RALPH DIGENNARO
SENIOR COPYWRITER - FREELANCE
PO Box 96 Mount Sinai, NY 11766 • - •-
EDUCATION: B. S. Journalism, University of Florida; A.A., Santa Fe Community College
RECENT PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS:
Voiced all copy for the ROBERT GRAHAM brand of men’s and women’s clothing, sportswear, accessories and home furnishings on the company website and catalog as well as all copy for hangtags and inner label messages.
Wrote all copy in advance of the launch of ROBERT GRAHAM FRAGRANCES for BATTALURE BEAUTY LTD, a venerable designer brand fragrance producer. My written display materials and packaging copy helped create the most successful fragrance launch in Bloomindale’s in 2017.
Refreshed well established BRIGGS & RILEY TRAVELWARE brand, a well-established national American name in better luggage and business accessories. Re-voiced all website and catalogue copy + marketing/promotion brand material that created new widespread awareness of the brand. Produced all content for social media.
Originated voice and wrote all copy for the launch of EMERIL’S RED MARBLE STEAKS as a division of ALLEN BROTHERS GOURMET, 100-year-old family prime steak and gourmet food company based in Chicago. Copy created hugely successful awareness on various social media platforms and slowly built the brand to huge increases in sales. Did similar work in follow-up for ALLEN BROTHERS brand.
EXPERIENCE:
July 2019 – Present
COPYWRITER/CREATIVE CONSULTANT/ROBERT’S CLUB
Established voice and all content for this high end, exclusive online members only retailer created by award-wining fashion designer and Robert Graham co-founder & chief creative officer Robert Stock. On board all product copy, create email blasts to members, write all content for social media platforms. Strategize with company founder on additional marketing and promotions for the new Robert brand.
January 2015 – July 2019
SENIOR COPYWRITER/CONSULTANT/ROBERT GRAHAM LTD.
Senior copywriter for this major fashion brand and creative consultant to Robert Stock, Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer. Write all descriptive copy for website and catalogs across all divisions and apparel/accessory categories, including licensee products. Consult on and execute copy for all marketing showcases, including E-mail blasts, hangtags, and packaging.
September 2016 – December 2017
SENIOR COPYWRITER/MARKETING COPYWRITER/GHURKA
Regular subcontracted senior copywriter assigned for product descriptions, headers and blurbs for website, social media, mailers, brochures and catalog. Have also written copy for special promotions and holiday sale events.
October 2013 – November 2015
SENIOR COPYWRITER/CONSULTANT/BRIGGS & RILEY
Brought new voice and tenor to otherwise well-established American brand name in luggage and business accessories. Wrote all website and catalogue copy and marketing/promotion materials reporting to Senior VP of Global Marketing. In addition to marketing copywriting, also write copy for the brand’s social media, and authored scripts for radio advertising and promotions.
January 2002 – December 2015
SENIOR COPYWRITER/MARKETING/LORO PIANA USA
Wrioe all advertising and marketing copy, including online and catalog product descriptions for all collections, including men's and women's clothing, accessories, home furnishings and gifts. Occasionally wrote and edited special books and luxury mailers to high end customers. Penned all written communications originating from company CEO and Senior VP of Marketing.
May 2008 – November 2013
SENIOR COPYWRITER/MARKETING/ALLEN BROTHERS GOURMET
Hired to create copy voice for the launch of Emeril's Red Marble Steaks. Worked closely with Emeril Lagasse team and Allen Brothers marketing staff in Chicago. Following the launch, was hired to write all advertising and product description copy for the Allen Brothers brand of Prime steaks and gourmet foods for website, print catalog and social media.
Present:
WRITER/COPYWRITER/CONSULTANT
Contributing writer to magazines and websites on a wide range of topics, including men’s style, travel, watches, wine & food and luxury products. Contributing writer to several national publications. Co-Author of the book, “Brioni: Fifty Years of Style” (Octavo Press, 1995).
March 2008 to December 2008:
SENIOR EDITOR/VOX HAMPTONS MAGAZINE
Staff Editor in charge of front-of-the book sections on food, wine, style and Epicurean--the food and recipe feature in each issue. Also wrote and produced well features and created new columns. Assigned and edited stories, both short FOB items and well pieces and introduced new feature departments into the magazine.
May 1994 to August 1998
SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR/ THE NEW YORKER MAGAZINE
Conceived, wrote, produced and directed a series of special advertorial feature sections on a range of style topics titled “In Praise Of...” Planned editorial calendar for all sections, hired creative, wrote all promotional materials for upcoming sections and directed a team of assistants and regular contributors. Increased page ad sales by nearly 30% and put the magazine well into the black for the first time in five years.
June 1989 to April 1994
FREELANCE WRITER/RALPH DIGENNARO CREATIVE
Established a successful freelance writing/copywriting/consulting for hire business writing a vast number of articles and marketing pieces for magazines, newspapers and websites. Wrote for luxury retailers such as Polo.Com, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, J. Crew and Brioni.
July 1985 to June 1988
SPECIAL FEATURES WRITER/NEW YORK NEWSDAY
Wrote and produced articles on fashion, home design and lifestyles for the daily newspaper and wrote, styled and produced style features for the weekly Sunday magazine. Hired and directed all creative help for location and studio photographic sessions. Penned a weekly gossip column, “Talk,” and reported on men’s and women’s shows in Europe and New York every season.
June 1983 to July 1985
FASHION NEWS EDITOR/GENTLEMEN’S QUARTERLY MAGAZINE
Created, wrote and produced front-of-the-book editorial feature section entitled “Inside Fashion” that brought readers short news and feature items on the goings on inside the world of fashion. Features included profiles, hot items, breaking news and interviews. Also wrote a monthly essay on classic style called “Wearables” and co-directed the main well fashion features, including styling, headline/copy writing and captioning.
May 1981 to June 1983
MEN’S STYLE EDITOR/THE NEW YORK TIMES
Wrote essays on classic style for the “About Men” column in the New York Times Magazine. Also wrote and styled regular monthly features on men’s fashion and wrote occasional in-depth pieces on the fashion industry. Conceived, wrote, partly styled and produced the twice yearly “Men’s Fashions of the Times.” Regularly reported on men’s shows in New York and Milan.
April 1981 to June 1983
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/SPORTSWEAR INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE
Launched the first American edition of an existing European fashion magazine. Hired complete editorial staff, directed all editorial aspects of the magazine through three issues. Wrote a regular column, conducted interviews with celebrities inside and outside the fashion industry. Traveled extensively for stories and shootings. Created original columns and features still used in the magazine today.
Clips, pdf files of writing samples, marketing pieces, social media and references upon request.
