Andrew Parks | Content Strategist + Copywriter | Minneapolis
I've worn a lot of hats over the past 20 years. Writer. Editor. Publisher. Photographer. Researcher. Designer. Promoter. Consultant.
I also worked as the Director of Merchandising for eMusic during the digital music boom, bridging the gap between editorial and marketing while crushing sales campaigns for EMI, Bob Dylan's back catalog, and more.
Not the most conventional career path, but don’t worry — I’m not indecisive so much as a self-starter who is always (always!) looking to sharpen and expand my skill set.
In the beginning, that meant learning the ropes in the lively offices of Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, and The Buffalo News — robust media organizations that taught me how to think fast and meet the myriad needs of a tight-knit team.
My insatiable curiosity and agile work methods have also led to a wide range of roles, including editing travel guides for Michelin and Fodor’s; producing owned media content for Apple, Marriott, Red Bull, Christie’s, Hennessy, and Visit California; and contributing to such national publications as Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, New York Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, and AFAR.
More recently, I became the multimedia editor at Explore Minnesota, a full-time role that includes video production, content strategy and copywriting across all of the agency’s digital channels.
And then there’s what I’ve done with my free time: (1) direct the digital strategy of Minnevangelist, a regional site covering arts and culture in Minnesota, and (2) manage an international team of writers and photographers as the editor and publisher of self-titled, a leading underground music outlet I launched in 2008.
Oh, and I spent most of the pandemic studying user flows, personas and prototypes at CareerFoundry, a Berlin-based school offering certified UX Immersion and Intro to UX Design courses.
If you’ve made it this far and are interested in hearing more about my past work, my resume is available here. Or feel free to reach out and I’ll be happy to answer any questions. Thanks in advance for your time and consideration either way!
"I have commissioned Andrew for multiple projects, and he has completed everything in a timely manner and with excellent quality. The work he did for Songtrust involved some industry jargon and parsing out complex music business concepts that folks working every day with this stuff can get mixed up on — but Andrew was able to make these difficult ideas easier to digest. He refreshed our keystone publication and made it tremendously user-friendly and a lot more engaging, all while being very communicative. I can't overstate what an excellent writer and collaborator he is!"
Anna Bond
Head of Creative & Partnerships at Songtrust
"For seven years, I was fortunate enough to serve as Andrew's editor as we built a foundation under the iTunes music store's flagship editorial projects. And by 'foundation,' I mean that this work occurred at a critical juncture for the Store, then a relatively new service looking to build expert credibility among casual listeners and music snobs alike.
Andrew played a huge role toward that end; his deep reserves of knowledge and compelling writing style delivering weekly doses of copy that rode shotgun with some of the Store's most visible playlists, injecting them with crucial context and color."
Steven Chean
Editor at Apple
"Andrew is an ace writer, editor, and curator with impeccable taste and an unbelievable work ethic. We worked together at eMusic, where Andrew was the Merchandising Director, and the ideas he developed to showcase eMusic's catalog reflected both a deep knowledge of music history, as well as the ability to present music in a way that would drive customer engagement.
As a writer, he is one of the best in the business — when I assign Andrew a piece, I know it's going to be filed on time, that the copy will be clean, and that it will reflect a deep historical knowledge of the subject."
J. Edward Keyes
Editorial Director at Bandcamp
"Andrew is a pro's pro and a most talented destination content creator around Minnesota. I especially appreciate his flexibility and timely responses. Best of all, we saw positive performance across many metrics that impacted visitation."
Martin Armes
Editor at Explore Edina & Visit Roseville
Brand Experience Strategy
Content Design
Content Strategy
Copywriting
Feature Writing
Inside MONA, the World’s Most Unapologetic Art Museum
Artful Living
A Guide to 25 Years of Mogwai
Bandcamp
Why Texas Is America’s Most Underrated Wine Destination
Condé Nast Traveler
Why Baijiu Is the Liquor You Need to Know
Food & Wine
The Blossoming of Hard Ciders in Minnesota
Minnesota Monthly
