Category Archives: Writing samples

For Vidyard: Video Thumbnail Guide: How to Inspire Clicks

You’ve put a ton of effort into planning, filming, and editing your video, and you’re confident it’s great content that viewers will love. But what if they never get a chance to see it?

Your video thumbnail is the gateway to your content. Like a movie poster, it should convey everything a potential viewer needs to know to compel them to watch.

Sure, your video platform will generate an automatic thumbnail for you. But would you go to see a movie if the poster was just a random (and possibly blurry) frame from the film?

Read the rest on the Vidyard blog

For Key Notes on Travel: Overtourism – Where Do We Go From Here?

You’ve seen it in the news. Tourists outnumbering locals in Venice. Anti-tourist protests and graffiti in Barcelona. As overtourism becomes an increasing concern for governments, travellers and residents of high-tourism areas, the travel industry must be part of the solution…

Read the rest in the latest issue of Key Notes on Travel or on the Canadian Traveller web site. 

For Inside Rotterdam: Getaway – Hamburg

It’s early Sunday morning in Germany’s largest port city. At the weekly fish market, early risers stroll among produce stalls while fishmongers call out bargain prices in singsong tones. But inside the historic fish auction hall, it’s still Saturday night. The beer is flowing and a live band plays, soothing the clubbers who have wandered down from the gritty Reeperbahn, the nightclub strip where the Beatles played their first shows.

This is Hamburg, the “Gateway to the World,” where the maritime independent spirit has created a culture all its own…

Read the rest in the latest issue of Inside Rotterdam

For Unearth Women: The Ugandan Vet Saving Gorillas and Empowering Local Communities

 

At the Gorilla Conservation Café in Entebbe, Uganda, I order a latte while I wait for Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka. It’s not just any coffee in my cup, and as the name of the locale implies, this is not just any coffee shop. Bothe the café and the coffee are part of Kalema-Zikusoka’s collection of social enterprises that support her non-profit organization, Conservation Through Public Health (CTPH)…

Read the rest in Unearth Women

For Ensemble Travel: Amazing Outdoor Adventures in the Pearl of Africa

It’s easy to see why Winston Churchill called Uganda the “Pearl of Africa.” Straddling the equator, this stunning country’s diverse landscapes and incredible wildlife experiences will take your breath away. Here are just a few of the unforgettable outdoor activities to explore in this East African gem.

Trek for gorillas or chimpanzees

Uganda is one of only two countries in the world where you can trek to see the endangered mountain gorilla in the wild. At Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a guide hacks his way through the trees with a machete, guiding you to your assigned gorilla family…

Read the rest at Ensemble Travel

For Ensemble Travel: 10 Unique Experiences that Redefine Exotic Escapes

When we think of exotic escapes, we tend to think of fragrant spices and tropical air. But the truth is, you can find something exotic in every corner of the world, no matter the temperature. Here are 10 exotic experiences you may have never considered.

Fish For A Living Dinosaur In Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia

B.C.’s Fraser River is home to more than 40,000 sturgeon – the largest freshwater fish in North America, with a history dating back 200 million years…

Read the rest at Ensemble Travel

 

For Vidyard: How to Create Company Culture Videos That Delight Audiences

That wacky video with the cows in the airport. That holiday video about the animated cat. That swift video journey through a company’s storied history.

They’re all company culture videos.

Now, more than ever, people care about the values behind the brands they interact with, buy from, and work for. That’s where video comes in…

Read the rest on the Vidyard blog

For Ensemble Travel: Beyond Petra: 4 Amazing Activities in Jordan

Made famous by Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Petra has a well-earned reputation as Jordan’s top tourist attraction. The Nabatean city carved into red rock is a must for any Jordan trip, but it shouldn’t be the only stop on your itinerary. Here are just some of the other amazing experiences this country has to offer…

Read the rest at Ensemble Travel

 

For BCLIving: Your Guide to a Girlfriends Getaway in Parksville

You may think of Parksville as a family destination—and with good reason. With the warmest swimming beach in Canada, mega-sized mini-golf and plenty of kids camps and activities, it’s a holiday favourite for Lower Mainland families.

But there’s also plenty for grown-ups to do in this easy-to-reach stretch of Vancouver Island’s east coast… 

Read the rest at BCLiving