Project responsibilities include:

editorial direction / project coordination / vendor editorial coordination / interviews / content writing / social media management + design / experiential design + installation / expert moving truck driver / amazon-ordering aficionado / close friend of the event’s on-site corndog stand

Some may say print is dead, but I’d beg to differ. There is something about interacting with a physical piece of writing that I’ll always love. The way pages can be folded, passages underlined, and stains from your coffee, like stamps to mark your reading journey…it’s all magic.

Seeing my words on 4,000 copies of a newspaper? Well, it’s something I didn’t think I’d get to check off my list in 2021.

As part of my role as the Brand + Editorial Manager for LAB, I was tasked with finding a creative way to tell the stories of over 30 local businesses and why Minnesota means so much to them. Every entrepreneur had a different story, and they were all under one roof in a little dreamland my team liked to call the “Hydda-Way.” My brand-activation side was in heaven. This is one of the most dimensional projects I’ve ever brought to life, and it was so much fun to watch my loved ones interact with a cabin that at times, felt like it was taking over my life (in the best way!).

While the cabin brought a gift-giving experience to life, how could we extend the stories of these incredible brands beyond the Hydda-Way walls?

Enter, our newspaper! Click here to read more and see the entire adorable layout.

By asking every business a few questions, I was able to quickly glean what is most important about the entrepreneurial community in the Twin Cities, and why so many iconic brands are proud to call Minnesota home.

From there, I organized hundreds of answers into a few key stories that supported our overall brand messaging for the event. It was crucial to me that every brand felt represented whether they were making blankets for the US Olympic team (hello Faribault Woolen Mill!) or packing orders out of their garage.

What I loved most about this newspaper was the creative freedom I had to tell a story. What started as a few pages in a Word document evolved into a colorful, printed representation of why I (and my fellow Minnesotans) love this state so much. I have about a dozen copies stashed throughout my bookshelves, so I’m happy to share a real-life version with you, too. 😉 Cheers to another colorful and creative holiday season!