Client: Vessel is a dinner and tableware brand known for offering a unique selection of elegantly-designed plates, bowls, and glassware.

Audience: Men and women, ages 28-45, who are new homeowners. They have outgrown the instability of young adulthood and are more interested in investing in experiences and products that reflect their quieter, steadier lifestyles.

Tone: Warm, soft, personal, reflective.

Challenge: The client wanted to start a monthly email series that included longer, more emotionally resonant content to reconnect their audience to the company’s values while remaining promotional. Each email needed to be text-based, mention several of the company’s products, and include a soft call-to-action.

Strategy: I chose to write a story. The seamless flow of a narrative would make moving through a longer text easeful and enjoyable. To signal the email as a relevant and natural extension of the company’s marketing, I used the title “The Dinner Table.” To fulfill the brief, I wrote the brand’s products (placemats, forks, etc…) and values (“slower,” “savorer,” “suspended time,” etc…) into the story. The product names are underlined so they can serve as links back to each product page. I included a poem excerpt as a “hook” to draw the reader in and to hint at the mood/feel of the email. To “soften” the call-to-action, I made the copy less commanding (Buy Now) and more invitational (“Set your table…”).