Since 2009, I’ve been telling brand stories almost exclusively in the eCommerce space. I started out establishing the brand voice for ModCloth and later found a passion for product at Nike. Since 2017 I’ve been at Columbia Sportswear creating opportunities to celebrate the brand’s heritage.
This small sampling of work is more than what I wrote, it’s what I pitched, proposed, planned, collaborated on, and learned from. Let’s chat irl: angela.bayout@gmail.com
Authenticity
Goal: Signal to Gen Z that Columbia is authentic
I’ve worked on more fleece emails than I can remember. For this send, I wanted to do something beyond just selling softness, versatility, and warmth. I wanted to tell a story about Columbia fleece.
The brand has been making fleece since at least 1982, and authenticity and credibility is important to younger generations—those who we want as the next brand loyalists.
Make History
Columbia has a lot of stories to tell, and I personally think they’re pretty cool. From the Fall ’25 reimagining of their 1993 Bugaboot to celebrating the “tough mother” who made the company what it is, I seize opportunities to elevate these stories.
Problem Solving
As Columbia’s lead digital product copy writer, I respond to and get ahead of issues by ensuring we have clear, concise, helpful product information.
Sometimes that means going beyond copy. When asked to update language on our ski pants, I proposed this compare table to do what copy can’t accomplish alone. This was a partnership with graphic design and merch. And a quick turn at that.
Show & Tell
Goal: Illustrate quality and distinction by sharing where Columbia’s designers get their inspiration.
In these emails, I connected to consumers by romancing our home state of Oregon and illustrating how seasonal colors and patterns go beyond trends.
Clear & Clever
Subject line: Fleece: our favorite ‘F’ word.
When you can’t be clever, be clear. I strive to do both in just the right amounts.
Experiment
For two years at Nike, I edited and crafted Nike.com product descriptions across run, tennis, skateboard, and sportswear categories. Plus about 30% of the role was managing my own workflow across multiple teams.
I had the opportunity work with NikeRun on A/B testing product descriptions for voice and level of detail. Consumers converted almost 10% more on pages with much detail in an accessible tone.
I also helped bring model measurements to NikeLab’s product pages, experimenting with the CMS to find the best placement.
Identity
I cut my teeth at copywriting at ModCloth in my hometown of Pittsburgh. I followed the company to San Francisco as it grew, becoming a Senior Copy Strategist after a year.
In the early days of the brand, I was part of the team that established the voice, one that was quirky, playful, and an expert in vintage fashion.
As Sr Copy Strategist, I lead our lookbook messaging, working closely with digital design to tell our seasonal story, which always focused on a strong, smart, fun woman.
I even won a Telly award for co-creating this promo video. I jokingly call it my “Daytime Emmy.”
Hustle
Hustle and maybe even fail gracefully at it.
Getting laid off from what I thought was the job of my dreams was perhaps the best thing for me. After moving from San Francisco to Portland to seek new opportunities, I gave freelance work a solid go. I learned:
1. It wasn’t for me. I like being on a team and building relationships, longterm goals, structure and stability, and getting into the lore of a brand.
2. Gather skills wherever you go. Writing SEO for a lawn care company, evergreen copy for a boutique pipe shop, party materials for an MLM, vacation rental home descriptions—all taught me practical skills.
