Ethan Ames: Copywriter, Strategist, Storyteller, Musician

I’ve been fortunate to work across various industries — from digital agencies, e-learning, and financial services, to e-commerce and music journalism — but, at my core, I’m a storyteller. My goal as a writer is simple: to create content that resonates with target audiences. Whether through a marketing campaign, an engaging script, or editorial content, I aim to inspire and engage.


Over the years, I’ve freelanced with well-known brands and agencies like American Express, Edelman and Capital One. Each of my roles have sharpened my ability to create brand-specific content that leave a lasting impact on audiences and enhance brand performance.


One of my most rewarding challenges at Salted Stone, a digital agency, started with a blank slate. I was asked to write a retrospective case study on a project I hadn’t been involved with. To me, that was where the fun began. I dove deep into talking to team members, gathering insights, and piecing together a narrative that captured the project’s success. What started as a challenge became a discovery process, and it reminded me how much I love uncovering the stories behind raw data.


I’ve also explored my passion for storytelling by being a devoted fiction writer. This passion has led me to serving as a script reader/submission judge at the renowned Austin Film Festival in 2023. My creative prowess and insatiable curiosity shines when I’m building immersive worlds and compelling characters. I’m a student of the craft, and this passion has been a major asset in some of my marketing roles - particulary at a communications agency, Mind & Media, where I wrote digital shorts for a government cybersecurity agency/Mind & Media client, CISA.


Beyond writing, I’m also a musician. Composing, performing and recording music in professional studio environments is a cornerstone of my creative pursuits and other one of my life’s deepest passions.


I’ve come to find that creativity isn’t just an innate passion; creativity is action. To keep it alive, one must maintain momentum and openness to new ideas. There’s a rhythm, progression and tone to all things creative — whether I’m writing a song, crafting a narrative, or working on campaign strategy. Flow, structure, and authenticity are essential to my process.

DDC FPO •

Strategies to Control and Capitalize Your Freight Data

Transportation and logistics professionals are experiencing a flood of new data, data-sharing systems, and analytics. But as tech stacks and data collection methods evolve, the surge in visible information can easily become siloed and overwhelming. As these technological advancements continue to emerge, knowing how to manage and maximize your freight data to its full potential, without getting overwhelmed, is essential.

Accessible Data Visualization

"Data visualization is an incredibly useful tool, if used properly: it can effectively give meaning to an enormous amount of data collected each day in the EdTech space. But if visualizations aren’t designed with precision and intention, they can just as easily defeat their own purpose. EdTech products have grown increasingly sophisticated, and dataviz is used to improve learning outcomes and support research. But, some designers favor the presentation of dataviz, instead of discernable data. This can serve as a setback to both intended audiences and designers themselves. So, designers and developers must remain vigilant against data visualizations that favor aesthetics over the utility of discernible data."

Communications in Philanthropy

"While program work and institutional work is alive and well, communications programs in the nonprofit sector are suffering. In many academic, scientific and research-based sectors, communications remains hobbled. While we pour investments into program work almost exclusively, basic communications infrastructures are neglected and marketing programs are gutted. Consequently, many critical works in the social impact sector remain obscured behind the scenes. Without stronger communications and marketing programs, the reach of nonprofit organizations will stay limited."