It’s the second Tuesday of the month, so you know what that means … another Tuesday Tapestry interview!
For the July edition, I had a lovely conversation with Brittany Snow, a copywriter, editor, and digital strategist based in Atlanta. In this interview, Brittany discusses how she landed her dream role as a copywriter for Delta Air Lines, how marketing strategies differ for travel brands versus beauty brands, and why we should all respect mountain goats a little more.
Let’s get right into this insightful conversation!
Brina: I want to first chat a bit about your background. You were a teacher for a while and also have some journalism experience. What, specifically, led you to copywriting?
Brittany: I’ve always been a writer. I wrote short stories when I was a child, and poetry and raps when I was in high school. Then I went on to get a liberal arts degree in English. So, writing was a skill that I knew I wanted to utilize in my career, I just didn’t know how my journey would pan out.
Like most creatives, my career path wasn’t linear. And that’s okay. I ended up getting an internship as a journalist, and I covered topics addressing global poverty and hunger.
Covering news stories can be very heavy in terms of subject matter and as someone who is philanthropic in nature I wanted to do more than just cover stories. So, I researched careers where I could still use my skills in writing and copywriting was one of them. I freelanced but as a freelancer, the income can be very inconsistent.
I ended up teaching for a few years to supplement my income, but my love and passion for copywriting never waned. I would pursue copywriting in addition to my career as an educator and eventually left education all together. So in short, that’s how I became a copywriter.
Brina: I love that. As you said, a lot of us don’t have linear paths. But I think it’s these steps along the way that kind of put the pieces together and bring us to where we end up.
Brittany: Absolutely! I think it’s important for creatives to know, especially early in your career, that sometimes you may have to pivot in order to come back to your original goal — the job or industry or position that you originally wanted. Sometimes opportunities don’t work out. But it’s okay to pivot and reinvent yourself if you need to.
Brina: Yes!
I also wanted to talk about your current role as a copywriter for Delta Air Lines. What does your day-to-day look like in this position?
Brittany: I’ll start by talking about how the opportunity to work at Delta came to be because I think the story behind it is valuable. I was transitioning out of education and freelancing and I wanted to continue pursuing copywriting full-time. But I knew I wanted to plant roots at a company where I could grow in my career — a company that was established, respected, and innovative.
Once I aligned with what I wanted in a company, I started documenting my journey on social media. I was sent the opportunity by one of my connections, and the rest is history.
I feel like knowing who you are and moving with intention, along with having genuine relationships will take you further than you could ever imagine. Delta was absolutely a dream company for me. Since I prepared for it and knew what I wanted in a company, I think that’s how the opportunity presented itself.
As for a typical day, I attend project meetings, read and analyze briefs and produce and proofread copy. I engage with stakeholders, members of my team, and also review any copy feedback and make the necessary edits and adjustments.
Brina: I see. That’s really cool. I like that you shared the backstory because I think, as you said, it really does go back to relationships and really knowing what you’re looking for. I think a lot of people don’t realize how putting yourself out there really can help you get forward.
Brittany: Yeah, the power of relationships — and genuine relationships at that — because you never know how a relationship can lead to your next opportunity. Or how you can help someone else secure their next great opportunity. Relationships and connections take time to build. It’s better to have a few quality relationships, than, you know, hundreds of surface level relationships.
Brina: Yeah, for sure. Depth, not breadth.
So, moving on to some of the other work you’ve done. I see you also have experience in the beauty industry. How do marketing strategies for travel brands differ from those involving beauty products?
Brittany: In beauty, engaging and connecting with [your] community is paramount. A lot of beauty brands have built solid and trusted foundations. And a lot of beauty brands are niche brands, as well. So, content marketing and influencer marketing are common because they really build awareness, foster trust, and promote either new or existing products. Those are the two main forms of marketing in the beauty industry that I have worked with.
For the travel industry, because we’re at a global scale, we utilize a lot of different media strategies. User-generated content is one — again, making that connection. There’s direct marketing, traditional media, and advertisements, which I’ve worked on a lot — out-of-home placements, which would be billboards or animated ads that you may see while driving down the interstate.
So in travel, a lot more media strategies, but it also takes way bigger teams. And there’s a lot of cross-functional collaboration because the mediums that we’re using are at such a large scale. I would say those are the main differences between beauty and travel. They both use some of the same strategies, but the way in which they’re utilized is different.
Brina: Oh, how cool! I know that user-generated content has been big in the last few years, so it’s neat how it’s being used in this way, as well.
I want to pivot a little now. What’s your process for understanding a new brand’s voice or tone when writing copy for them?
Brittany: Honestly, I conduct a lot of research on the front end to gain an understanding of the brand’s archetype, their audience, their product, or the service that they offer. I ask myself, “How does the audience interact with the brand? What is the information or through line that we’re trying to convey through the copy? What is the value proposition that we’re offering?”
Then I start to think about, of course, the strategy behind actually crafting the copy — sentence structure, word choices, messaging. A lot of what I do as a copywriter is research so that I can understand the brand. I look at [a] brand as a person — that is, what the archetype is. Once I understand how the brand interacts with its customers and how its customers interact with the brand, that helps me craft copy where it resonates with the audience. Also knowing if the brand primarily is B2B or B2C, because that makes a difference.
Brina: Yeah, like you said, it’s definitely very research-heavy and making sure you understand all the ins and outs of who they’re trying to talk to.
Brittany: Yeah, absolutely.
Brina: I try to make the last question a fun one! What are your biggest sources of creative inspiration?
Brittany: I have three. My daughter is first. [Then] nature because nature is just so inspirational. And this may sound silly, but mountain goats.
Most people don’t pay attention to mountain goats because they’re seen as prey. They’re not as extravagant as a lion or a tiger. But if you watch mountain goats closely, they have superpowers. They’re ambitious. They’re graceful. They’re fearless. And they’re patient. When you watch them, they can scale a vertical mountain almost without fail because they have these two little hooves. And I feel like possessing the type of fearlessness that mountain goats have while trying to reach an unimaginable goal — but doing so with grace and patience — that’s the ultimate inspiration. It’s like, “Oh, that’s a mountain goat. We’re not gonna pay attention to the mountain goat.” But then, one day you look over and the mountain goat is sitting at the top of the mountain.
Brina: That’s beautiful! I mean, mountain goats were not on my radar, but now I’m gonna have to watch some mountain goat videos. The way you described them, they have a lot of silent strength.
Brittany: Yeah, absolutely — the silent strength of an underdog!
Bio: Brittany Snow is a Digital Copywriter at Delta Air Lines. Her work as a copywriter, editor, and digital strategist have generated millions in revenue for her clients by utilizing engaging, creative and differentiating digital marketing strategies. Beyond producing captivating content, she believes that our words are our greatest power and is an advocate for women of color in underrepresented spaces and communities. When she’s not writing, you can find her traveling, binge-watching makeup tutorials on YouTube and spending quality time with her family. Discover more at https://www.simplybsnow.com.