal (an eBay Company), San Jose, California
May 2008 - present
Content Manager (contractor) for Global Platform User Experience Design Team
Writing user interaction content for the company's payment service operations in Asia and Europe. Wrote transactional content that guided customers in the U.K. and Australia through the process required establish their identities and comply with anti-money-laundering statutes enacted in those countries.
Zazzle.com Inc., Redwood City, California
Oct. 2008 - June 2009
Marketing Copywriter (contractor)
Wrote site content, marketing, and promotional materials including emails and advertising for the company, an online, on-demand manufacturer and marketer of a potentially infinite number of customized personal apparel and accessory items.
Yahoo!, Inc., Sunnyvale, California
2003 - 2008
Site Editor and Copywriter
Built a relationships and romance editorial channel from scratch with an outstanding roster of writers and experts who attracted substantial readership through featured placements on Yahoo!'s front page. Wrote a monthly newsletter, marketing emails, and various user interaction pages for the site. Teamed with product managers, user experience designers, Web developers, engineers, and marketers at all levels.
o Increased year-over-year (2007 vs. 2006) page views by more than 360% and
unique visitors by more than 500%. Increased PV and UV results every year --
2003-2007.
o Introduced features that drove creation of user-generated content through
responses to experts' and other readers' responses to relationships questions
posed by readers.
o Earned an estimated $6 million in incremental subscription revenue for
business unit in 2007 derived from converting people from among the 35 million
front-page referrals received from 111 feature articles successfully pitched to
Yahoo!'s front-page editors.
o Recruited more than 100 writers, experts, and publishers who contributed
articles at no cost in return for the exposure for their books, websites, and
services.
o Seamlessly switched to a content management system from a hard-coded content
publishing process without interrupting publishing schedule.
o Wrote an email that scored a 43% open rate and 10,613 orders -- almost 2x the
orders needed for the campaign's success.
o Wrote an interactive site tour credited with converting 44% of tour takers
into subscribers within 24 hours after completing the tour.
o Received a Yahoo! marketing "Purple Cow" award for editorial contributions to
a joint promotion with Starbucks.
ThirdAge Media, San Francisco, California
1999 - 2002
Senior Editor (originally Marketing Copywriter)
Wrote the daily front page and all audience email communications -- 2 weekly newsletters and 4 daily topical newsletters -- reaching more than 1 million daily readers. Created catalog copy for an e commerce area, co-branded sponsor pages, banner advertising, and other promotional vehicles including radio and magazine advertising. Project-managed webpage, ad and banner production, worked with Web designers, engineers, and IT staff at all levels.
o Wrote online health and personal-finance newsletters that averaged 15-25%
click through rates.
o Revitalized the site's front door through a combination of lively writing and
savvy story and feature selection -- quadrupled click-through from the front
page to articles.
o Wrote pitches for ThirdAge information assets that achieved placements that
pulled in record traffic from AOL and MSN.
o Led a content-driven effort to boost ThirdAge page-views to record levels
without the benefit of off-site paid promotion or advertising.
o Introduced features that increased reader involvement and creation of
user-generated content including discussions tied to polls and a series that
asked readers how they would respond to various family situations.
o Optimized Web copy and tagging that paid off in higher placements on search
engines.
o Drove a banner-swapping effort that multiplied the site's exposure at no cost.
o Received ThirdAge's 110% award for contributions to business development and
revenue.
PAT MEIER & ASSOCIATES PR, San Francisco, California
1998 - 1999
Senior Account Supervisor
Managed public relations accounts and mentored junior staff members in writing and account management skills. Wrote press releases and press kits, new business proposals, and communications plans for high-tech and Web-based companies, developed strategies and product positioning plans.
Independent Consultant - Marketing Communications and PR, San Francisco
1989 - 1998
Established press relationships for clients and wrote marketing communications copy (brochures, sales letters, print advertisements, and direct mail packages), public relations plans, news releases, feature, and bylined articles, as well as annual reports and investor relations materials for clients including Reynolds Metals Company (Reynolds Wrap and consumer recycling services); Tektronix, Test & Measurement Group; Western Independent Bankers Association; Consolidated Freightways, and San Francisco Opera Guild.
Education
-- Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon -- BA, English
-- University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon -- completed coursework for a MA in journalism
Rad Dewey
415-722-4386
radewey@radewey.com
Send email to radewey@radewey.com with questions or comments about
this web site.
Last modified: August 18, 2009