Welcome
My philosophy has always been that anyone who is a professional writer, photographer, graphic artist or website designer should be able to produce work that "speaks for itself."
That is the whole point, after all. As I used to tell reporters during my stint as a newspaper editor, "You can't be sitting next to every reader explaining to them, 'Now this is what I meant by that.' Your articles have to stand on their own."
I take pride in producing marketing/public relations materials that are imaginative, distinctive, persuasive, timely, thorough and thought-provoking. They also have a clear message and intent, whether that purpose is a simple call to action—"Put The Bus In Your Business"—an enticement to go online "for full details" or merely providing more information through, for example, a well-crafted e-newsletter.
Creativity and clarity need not be opposing forces. Clarity is essential, but creativity is also a key ingredient to make the clearly-stated message memorable—more impactful.
You just have to avoid the trap of being so clever that the message and intent get lost in all that cleverness. (Think about all the glossy Super Bowl commercials you've seen that left you entertained yet wondering, "What was that for?")
I've created this website to show that I have—in the course of more than 30 years as either a journalist or public relations and media specialist—practiced what I've preached, producing work that "speaks" not only for itself but also says a great deal about me.
Although I left the newspaper industry in 1999, my work is still very much "out there" for public consumption. And I conduct myself as if everything I do will have a "Joe Loudon" by-line. I always want the work I produce to be something onto which I would be proud to sign my name.
Do keep in mind as you go through the various navigation options on this site—Writing, Design, etc.— there is considerable overlap. Most of the pieces under "Design" were written by and designed by me, using photographs I took.
Read or view as many work samples as you'd like. I have provided several dozen on this site. Anyone can in a quarter of a century produce four or five good pieces. Among my goals, through the many samples on this site, is to demonstrate that I am consistent. I try to set the expectation bar extremely high, clear it and then raise it even higher.
Communications Professional
-
A highly versatile communications professional with more than 20 years of experience in public relations and marketing.
-
Also an award-winning journalist. Insider’s knowledge as a former reporter about how news organizations really operate allows for drafting more effective news releases and story pitches—and “getting out front of stories.”
-
Expertise includes writing/editing, photography, videography, graphic design, web development, community outreach, marketing campaign development and implementation, rebranding, media relations, and project management.
-
Adept at “training up” others, while forming collaborative, rather than combative, working relationships.
-
Ability to combine graphics with text to generate online content or printed materials that have eye-appeal without compromising readability.
-
Technically proficient while also possessing exceptional people skills.
