copywriting | Jake Christie

A new story on Medium about the power of advertising, or something.

He heard Whug coming before he saw Whug. While Ogg had spent years becoming accustomed to the rhythms of the forest, able to track an animal for miles or disappear from a predator’s path in an instant, perception was not Whug’s strong point. Ogg stared at a wall of dense foliage on the other side of the stream until Whug emerged, sporting a fresh mosaic of bright red scratches on his face and torso.

“Ogg!” he said. “There you are!”

“Here I am,” said Ogg. “And there you are, though I heard you coming all the way from Big Mountain With The White Top. Are you trying to get eaten?”

“Oh, you know me,” said Whug. He grinned, then leaned over and cupped some water in his hands. “Not trying as hard as I could be.” He took a sip of the water and wiped the rest on his cheeks and chest, wincing slightly.

Ogg took another quiet sip and sat back on his haunches. “Might as well sit,” he said. “The animals will all be hiding for a while now.” He shot Whug a look, which Whug either ignored or failed to pick up on completely.

“Good,” said Whug, “because I have something I want to discuss with you. A proposition, if you will.” He leaned over the stream. “There’s not anyone around, is there?”

Read “Entrepreneur” on Medium

The 2012 Warby Parker Annual Report

Working in advertising, I sign up for a wide array of competitor emails to keep an eye on trends, interesting strategies and clever ideas. A lot of these emails slip right by me (I can rack up close to 200 in a week if I forget to clear my inbox) but sometimes they’ll catch my attention – and some, like this one from eyeglasses retailer Warby Parker, I just have to share.

Warby Parker is a boutique eyewear retailer that offers stylish eyeglasses at just $95 a pop. It sounds like there might not be a lot to that story, but Warby Parker really differentiates itself with a strong, fun brand. The copy on their site is clever, the photography is clean and interesting, the design is sleek and simple, and their social media presence is very strong.

The email I got yesterday caught my eye because it doesn’t do any selling – it just directs customers to this interactive “Annual Report,” which tells the story of Warby Parker’s year through data like:

Average number of false fire alarms per week (2)
Office lunches by the pound
Number of monocles sold (296)
Total bagels devoured at weekly full-team meetings

I’m posted a few more shots below showcasing the great design and graphics that illustrate the report, but do yourself a favor and read the whole thing. Maybe it will even make you want to buy some glasses.

The 2012 Warby Parker Annual Report