Branding and Writing for Places

A PLACE IS A BREATHING THING. VIBRATING WITH PERSONALITY, ENERGY, AND STORY. STORIES ALREADY THERE TO BE FOUND AND STORIES YET TO BE WRITTEN. AN EXPERIENCE FOR STARVING SENSES OR A SETTING FOR CONNECTION. SOMEWHERE YOU CAN BECOME ANOTHER PERSON OR REALIZE WHO YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN. WHERE IT’S POSSIBLE TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF LIFE OR SIMPLY SHIFT A MOOD. TO BE IN A PLACE IS TO BE ON A JOURNEY OF WONDER AND JOY.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS WITH DETAILS THAT EVOKE A FEELING. LIKE A MAGNETIC STORY ON A WEBSITE THAT SEDUCES A FUTURE GUEST. OR THE EMOTIVE LANGUAGE WRITTEN IN A PROMOTIONAL EMAIL — SO ALLURING IT’S FORWARDED TO A FRIEND. BE MEANINGFUL AND MEMORABLE WITH YOUR WORDS TO PULL PEOPLE DEEPER INTO THE EXPERIENCE. THE FEELINGS THAT ARISE WILL INSPIRE THEM TO BOOK, BUY, PRAISE, RETURN, AND NEVER STRAY.

does your brand arouse wonder and joy?

CULTIVATE LOYALTY, GENERATE LEADS, AND INSPIRE SALES WITH STRATEGIC BRAND POSITIONING AND EMOTIVE STORYTELLING.

Hi. I’m Sandra O’Connell, aka Studio Telltale. I’m a brand strategist and copywriter supported by 20 years of marketing and writing expertise. I specialize in places — the hotels, travel destinations, wineries, eateries, homes, and other immersive spaces where we connect deeply with life. I also work with non-place brands who believe in the power of big, beautiful emotions.

Why wonder? Why joy? Because people are drawn to things that feel good.*

what does your brand need?

BRAND FOUNDATION

Give your brand something to stand for. Personality blazing. Connected with its audiences. Wholly confident with who it is as it moves through the world.

NAMING

Your name is your first impression — your calling card. Are you modern or traditional? On the nose or completely made up? We’ll find a name that tumbles right off tongues.

VERBAL IDENTITY

Looks aren’t everything. You need substance, too. People want to engage and need to trust. They’re drawn to brands with something real to say.

COPYWRITING

These are the words you use to sell. Part storytelling. Part conversation. And a sprinkle of seduction. Strategic and creative, copywriting is nothing like everyday writing.

CONTENT WRITING

Create a world for your audience to wander through. Express yourself in a way that entertains, fosters loyalty, and lures in new fans. You have so many stories to tell.

BRAND / COPY AUDIT

Stuck? Going through changes? Does your brand need a touch up or a full overhaul? Are you connecting with your audience? Do you need more wonder and joy?

the “studio”

I’m not a studio in the traditional agency sense — a bunch of creatives buzzing in a brick-walled, downtown loft. It’s just me here. And my imagination.

My studio is more akin to a whimsical shed at the edge of an overgrown garden (think: wildflowers and long grasses), or a book-lined nook tucked away in a brownstone that, if you crane your neck up, you can see through a window from the sidewalk of a West Village street.

*P.S.

“65% of people would like brands to wow them with spectacular advertising and marketing, and 61% want brands to help them feel intense emotions. In fact, almost twice as many people say they are likely to buy from brands that bring them a sense of joy (49%), or those that surprise and delight them (45%), than from brands that just do what they say they will (26%). Yet few brands are tapping into this desire: 70% of people say they can’t remember the last time a brand did anything that excited them.”
— The Age of Re-enchantment, Wunderman Thompson Intelligence, 2023