I’m an advertising generalist who has worked across accounts, strategy, and creative—in-house and at agencies—for brick-and-mortar behemoths and the leanest of ecommerce brands. I help them all share their stories, show their personality, and move their consumers.

Colin Maxwell

I’m an advertising generalist who has worked across accounts, strategy, and creative—in-house and at agencies—for brick-and-mortar behemoths and the leanest of ecommerce brands. I help them all share their stories, show their personality, and move their consumers.

Available to hire

I’m an advertising generalist who has worked across accounts, strategy, and creative—in-house and at agencies—for brick-and-mortar behemoths and the leanest of ecommerce brands. I help them all share their stories, show their personality, and move their consumers.

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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Global Communications Manager at Ziva Global
September 1, 2023 - Present
Brand Communications: own global comm strategy and execution, and align brand voice and business goals everywhere. Internal Communications: create internal content that embeds brand values, informs, inspires, and mobilizes employees.
Founder, Content Director at Maxwell & Mao Marketing Partners, LLC. / American Marketing Partners / Freelancing
August 1, 2019 - Present
Business Development: finding and developing leads, pitching projects, and closing sales. Project Management: designing and managing workflows, tracking progress, and guaranteeing deadlines are met. Client Relationship Management: nurturing close relationships, and establishing open and frequent communication. Content Creation: planning, writing, and collaborating with graphic designers and videographers to create content for social media, e-commerce, company websites, retail, offline events, email campaigns, and digital advertising.
Senior Account Manager at Dentsu Inc.
April 1, 2015 - September 30, 2019
Client Relationship Management: translated clients’ brands, brand goals, and creative tastes for the agency’s local creative team. New Business & New Project Pitching: wrote and delivered presentations for potential and existing clients. Copywriting: wrote and pitched TVC and radio scripts, print and OOH concepts, and multimodal IMCs. Team Management: oversaw, trained, and evaluated a team of 6 account executives.
Copywriter at CSOFT International
April 1, 2014 - April 1, 2015
Copywriting: wrote for social media, technical manuals, company blogs, internal corporate communications, press releases, packaging, POSM, magazine and newspaper ads and advertorials, and scripts for digital video. Creative Direction: collaborated closely with graphic designers to draft layouts, illustrations, photographs, and videos. Content Strategy: planned, scheduled, wrote, and posted for social media and blogs.
Director of Studies at Elite English
May 1, 2010 - June 30, 2012
Sales and Marketing: designed and wrote brochures, leaflets, trifolds, and materials for offline events. Event Management: planned and managed, marketed and designed materials for offline events. Team Management: searched out, recruited, and trained teaching and tutoring staff. Copyediting: copyedited master’s and Ph.D. level academic papers for submission to prestigious journals.
Founder, Content Director at Maxwell & Mao Marketing Partners, LLC. (American Marketing Partners / Freelancing)
August 1, 2019 - Present
Business Development: finding and developing leads, pitching projects, and closing sales. Project Management: designing and managing workflows, tracking progress, and guaranteeing deadlines. Client Relationship Management: nurturing close relationships, and establishing open and frequent communication. Content Creation: planning, writing, and collaborating with graphic designers and videographers to create content for social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and YouTube/TikTok scripts), ecommerce channels (Amazon, eBay, AliExpress, Walmart.com), company websites (Shopify and owned blogs), retail POSM and packaging, offline events (brochures, posters, event design, and speech scripts), email direct marketing campaigns, and digital advertising (banners, pop-ups, posts, and videos).
Founder, Content Director at Maxwell & Mao Marketing Partners, LLC (American Marketing Partners; Freelancing)
August 1, 2019 - Present
Business development, project management, client relationship management, and content creation for social media, ecommerce, websites, retail, events, email campaigns, and digital advertising.
Senior Account Manager at Dentsu Inc., Beijing, China
April 1, 2015 - September 1, 2019
Client relationship management; new business and project pitching; copywriting for TVC, radio, print, OOH; team management of six account executives.
Copywriter at CSOFT International, Beijing, China
April 1, 2014 - April 1, 2015
Copywriting for social media, technical manuals, blogs, internal communications, packaging, POSM, ads, and video scripts; collaborated with designers on layouts and visuals; content strategy for social/ blogs.
Director of Studies at Elite English, Nanjing, China
May 1, 2010 - June 1, 2012
Sales and marketing collateral; offline event planning; team recruitment and training; copyediting of master’s and PhD papers for journals submissions.
Founder, Content Director at Maxwell & Mao Marketing Partners, LLC. (American Marketing Partners; Freelancing)
August 1, 2019 - Present
Founded and led a marketing consultancy delivering business development, project management, client relationships, and cross-channel content creation for social media, e-commerce, websites, retail, events, email marketing, and digital advertising.
Senior Account Manager at Dentsu Inc., Beijing
April 1, 2015 - September 1, 2019
Managed client relationships; translated brands and goals for local creative teams; pitched new projects; wrote copy for TVC, radio, print, and OOH, and oversaw a team of 6 account executives.
Copywriter at CSOFT International, Beijing
April 1, 2014 - April 1, 2015
Wrote copy for social media, technical manuals, blogs, internal communications, press releases, packaging, POSM, ads, and advertorials; collaborated with designers; planned and posted social media and blogs.

Education

Certificate at SEMRUSH
June 1, 2023 - June 1, 2023
Certificate at Google Digital Garage
May 1, 2023 - May 1, 2023
Certificate at HSK 5
April 1, 2021 - April 1, 2021
Certificate at Duke University
July 1, 2019 - July 1, 2019
Certificate at IE Business School
April 1, 2018 - April 1, 2018
Non-Degree at North Carolina State University
September 1, 2012 - September 1, 2012
B.A., Economics; Minor, Anthropology at Rutgers University
May 1, 2008 - May 1, 2008
Certificate at University of International Business & Economics
July 1, 2007 - July 1, 2007
SEO Fundamentals Certificate at SEMrush
June 1, 2023 - January 14, 2026
Google Digital Marketing Certificate at Google Digital Garage
May 1, 2023 - January 14, 2026
HSK 5 Certificate at HSK (Chinese Proficiency Test)
April 1, 2021 - January 14, 2026
Advertising and Society Certificate at Duke University
July 1, 2019 - January 14, 2026
Integrated Marketing Communications; Pricing Strategy; Brand & Product Management Certificate at IE Business School
April 1, 2018 - January 14, 2026
Non-Degree Maths at North Carolina State University
September 1, 2012 - January 14, 2026
B.A., Economics; Minor Anthropology at Rutgers University
May 1, 2008 - January 14, 2026
Mandarin; Chinese Business Practices Certificate at University of International Business & Economics
July 1, 2007 - January 14, 2026
CERT., SEO FUNDAMENTALS at SEMRUSH
June 1, 2023 - June 1, 2023
CERT., GOOGLE DIGITAL MARKETING at GOOGLE DIGITAL GARAGE
May 1, 2023 - May 1, 2023
CERT., ADVERTISING AND SOCIETY at DUKE UNIVERSITY
July 1, 2019 - July 1, 2019
CERT., INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS ; PRICING STRATEGY ; BRAND & PRODUCT MANAGEMENT at IE BUSINESS SCHOOL
April 1, 2018 - April 1, 2018
NON-DEGREE MATHS at NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
September 1, 2012 - September 1, 2012
B.A., ECONOMICS ; MINOR, ANTHROPOLOGY at RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
May 1, 2008 - May 1, 2008
CERT., MANDARIN ; CHINESE BUSINESS PRACTICES at UNIVERSITY OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
July 1, 2007 - July 1, 2007
SEO Fundamentals at Semrush
June 1, 2023 - February 23, 2026
Google Digital Marketing at Google Digital Garage
May 1, 2023 - February 23, 2026
HSK 5 at HSK
April 1, 2021 - February 23, 2026
Advertising and Society at Duke University
July 1, 2019 - February 23, 2026
Integrated Marketing Communications; Pricing Strategy; Brand & Product Management at IE Business School
April 1, 2018 - February 23, 2026
Non-degree Maths at North Carolina State University
September 1, 2012 - February 23, 2026
B.A., Economics; Minor Anthropology at Rutgers University
May 1, 2008 - February 23, 2026
Mandarin; Chinese Business Practices at University of International Business & Economics
July 1, 2007 - February 23, 2026

Qualifications

SEO Fundamentals
June 1, 2023 - June 1, 2023
Google Digital Marketing
May 1, 2023 - May 1, 2023
HSK 5
April 1, 2021 - April 1, 2021
Advertising and Society
July 1, 2019 - July 1, 2019
Integrated Marketing Communications; Pricing Strategy; Brand & Product Management
April 1, 2018 - April 1, 2018
Non-Degree Maths
September 1, 2012 - September 1, 2012
B.A., Economics; Minor in Anthropology
May 1, 2008 - May 1, 2008
Mandarin; Chinese Business Practices
July 1, 2007 - July 1, 2007
SEO Fundamentals Certificate
June 1, 2023 - January 14, 2026
Google Digital Marketing Certificate
May 1, 2023 - January 14, 2026
HSK 5 Certificate
April 1, 2021 - January 14, 2026
Advertising and Society Certificate
July 1, 2019 - January 14, 2026
Integrated Marketing Communications; Pricing Strategy; Brand & Product Management Certificate
April 1, 2018 - January 14, 2026
Non-Degree Maths
September 1, 2012 - January 14, 2026
B.A., Economics; Minor Anthropology
May 1, 2008 - January 14, 2026
Mandarin; Chinese Business Practices Certificate
July 1, 2007 - January 14, 2026
CERT., HSK 5
April 1, 2021 - April 1, 2021
SEO Fundamentals certificate
June 1, 2023 - January 14, 2026
Google Digital Marketing certificate
May 1, 2023 - January 14, 2026
HSK 5 certificate
April 1, 2021 - January 14, 2026
Advertising and Society certificate
July 1, 2019 - January 14, 2026
Integrated Marketing Communications; Pricing Strategy; Brand & Product Management certificate
April 1, 2018 - January 14, 2026
Non-degree Maths
September 1, 2012 - January 14, 2026
BA in Economics; Minor Anthropology
May 1, 2008 - January 14, 2026
Mandarin; Chinese Business Practices certificate
July 1, 2007 - January 14, 2026
SEO Fundamentals
June 1, 2023 - February 23, 2026
Google Digital Marketing
May 1, 2023 - February 23, 2026
HSK 5
April 1, 2021 - February 23, 2026
Advertising and Society
July 1, 2019 - February 23, 2026
Integrated Marketing Communications; Pricing Strategy; Brand & Product Management
April 1, 2018 - February 23, 2026
Non-degree Maths
September 1, 2012 - February 23, 2026
B.A., Economics; Minor Anthropology
May 1, 2008 - February 23, 2026
Mandarin; Chinese Business Practices
July 1, 2007 - February 23, 2026

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Professional Services, Retail, Software & Internet, Other, Education
    paper Naming for HNB Tobacco Product
    I led the naming process end-to-end: market/audience deep-dive, name exploration + brand-story routes, and stakeholder alignment with marketing, legal, and owners through multiple revision rounds. We landed on a final name that perfectly fit the audience, the brand, and the constraints. Follow-on work: named the full flavor lineup and wrote product descriptions to carry the story across packaging and web. naming branding copy
    paper Instagram Program for Fitness Brand Bridging B2B & D2C
    For this client, I created their Instagram content calendar, wrote all copy, and directed their designers on visuals so the feed could speak to both facility buyers (performance, durability, ROI) and consumers (identity, lifestyle, training motivation) in one consistent voice. The results were great: sustained organic follower growth and rising user-generated content featuring the client's products. socialmedia Instagram contentcalendar
    paper Conversion Turnaround for Kids' Bath Bomb Shopify
    This client's site looked fine but wasn’t selling. After examining CTR and heatmap data, I was able to glean some actionable insights. Heatmaps showed shoppers clicking where they expected buttons to be — a few simple layout changes made things more intuitive. More than that, I rewrote and redid layout for every page (Home, About, product pages, FAQ, shipping/returns), changed the client's CTAs to make purchase paths obvious, and helped the client develop new seasonal drops. The overall result: more add-to-carts and more purchases. websitedesign copywriting uxwriting shopify
    paper Employer Branding & Website Writing for a Mobile Gaming Studio
    For this client, I created messaging that turned “new studio” from something potentially scary into an exciting career move. Deliverables included brand story, founder/history write-up, vision and culture pillars, team/role descriptions, benefits messaging, and an extensive candidate FAQ. This site was built to help recruiting by clarifying who the client is, what they’re building, and why the right people should join. The outcome was a fully staffed studio working on exciting projects with employees who are excited to be there. mobilegame employerbranding
    paper User Manual for Hydroponics Company
    I translated engineering knowledge into user-friendly guides: setup steps, operating instructions, maintenance, and troubleshooting. The challenge was jargon-heavy, complex equipment; the solution was structured, scannable writing and consistent terminology. The result: a manual that helped customers install and operate complex equipment confidently — reducing support friction and improving product experience.
    paper In-Store Video Ads for Fitness Brand
    On this project, the client had 1-min product films already shot and edited, but the story they envisioned just wasn’t coming through. To help them pack the emotional punch they wanted, I wrote on-screen text along with timing and placement directions to add an identity- and emotion-led narrative that clarified brand + product messages without sounding salesy. Before working with me, the brand had cool visuals but little else. After, they had clear, brand-building shopper communication that was used across in-store screens, their website, and on their social. scriptwriting branding
    uniE621 Trade Show Catalog for Personal Grooming Device Brand
    Spec-heavy doesn’t mean low-strategy: I wrote all copy (product names, feature bullets, spec callouts) for this trade show product catalog for a beauty and grooming devices company, and directed layout, image selection, and content hierarchy so buyers could scan fast and compare models easily. The result was a great show: clean, sales-ready collateral drove booth conversations and sparked distributor follow-ups. productcatalog tradeshow
    paper Case Studies for B2B Fitness Equipment Brand
    For this client, I turned real gym installs into targeted sales collateral. Each case study was written to match a specific (yet still generalized) buyer profile or situation, highlighting selection criteria, decision logic, and differentiators in a way salespeople could easily call upon for real-world deals. The key for success was tight alignment with sales: we mapped common prospect questions first, then built stories that answered them quickly with powerful proof — helping shorten sales cycles and reduce buyer hesitation. casestudies copywriter B2B
    paper Ecommerce Website for Orthopedics Maker
    On this project, I led the UX design and copywriting for an orthopedics manufacturer’s website. Prior to working with me, this client had only ever sold their products to other businesses. As an established OEM, they knew their products backward and forward, and they had a very clear idea of who their target audience was, but they weren't sure how to craft their product and brand messages in a way that would be emotionally resonant and immediately credible. I helped them articulate their brand story and product pitches, and gave design direction that led to a strong D2C launch. websitedesign UXwriting copywriting
    paper SEO & Thought-Leadership Blogging for Translation Firm
    I planned and wrote dozens of SEO blogs that doubled as thought leadership. From keyword + competitor research to credible, research-backed articles, I translated complex language-industry topics into clear posts that rank and build trust. Included on-page SEO (H1/H2s, internal links, meta) and angles designed to attract the right B2B buyers. blogging contentstrategy SEO
    paper LinkedIn Articles for B2B Fitness Brand
    I ideated and wrote research-backed LinkedIn articles designed to grow the client's audience and give global sales teams fresh angles for prospect conversations. Each piece balanced credibility with LinkedIn-native readability for follower growth and a reusable content library that supported sales messaging worldwide. LinkedIn thoughtleadership
    uniE608 Educational-Ad Scriptwriting: TikTok Course for Micro-Influencers
    This project was a script for a sponsored Udemy course on "blockbuster viral marketing" on TikTok. The content had to educate credibly while also functioning as a soft acquisition marketing tool for the client — driving micro-influencers to join their agency without making the course an obvious ad. I wrote the full script with a clear learning arc, plenty of platform-native examples, and conversion moments that felt natural. On this project, I also delivered the script on-camera, guaranteeing that the pacing and tone worked perfectly in a real performance context. tiktok advertorial presenter