Turning heads with dynamic multi-media content for a real estate finance company.

Jul 30

Client name:Finance of America Commercial (FACo), by Roc360

Central idea: Defining a complex brand ecosystem with boundless creativity.

I had my hand in:

Service naming
Web copy
Flagship video content (episode narrative & execution)
Podcast copy direction

Some of the most fun clients to work for are those that have a lot of irons in the fire. Juggling projects can indeed be stressful, but with such a big opportunity to help FACo get its branding off the ground, the juice has been worth the squeeze in many ways.

And, writing for this client has yet again proved that copywriters must be able to flex off the metaphorical page. Think on your feet. Be a sponge. Take risks. Do a little dance. Make a little love. Get down tonight.

Only the beginning

My first project for Roc360 was a naming exercise for three sub-brand content hubs. Because each sub-brand’s audience had its own niche, it was an exercise in nuance. As a result, narrowing down options was a challenge because of the generous overlap between subject matter. But the silver lining was that it opened a helpful dialogue between the client and I. In my experience, I’ve found that any opportunity I can get to collaborate directly with a client is one I’m more than willing to take.

As far as the three content hubs go, the project is still ongoing – but they quickly started prioritizing their sub-brand, Finance of America Commercial (FACo). So, with several rounds of brainstorming completed, the client landed on the name Investology, a platform that would eventually house some rich, multi-media content. It was also yet another place I could establish my digital writing chops.

Working with Roc360 would be my introduction to several new types of projects: a podcast and docuseries. Working on their “Lending Lab” podcast gave me a new way to connect with Roc360 (and subsequently FACo). That’s because the conversations were approachable, relatable, and genuinely useful to their target audience (imagine that!). So once the client gave us the podcast footage/audio, I worked closely with our video team to scrub the transcripts and create well-paced, interesting narratives. Paired with engaging web copy, such as episode titles and descriptions, “Lending Lab” has become an integral part of Investology – still with ample room to grow.

keeping me on my toes

Maybe even more exciting was when client signed off on our idea to shoot a fully fledged mini docuseries (à la HGTV) that would highlight the importance of lender-borrower relationships at FACo. It would be my first taste of shooting something more akin to reality TV than product videos or brand anthems. It felt like the real deal because it was the real deal.

That said, nothing worth doing ever comes easy. The project and timeline were both accelerated and it was imperative we stay nimble. So we put together a run-and-gun crew of agency folks and local contractors (one of which being an Emmy-nominated producer!), packed our bags, and made our way to Greenville, South Carolina, on two separate occasions to make it happen.

So far, our team has shot five total episodes of the docuseries, which follows a fix-and-flip couple (and FACo customer) based in Greenville. Even the preliminary episode cuts have whetted the client’s appetite for more video work, and to that we’ve said: say less.