This is me.
I’m a very good graphic designer who’s also a good copywriter. I’m a creative who understands business strategy. I’ve experienced the professionalism (and the bureaucracy) of corporations, the lean scrappiness of nonprofits, the seat-of-the-pants thrill ride of politics, and the kitchen-sink energy of small start-ups. I am motivated by helping people, organizations, and companies who are doing good work be successful. I am thrilled by solving seemingly intractable problems.
My first love is design. I became fascinated by typography at 11, when I got a copy of the 1973 Mecanorma graphic products catalog and proceeded to hand draw at least half the typefaces in it. By college, I wanted to do more than just make things look pretty, so I took up writing to make it even more clear what I wanted to say. I was already doing strategic thinking, and put that into practice after graduation.
I was a philosophy major. I have come to believe that every campaign, every communications plan, is an argument that has to be both coherent and complete. Aesthetic distractions and rhetorical slights of hand can only get you so far. The best campaigns are true; anything less means you’re not trying hard enough.
In my late 20s and early 30s, when most people are getting their first big promotion and buying their first house, I dumped everything and started a cooperative independent record store. It was amazing.
I have worked on or with more than 75 political campaigns since 2004. I can think of no better way for a communications professional to make a difference in the world. I also can think of no better way to not make enough to live on.
I love to talk about my adventures, the intersection of politics and pop culture, and the unexpected lessons we can learn from history. But you can’t serve clients without listening, and I think I’m a great listener. If you want to talk, email me at scotcovey@gmail.com or phone 212.780.0287.