Since I took the "writing for a living" path, the goal was always to collab with these cool, global, and recognizable companies. That's why the projects with Apple are my Oscar moment and therefore the first entry of my portfolio, 'cause I want everyone to see them. Keeping it short, it was mainly content writing work in Romanian, with some copy and localization mixed in, for two major platforms within the Apple ecosystem: Apple Music and the App Store.
Apple Music
To use a metaphor, writing for Apple Music represented the "right side of the brain" in my collab with Apple. I had total creative freedom, and my job was to come up with those descriptions you find with every playlist on the platform. I literally delivered thousands of them.
Virtual mixtapes
As a child and teenager, one of my hobbies was to record mixtapes on my cassette deck and scribble my notes and descriptions in their booklets. The Apple Music playlists are the digital version of those mixtapes. While I didn't have any say in the track choices, I got to listen to them and provide descriptions, highlighting moods, genres, activities, etc.
Artist essentials & deep cuts
The artists' playlists are exactly what they sound like: selections from musicians' works. The descriptions were mini-biographies with a personal touch that reminded me of my time as a journalist.
The New: my personal Greatest Hits
If anyone asks me what my all-time favorite project was, I will mention this one without hesitation, and here's why. Apple's "The New" series spotlights contemporary hip-hop from various cities/regions around the world. Every region had its own playlist, which needed a description. I had to listen to the tracks, immerse myself in the artists and the history of rap in that particular region, and come up with an original presentation. Hip-hop is not even one of my favorite music genres, but this task was so culturally enriching and musically fulfilling that it has become my grail. ❤
App Store
If you scroll through the App Store on your Apple device, you will notice some sweet articles (called stories) featuring the newest games and most useful apps. In line with my symbolic approach, writing these stories was the 'left side of the brain' of my work for Apple. While it was still original content, I had to stick to a master copy that predefined the format, story direction, etc.
Fantastic games
I'm a sucker for pop culture and tech so getting to test mobile games and write about them made me feel like the king of the nerds.
Self-help apps
There are so many great apps out there that can help you with all the stuff you can imagine in your daily routine. I brought them to you and kept a few for myself as well.
Daily workouts
Totally not a gym person here. For those like me, I reviewed a bunch of fitness apps so you can find your alternative workout routine.
Iconic franchises
FIFA, Star Wars, Marvel, and loads of legendary retros.
Music, again
Music was my entry point into writing, so I owe it a lot; to pay my dues to the gods of sound, I promoted apps that helped you create music, not only play it.
Fashion stories
Fashion writing has been a bit of a leitmotif in my writing career. If you look carefully, you'll find that almost all of my big projects had a fashion component. Be sure to check my entire portfolio and see for yourself.
