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 HUNGRY 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.

THE JOURNEY BEGINS WITH DETAILS THAT EVOKE A FEELING. LIKE A MAGNETIC STORY ON A WEBSITE THAT REELS IN 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. FEELINGS INSPIRE PEOPLE FORWARD.

branding & writing that pair places with people

Arouse wonder through strategic positioning, storytelling, words, and language — while cultivating brand loyalty and inspiring sales.

Hi. I’m Sandra O’Connell (aka Studio Telltale). With almost 20 years of marketing and writing experience, I provide branding and storytelling services for places — the hotels, travel destinations, wineries, eateries, and other immersive spaces where we connect deeply with life. And when the fit is right, I’ll tell stories for brands that aren’t related to place, too.

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.

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