Dan Nelken

Senior Copywriter

Nelken Creative

Author of A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters, Creative + Brand Consultant for Hire, Available for talks + workshops.

Author | Speaker | Brand Consultant

Creative Director

lululemon

I've been a bit of a Swiss Army Knife for lululemon. I've acted as a bridge between strategy and creative to help articulate the brand's overall positioning as they take aim at some big, humongous goals. I've been a creative lead on several global marketing campaigns and most recently helped launch them into a completely new category (lululemon selfcare). The work's been great but it doesn't hold a candle to the amazing people the brand attracts and grows. Free fitness classes don't hurt either.

Creative Lead/Copywriter

Arrivals + Departures

Worked closely with the creative and strategic leadership teams to create brand campaigns for their most important clients.

Freelance Associate Creative Director

Grumo Media

During my time at Grumo Media we helped start-ups all over the world, and a handful of Fortune 500 companies, tell their stories in the form of fun, playful animated videos. These videos played a small role in helping so many genius founders raise over a billon (raises pinky to mouth) dollars collectively.

The Goat Farm

Founder + Creative Director

TBWA\Vancouver

Cossette Communication-Marketing

Copywriter

I lead talks and workshops on professional creative development.

This journey started with me writing and then self-publishing the book, A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters, one many call a "modern classic".

In the last few years, I've given talks to several of the world's best creative, schools, ad agencies and brands (lululemon, Mattel, North Face, Arla Foods, Nutrafol, Whirlpool and more).

In 2024 alone, I've been a keynote speaker at CopyCon, the American Writers and Artists Institute, the Frontier Summit, and several others.

My online course, Writing Under Pressure has been taken by over 800+ creatives from the world's top brands and agencies.

“When you need insight, intelligence and inspiration for your creative team—bring in Dan.” ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

“A notebook full of notes! Really down-to-earth, easy-to-follow presentation. Wouldn’t mind having him back again” ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

"Dan’s course is the difference between “the client wants more options” and “the client can’t pick a favourite. If you suffer from the cramps of crossed fingers or the pinch of prayer beads in your palm, this is how to reclaim your confidence." ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

“The only course I’ve taken and blown through front-to-back. Dan just gets it!!!” - Harry Dry, Marketing Examples.com ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

For talks, creative development for your team, and/or group access to the online course, send me a DM or email dan@nelkencreative.com

Belong

Creative Lead

Momentum Energy

At Momentum, I steered a tiny team of creatives through the crashing waves of legal, compliance and ever-changing energy regulations, helping to give our fledgling ideas a fighting chance (though some did get lost overboard).

In 2020, we created the Get Happy territory and campaign. It was all made in-house, mostly during the covid lockdowns in Victoria. This campaign led to Momentum's highest ever unprompted brand awareness, prompted brand awareness and consideration scores. Our data guy was so impressed, he told me to add it to my resume (*see Matt, I do listen*) as those numbers hadn't moved in 5 years.

Sensis

I managed a team of 5 creatives - writers, designers and videographers. I worked on branding projects (including naming new products and creating tone of voice guidelines). I wrote eDM campaigns, video scripts, collateral, radio ads, web copy, eBooks and infographics.

I took care of internal creative work at Sensis - bucketloads of eDMs and digital work – with the odd conceptual piece thrown in.

OgilvyOne Worldwide

Clients: Arts Centre, Australia Post, Australian Office (Tudor, Queen's Slipper), Bank of Melbourne, BMW, BP, Carlton Football Club, Hairhouse Warehouse, Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre and MINI.

Awards:
2011 Mobius Best in Show
2011 Mobius First Place Copywriting
2011 Mobius Second Place Art Direction
2011 ADMA Bronze Flat Mail
2011 ADMA Silver Art Direction
2012 MADC Bronze Direct Mail
2012 Caples Bronze Flat Mail
2012 ECHO Bronze
2012 ECHO USPS Golden Mailbox Award
2012 ADMA Bronze Flat Mail
2012 ADMA Bronze Art Direction

Associate Creative Director

CUBED Communications

I worked at CUBED for 18 months with the objective of raising the creative profile of the agency. 

During the time I headed up the creative department, CUBED won its first 2 ADMA awards, its first AMI Marketing Excellence award and was a finalist in the ECHOs, Caples and for B&T Victorian Agency of the Year (against heavyweights Clemenger, George Patts, Leo Burnett and Carat).

Clients: ADMA. ANZ. Australia Post. TRUenergy. University of Ballarat. VLine.

trademarkDM

Responsible for creating new campaigns, pitching for new business and writing mail packs, letters, press ads and sales presenters – as well as online tutorials, conference themes and websites. 

Developed the award-winning 2007 ADMA Call for Entries pack which generated a record-breaking number of entries. 

Created the ‘In Out Easy’ identity for BP carwash which was rolled out across Australia. Then New Zealand. Then Spain, Portugal and Germany.

Client experience: ADMA. Avandia (diabetes). BP. Cervarix (cervical cancer vaccine). Defence Health. EJWhitten Foundation (prostate cancer awareness). ESSSuper. HOSTPLUS. GSK Travel Vaccine portfolio. Kivexa (HIV). Rotarix (paediatric vaccine). Tykerb (breast cancer). UltraTune. UniSuper. Vanguard.

Scarlettcat

I worked as an exhibiting artist (on the side) for several years. If you're curious, you can see my work at katelightfoot.com/art

Artist

Grey Healthcare

I worked across the Melbourne and Sydney offices of this multinational agency.

Helped to develop new business. Involved in all facets of the pitch process – taking the client brief, developing the strategy and creative, presenting the work to potential clients.

Created an award-winning campaign to launch Seretide, a new asthma treatment. In the launch year, we doubled the projected sales and Seretide took the number one position in the asthma market. 

Client experience: Ambisome (hospital anti-fungal). Elocon (dermatitis). Hamilton Sunscreen. Hepsera (Hepatitis B). Klacid (antibiotic). Seretide (asthma). Ventolin.

Grey Group

I spent my junior years heavily entrenched in retail, working on the Mitre 10 brand – catalogues, radio, television and press. 

As a mid-weight I was responsible for developing concepts and copy for print advertisements, radio and television commercials for consumer, government and FMCG clients. 

Created the Australian Slim•Fast launch campaign which captured 73% market share and grew the category by 300% in four months.   

Client experience: AVJennings. Gandel Shopping Centres. John Martin’s department store. Lowan Wholefoods. Mitre 10. Masseur Sandals. Remington. Sport & Recreation Victoria. Sara Lee. Slim•Fast. TAC. White King. World Vision.

Imagine if a wildly creative mind and a logical practical approach teamed up and solved crimes together. 

That’s what I bring to an in-house creative team. (Along with a bowl of chocolates, colourful language, and a couple of decades of creative and brand experience.)

Having worked as an agency creative and CD for half my career before moving client-side, I understand what makes writers and designers tick. I've wrangled plenty of unicorns and I tailor my approach to the individual. Some need a soft touch to build up their creative confidence. Some need a kick in the pants. All need great briefs and clear direction. Whatever the scenario, I bring bucketloads of empathy to these conversations and quickly build an atmosphere of trust in a creative team.

On the practical side, I put processes in place to help creatives do their best work, and I’m an expert at balancing creative and commercial priorities. I know when to push and when to just let it go. 

I’m curious about everything and will ask more questions than your toddler does – smart questions, obvious questions, insightful questions. As a serial straight-shooter, I’m particularly good at asking questions others aren’t prepared to. I’m obsessed with getting to the bottom of a problem, looking at it from all angles and attacking it with a solutions mindset. I genuinely want to understand differing opinions and I'm drawn to challenging conversations – if you've seen something I've missed I want to know about it. Let's talk!

THINGS I'M GOOD AT:
•	Building and leading strong creative teams
•	Turning creativity into solid commercial outcomes 
•	Seeing everything from a customer's point of view
•	Asking tricky questions in meetings

THINGS I'M NOT GOOD AT:
•	Functioning without decent coffee
•	Doing things because “that’s how we’ve always done it”
•	Underdelivering
•	Bullshitting

Light on unicorns? No sweat. I also love wrangling thoroughbreds, workhorses, mustangs and centaurs - it takes all types.

taplio

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Dan Nelken

Kate Lightfoot

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