CAREER
September 2019 - present
University of Lincoln: Senior Lecturer Creative Advertising
January 2018 - September 2019
Buckinghamshire New University: Senior Lecturer Creative Advertising
September 2017 - January 2018
University of Westminster: Senior Lecturer PR & Advertising
September 2015 - 2017
Falmouth University: Senior Lecturer Creative Advertising
2013 - present
Creative Training Ltd: Director
Consultancy offering training services for clients including Diagio, Zurich Insurance and Blue Cross.
Freelance and consultancy work over the past five years includes:
Sept 2014 - August 2015
McCann Paris: Senior Copywriter / Digital Content Creator
Developed Nestle website
August 2014 – Sept 2014
TMW: Senior copywriter
Diageo - big, 360 ideas for a pitch.
January 2014 – August 2014
Mason Zimbler: Deputy Creative Director
Concepts and copy - long, short, online, offline and social for Samsung, Microsoft, Spirent, IFS and more.
October 2013 – December 2013
Zurich Life: Senior copywriter
Writing video scripts to promote the goverment's 'Automatic Enrolment' pension scheme.
September 2013 – December 2013
The Real Adventure: Senior copywriter
Concepts and copy for Danone, Wiltshire Farm Foods, Cow & Gate, including CRM and social.
September 2013 – October 2013
VML: Senior copywriter
Price Waterhouse Coopers
August 2013 – September 2013
Mesh Marketing: Senior copywriter
Creating shopper marketing campaigns for Lurpak, Wrigley's Extra and Finish.
November 2011 – December 2013
Creative and Strategic Consultant for: The Green Party, Curves, JML and Bounty.
July 2013 – August 2013
The Real Adventure
Concepts and copy for Cow & Gate, Milupa and Wiltshire Farm Foods.
Dec 2011 – July 2013
Cogent Elliot: Freelance senior copywriter
Advertising campaign concepts and brochure copy for Land Rover and Triumph Motorcycles.
June 2010 – December 2011
Volume: Senior copywriter
Blackberry, Samsung, Oracle, Zebra Technologies
June 2010 – December 2010
Dialogue 141: Freelance senior copywriter
Duracell, Fairy, Gillette, HSBC, First Direct and pitches.
September 2009 – June 2010
Saatchi X: Freelance senior copywriter
Ariel, Pampers, Olay, Wella, Ella's Kitchen.
1996 – 2009
Freelance: working for several agencies including:
Ogilvy & Mather
Geoff Howe Marketing
Inferno London
Geronimo
Saatchi & Saatchi
... and many more.
Permanent employment history
July 1996 – September 2000
Ogilvy & Mather Advertising: Senior copywriter
Unilever: Comfort, Dove and Kimberly Clark
January 1993 – June 1996
Bates Dorland: Senior copywriter
Safeway, Royal Mail, Woolworths, Land Rover.
1987 – 1991
BSB Dorland: Junior copywriter
Woolworth's, Heinz, Castrol GTX, Duracell, Eden Vale, Royal Mail, Austin Rover.
1986 – 1987
Saatchi & Saatchi: Trainee copywriter
British Airways
Awards
Campaign Poster – Silver
Mini
Campaign Press – Silver
Mini
D&AD – Highly Commended
Flowers Bitter
IPA Advertising Effectiveness Award
Eden Vale
Chip Shop Awards – 2 x chips, 2 x vinegars
LinkTinder
B2B Awards – Highly commended
Ricoh
After a 25-year career in advertising I made the switch to education. I'm now a Senior Lecturer Creative Advertising at the University of Lincoln. Prior to this I was at Buckinghamshire New University and before that Falmouth University, also as senior lecturer in Creative Advertising.
I have an HND in Graphic Design and Advertising, from the Berkshire College of Art & Design, which was taught by John Gillard. I also have a degree in English Literature (UCL) and an MSc in Gender and International Relations (Bristol). My MSc enabled me to study the role advertising plays in the international political landscape - my dissertation studied the impact of Nike's 'Girl Effect' campaign in developing countries.
I also have a PGCHE and I am a fellow of the Higher Education Academy. I’m also studying for a PhD in Equality and Diversity at the Eleanor Glanville Centre, Lincoln.
As part of my scholarly activities, I offer clients and agencies my services as a freelance consultant.
Testimonials:
“I’d recommend Gail’s Creative Thinking and Brand Storytelling courses to anyone wanting to think more creatively and write for the web - whether they’re a complete beginner or looking to improve existing skills. We were treated like VIPs! Everything had been thought of.”
“Gail is a great writer. She always creates a tone of voice that resonates with the audience. Her copy is well structured and has personality. Gail is a great person to have within a team not just for her writing skills but for her personality and humour. I would love to work with her again – she’s a very talented wordsmith – a rare breed these days”
“Gail is an award-winning writer, very experienced and hugely versatile, you can throw pretty much anything at her and she’ll do a great job.”
“Gail was the creative head on a couple of tough bits of business but managed to keep a sense of humour and get some very good work out on Unilever and Kimberly-Clark brands, which, at the time, few thought was possible.”