East Fork Pottery
Fewer, Better
Things
From Instagram darlings to a parasocially beloved Asheville B-Corp, East Fork Pottery was at an inflection point with the departure of their beloved creative director/founder.
The principled, family-owned ceramics brand could scarcely keep up with its own creative ambitions—or its own exacting standards. Their demanding editorial calendar was looking more like a food magazine’s than a houseware brand’s.
I helped bring discipline to a sprawling creative ecosystem while loosening up the brand voice.
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I led a team of seven talented people, including photographers, social media marketers, designers, copywriters, and a videographer.
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I led an effort to steward the brand away from a single voice to one that honored its customers’ passions and interests.
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I oversaw creative production to support a demanding calendar of social content, email and SMS marketing, and a frequent product release schedule.
The Feed
At the heart of East Fork’s business is an Instagram feed with a fanatical following.
During my tenure, we grew our Instagram presence by 20% by posting less often—lightening the load for the creative team and improving our algorithmic standing.
Sunday
Styling
The New York Times
For three weeks in January 2023, East Fork ran full-page ads in the Gray Lady.
Here’s the copy for the first installment:
With the right company, a chore can feel like a reunion.
Founded by potters in the Blue Ridge Mountains, East Fork makes everyday objects that feel like old friends. We make bowls for butterscotch sundaes, plates for wedge salads, and mugs for whatever the moment demands. And they’re dishwasher safe if you’re too busy for small talk.
Naming &
Brand Architecture
I oversaw four seasonal releases and six limited offerings, including partnerships with Momofuku, Spoonflower, and Fishwife.
Along the way, I named four candle scents (Forage Moon, High Timber, Still Life, and Bodega Bouquet), a glaze (Char), and helped define East Fork Workshop, the brand’s home for hand-thrown, small-batch releases.
(Actually) Pivoting to Video
When I started, East Fork was focused on onerous, long-form editorial videos that never justified their cost. I pushed the team toward looser, quicker ideas that Instagram’s algorithm ate right up.
Minting Mascots
My first assignment as creative director was to script a simple promotional video for an online Seconds Sale. It had been a rough year and the company would need a strong showing in the days after Christmas.
The first “Big Al and Little Mikey” video racked up 213K organic views and helped sell $1.2M of product in 4 days. The characters (created by Alex Matisse and Mikey Files) still return for Seconds Sales four years later.