Campaign Sample · Content Strategy & Brand Voice
The Puzzle Society
Andrews McMeel Universal · May 2020–2023
As Lead Content Strategist for the Puzzle Society, I built the brand voice from the ground up and stewarded every word members encountered within it—from pre-launch concepting in May 2020 through its December 2021 debut and beyond. I co-conceived the brand's origin story with our Creative Director and Chief Digital Officer, then commissioned and directed a writer to produce The History of the Puzzle Society—a 7,500-word, 30-chapter narrative unlocked chapter by chapter as members ranked up by earning points. I shepherded the History through sensitivity reading and fact-checking, then used its established voice as the foundation for all site copy I wrote: 35 game descriptions, every level and achievement name, and all on-site editorial content designed to support organic discovery. I named and launched The Solutionist, the Society's weekly newsletter, which grew to 14,466 subscribers with a 25.85% average open rate. I also hired and managed a social media lead in June 2022, overseeing brand voice and production across TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and X. During the launch period, organic search grew 209%.
Brand Foundation — The History of the Puzzle Society
I co-conceived and commissioned The History of the Puzzle Society to establish the brand's central conceit: that puzzles are everywhere, and the world runs on them. Members weren't simply users—they were initiates, earning access to the Society's origin story chapter by chapter as they played and ranked up. I directed the writer, shepherded the manuscript through sensitivity reading and fact-checking, and used the resulting voice and tone as the foundation for everything that followed.
Site Copy — Homepage, Games & More
I wrote every page of the Puzzle Society to do three things simultaneously: reflect the brand's voice and tone, guide users intuitively through the experience, and perform well in search. The screenshots below show key pages—from the homepage, which had to communicate the Society's mystique while welcoming new members, to game and category pages optimized for both UX clarity and organic discovery.
Achievements & Levels
I named and wrote each game's achievements and levels to reflect each game's individual identity while staying true to the Society's overarching tone of warmth, wit, and insider mystique. Click any image to enlarge.
Puzzle Hunt — National Treasures
I conceived National Treasures to deepen member engagement beyond daily play, working with a professional puzzle and riddle writer to develop the individual puzzles and the overarching meta puzzle, then collaborating with UX and development teams to build the on-site experience. The hunt drew 16,870 users to start and 1,300 to finish—generating organic conversation on Reddit and social media that extended the brand's reach well beyond the site.
Newsletter — The Solutionist
I conceived and named The Solutionist as a weekly destination in its own right—not a typical puzzle newsletter, but a publication with bespoke original riddles, member spotlights, and a mix of content designed to educate, inform, celebrate, and entertain. It grew to 14,466 subscribers with a 25.85% average open rate and 13% average click-through rate.
Social Media — TikTok, Instagram & YouTube
I hired and managed a social media lead to execute brand voice and production across all platforms, with each serving a distinct strategic purpose I defined: YouTube anchored long-form content through Constructor Notes and how-to videos; Instagram spotlighted individual game levels and celebrated members; TikTok humanized the brand through staffers, cultural moments, and puzzle influencer partnerships.
Print — Newspaper Insert
In partnership with AMU's print syndication team, I wrote a surprise-and-delight newspaper insert to introduce the Puzzle Society to a print audience—a meta puzzle I wrapped around readers' regular syndicated puzzles, distributed through AMU's national print syndication network.
