Berlin based writer, content designer, DJ and creative consultant

I craft narrative, usually involving words or their creative removal.
   
Often in dialogue with emerging technologies, always with a critical ear to the zietgeist, my work has appeared at Cannes Festival of Creativity, the Clios and other international shows. 

My debut novel, FOLK, which is due out on Velocity Press in summer 2025, was longlisted for the 2023 Mckitterick Prize whose previous winners include Mark Haddon and Helen Dunmore.

Backstory

I studied at University of Glasgow, where I was awarded the Edward Caird Medal for Philosophy and was editor-in-chief of the uni newspaper. On graduating, in 2005, I joined the creative team at the Sub Club, home to artists such as Optimo, Harri & Domenic and Nmbrs.

As co-promoter of Saturday nights I played a part in helping to shape the experience and protect the spirit of a club that has had (and continues to have) a profound impact on global club culture, showcasing the resident DJs while also introducing singular talents such as Honey Dijon, Andrew Weatherall, Terrence Parker, Âme, Dixon and many more to a community of passionate and highly engaged music lovers.   
 
A move to London landed me at one of the world’s leading advertising agencies, J Walter Thompson, where I contributed well-received concepts and copy for Visit Ireland, B&Q and Starbucks.  

In 2010 I got a job at Story Worldwide, an independent ‘post-advertising’ agency led by Jon King of Gang Of Four. There I learned to present work, (re)write briefs, manage teams and make workshops more interesting.

A speculative project I initiated on story mapping was the centrepiece of a session at Internet Week Europe attended by key figures in the tech industry.

Around the same I worked on a landmark interactive film that used a sequence shot at a real warehouse party to raise awareness about consent. The campaign, which was made on a shoestring budget, continues to be referenced in the creative community today.

In 2012 I co-authored the copywriting syllabus for the Chartered Institute of Marketing. 

I have been living in Berlin since 2013, dividing my time between commercial and artistic projects, both local and international. This includes a literary adaptation with Douglas Gordon, a commission from Borealis Festival, and copywriting jobs for Vice Media, high-end whisky maker Royal Salute and various startups.

From 2015 to 2018 I worked full-time at online fashion retailer Zalando, where I led several brand activations, launched a new Employer Brand and contributed to lighthouse projects such as ai fashion tool Project Muze.

Studio

Established in 2018, my studio in Berlin Kreuzberg is where I work with international clients and partners. Our approach uses storytelling as a provocation and an anchor for new thinking and imaginative leaps.

A key, long-term partner is Beckers Group, a global paint manufacturer responsible for bringing to market breakthrough green technologies like UV/EB curing and bold data tools such as the Beckers Sustainability Index that is creating a whole new level of transparency and guiding R&D, not just at Beckers but across the value chain. Working closely with their Global Director of Communications and Executive Committee, we’re using grassroots storytelling and data to create compelling reasons for customers in the construction industry and beyond to move to more sustainable products and techniques. 

Other clients include SEGRO in the UK and H&H Group in the Nordics. Another long term partner is Macenta Beans, a Berlin-Guinean social enterprise with a network of over 1000 small coffee farmers in West Africa.     

I am always on the look out for new clients and challenging projects, large and small, preferably with a strong community focus. You can find me on all the usual platforms (including LinkedIn) or via email stef.macbeth@gmail.com

︎︎︎