John Kerswell
Copywriter

John Kerswell

Worked with P&G, Google and Barclays.
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About

John Kerswell is a strategic copywriting and communications professional specializing in brand articulation, messaging, trademarks, and verbal identity, having worked with agencies and clients across various industries. As a former senior copywriter at M&C Saatchi, he created concepts, campaigns, and copy for brands such as Optus, Google, CommBank, CommSec, Freedom, NRMA, and News Ltd. At Interbrand, he developed the tone of voice guidelines and organized workshops to articulate a brand’s personality. His past clients also include P&G, McDonald's, Telstra, Kelloggs, Gucci, Barclays, Kraft, Durex, and Toyota.

Employment

5 roles
Jul 2015 - Present 10 years 10 months
Copywriter
Independent
  • Worked with agencies and clients across various industries to help define and develop brands.
  • Clients: Goodness, Frost* Design, Interbrand, Landor, CX Lavender, Grocon, CPB Contractors, John Holland, Adelaide Casino, MyHouse, and Learnosity. 
Feb 2012 - Jul 2015 3 years 5 months
Senior Copywriter
M&C Saatchi/Lida
  • Created concepts, campaigns, and copy across platforms for Mark/LIDA, M&C Saatchi, and brand specialists RE.
  • Clients included: Optus, Google, CommBank, CommSec, Freedom, NRMA, and News Ltd.
Apr 2011 - Dec 2011 8 months
Senior Writer
XXVI

XXVI is a specialist brand voice consultancy in Australia, working with clients and other agencies alike.

  • Established and bed in a new approach to naming, while working with the team on a wide range of writing projects.
  • Wrote copy across their client base and helped define tone of voice guidelines for clients. 
  • Created and ran the company Twitter account, building a social media strategy to help grow the industry profile of the business. 
  • Clients: Toyota, Lend Lease, NAB, Perpetual, Philips, Saatchi & Saatchi, Sheridan, Bonds, and Ikea. 
Jun 2005 - Feb 2011 5 years 8 months
Senior Consultant Writer, Verbal identity
Interbrand, London & Sydney
  • Led the naming discipline in London, before relocating to Sydney.
  • Worked with a wide range of stakeholders and contributors, including marketing directors, NPD teams, private equity firms, lawyers, strategists, and designers.
  • Distilled core brand propositions into compelling, ownable names that could be secured as global trademarks.
  • Developed the tone of voice guidelines and designed and ran workshops, articulating a brand’s personality and helping companies understand how the people that write for them can bring their brand to life with words.
  • Clients: P&G, McDonalds, Telstra, George Western Foods, Wrigleys, Origin Energy, Sensis, E*Trade, Lend Lease, BT, Kelloggs, Gucci, Barclays, Intercontinental, Kraft, Durex, and Toyota. 
Jun 2003 - Jun 2005 2 years
Copywriter
Virgin Wines

Virgin Wines is an online wine retailer based in the UK.

  • Wrote tasting notes for the wines (usually without being able to taste them), customer eDMs, and own-label brand development and bottle copy.
  • Involved in the launch of Virgin Unite, an internal CSR program run across the Virgin Group.

Education

Jan 1997 - Dec 1998 1 year 11 months
IDM Diploma, Digital Marketing
Imperial College London
Jan 1994 - Dec 1997 3 years 11 months
Bachelor of Arts, Marketing & Psychology
De Montfort University

Portfolio

13 items