Media agency Makmende wanted to partner up with a strategic copywriter for a client project. The goal was to co-create and implement a new storytelling and communications strategy for a global organization of scientists that works with governments and NGOs to create more equality.
Makmende decided to work with Annalisa through an eight-day VIP Intensive and found her approach to be efficient, genuinely collaborative, strategic, and pleasant. She wrote scientifically accurate, inspring copy, keeping two things in mind: the client’s desire to build thought leadership and the audience’s need for pieces that grab their attention and make them think.
The client’s story
Makmende is a media agency with a global reach. It produces video and photography, designs strategies, and creates concepts that help clients reach audiences and enhance their social impact. For more than a decade, Makmende has worked alongside NGOs, governments, and businesses that strive for a better world. With a network of local media professionals around the world, who act as Makmende’s eyes and ears on the ground, the agency finds the human core of every narrative.
For a global organization of scientists that works with governments and NGOs to create more equality, Makmende was looking to partner up with an experienced copywriter. The client needed a new storytelling and communications strategy, so Makmende wanted to find a professional who’d understand the overarching message and could contribute ideas to co-shape the concept.
“We needed a writer who’d understand the science and the audience”
“What’s difficult to find, and what we found with Annalisa, is the combination of qualities we needed,” says Niall Moore, communications strategist at Makmende. “The input was very technical and scientific in places, and it was based around a big organization whose team is largely unknown to the audience. We were looking for a copywriter who could communicate all information in a clear, inspiring way—someone who’d understand the science and the audience.”
After talking to several copywriters, Makmende opted to work with Annalisa. “She got a sense of personality out of this organization, but she also made sure to cover off very specific details about technical subjects. And her writing is very good. That was the combination we really needed.”
Since close collaborations are about more than the work itself, Niall also paid attention to other elements. “Annalisa is very flexible and responsive. There’s also a sense of personal care and attention with her, which is a crucial factor as well.”
“The VIP Intensive and the collaborative aspect made this project efficient and enjoyable”
Major projects like these often take weeks or months to complete, but Makmende had a strict deadline. After discussing the options with Annalisa, the agency decided to pour the project into an eight-day VIP Intensive. Before it took off, Annalisa put together a well-structured plan to make sure the approach was clear and goals would be met.
“My keyword for the VIP Intensive is ‘efficient,’” says Niall. “Also, working with Annalisa felt genuinely collaborative, and I really enjoyed it. She scheduled brainstorms and interviewed me. I found that incredibly helpful—having moments to workshop the project as opposed to just passing on a brief and waiting to see what comes back. I didn’t know this was a way to do it, but now I’d never do it any other way. It’s enjoyable, and you just end up with a better result.”
Niall believes Annalisa’s approach allowed for a smooth process. He explains, “The best thing about it is that the first draft is basically almost there. It feels like a huge saving on time, energy, and costs. Because of the VIP Intensive and the collaborative aspect, we could skip the back-and-forth that’s usually part of projects like these.”
“A brainstorming partner and strategic copywriter, Annalisa suggests ways to fill in the gaps”
Throughout the project, Niall noticed Annalisa is a strategic, well-versed copywriter. “I could stress-test strategic ideas, which was the most valuable thing. With projects like these, you want to work with someone who interrogates what you’re saying, points out any flaws in the argument, and helps sharpen your message. Annalisa was a brainstorming partner who asked the right questions and suggested ways to fill in the gaps in arguments.”
From the start, it was clear that this project was about building authority for Makmende’s client. “Annalisa understood that very well,” says Niall. “There’s a difference between copy that simply makes information explicit and copy your audience actually connects with. The latter transmits information in a way that elicits a reaction from your audience. It grabs their attention, makes them think and care about the topic, and encourages them to read more. That’s absolutely imperative if you’re writing for an organization that wants to be a thought leader—and that’s the kind of copy Annalisa writes.”
“There was real enthusiasm for the topic, which I found very warming”
Finally, Niall liked Annalisa’s attitude: “She approached the project with genuine open-mindedness. Annalisa is not the kind of person who rushes to decisions. She takes time to thoroughly understand things. And there was real enthusiasm for the topic, which I found very warming—especially since I’d worked on the project so deeply for a long time. It’s very easy to become jaded in situations like those, so it was helpful to have a fresh blast of enthusiasm. And that’s generally the spirit in which Annalisa approached the work!”