Objective:

To create engaging, culturally relevant content that highlights Black-owned restaurants in New York City while exploring opportunities for sponsorship. The goal was to build a series that resonates with both local audiences and brands that value community-driven stories, ultimately securing partnerships to further expand the series.

Creative & Copywriting Contribution:

I co-developed the creative approach and wrote the narrative voice for the series, including episode hooks, connective script lines, interview questions, and social copy. My writing helped establish the emotional lens of the series: food as culture, memory, and identity. The copy was intentionally conversational and culturally aware, grounding the audience in familiar reference points while introducing historical and community context.

Representative script excerpt from this episode:

Me: “Hey Deveen, have you heard of the Jollof Wars?”
Deveen: “Between Ghana and Nigeria?”
Me: “Yes — but did you know the O.G. Jollof rice is from Senegal?”
Deveen: “I had no clue.”
Me: “And we’re gonna try the Senegalese national dish today.”

This opening exchange established the cultural context behind the dish, invited viewers into the conversation with recognition and curiosity, and transitioned into our visit to the French-Senegalese café featured in this episode of Savor The Culture. Throughout the episode, I used script prompts and interview questions to guide patrons and owners into storytelling about food, heritage, and community impact.

At the end of the episode, I closed the narrative loop by asking the restaurant’s co-owner the question viewers would inevitably have after our exploration: “So… who really wins the Jollof Wars?” Her answer added warmth, pride, and perspective, and served as a copy-led callback to the opening hook, bringing the story full circle.

Strategy:
We launched Savor The Culture, a social media series that focused on showcasing Black-owned restaurants through authentic, engaging storytelling. The first episode featured Cuts and Slices, a popular spot known for its viral pizza. We captured the essence of the experience by filming our team tasting the pizza, interviewing patrons, and sharing personal reflections about the restaurant.

After the initial episode gained traction, we identified DoorDash as a potential partner, aligning the series with their commitment to supporting local businesses and communities. We successfully pitched Savor The Culture to DoorDash, securing a $400K sponsorship to expand the series. This allowed us to feature two Black woman-owned restaurants—Cafe Rue Dix and BunNan—in future episodes.

Results:
The DoorDash partnership led to the production of two additional Savor The Culture episodes:

• Cafe Rue Dix: Over 185K plays, reaching more than 218K people.
• BunNan: Over 193K plays, reaching more than 213K people.

This collaboration not only amplified the visibility of these restaurants but also strengthened our brand’s connection with culturally engaged audiences. The campaign resulted in high engagement and fostered deeper community connection, establishing a repeatable voice and creative framework for future storytelling and partnership-driven work.

Brand Objective:
Celebrate the legacy, artistry, and evolution of Black hair through the decades — honoring generational beauty knowledge, historical influence, and style innovation. The campaign launched immediately after Black History Month and flowed into Women’s History Month, positioning Ulta Beauty to spotlight Black beauty pioneers, stylists, and founderswhile strengthening brand connection with diverse audiences.

Original Contribution:
For a recent campaign in partnership with Ulta Beauty, I provided fun and engaging social copywriting that captured the brand’s vibrant energy and celebrated Black hair through the decades. My playful captions and attention-grabbing hooks helped drive excitement and boost engagement. Two campaign videos featuring my copy generated over 288,000 views across platforms, strengthening Ulta Beauty’s connection with textured-hair audiences and driving traffic to the full campaign experience.

Original Contribution:

I wrote hooks and captions that honored Black beauty heritage while aligning with Ulta Beauty’s polished brand tone. The copy centered hair textures, generational knowledge, and the artistry of stylists — connecting past and present in a way audiences could feel and share.

Because the captions were written to be versatile, voice-first, and campaign-defining, the same copy was strategically used across platforms to:

• Maintain consistent voice and brand resonance
• Ensure message clarity as audiences moved between channels
• Support recognition of campaign language
• Create a cohesive narrative arc across touchpoints

Each line functioned as a recognizable campaign voice marker, helping the series feel intentional and unified rather than fragmented across platforms.

Original copy examples (published across platforms)

“She got it from her mama!”
Ulta Beauty Pro Michelle O’Connor grew up surrounded by diverse hair textures, sparking her love for Black hair and shaping her entire career.
See how she cares for all textures with Black-owned and founded brands.
Learn more here: hellobeautiful.com/beautynoire
Brought to you by Ulta Beauty.

“The ’70s called — they said bigger is always better.”
@UltaBeauty Pro @michelleoconnorbeauty is bringing back an iconic look from the decade.