William Thomas Email and Phone Number

I'm a specialist food & drink copywriter with over 20 years' experience working for major retailers (M&S, Sainsbury's, Morrisons), artisan producers (Westcombe Dairy, Beau Cacao, Luscombe) and all things in between (Heineken, Peyton & Byrne, Oddbins, Whittard, Ahmad Tea, plus many more).I'm a big believer in the power of quality food and drink products, and in bringing them to life through persuasive, descriptive and characterful copy. From packaging, websites and menus to brochures, decor and mailouts, I write the descriptions and stories that get mouths watering and goods placed in baskets. Design isn’t enough; it’s words that maketh the brand!

I worked with Marks & Spencer's Wines, Beers & Spirits team for just over four years, creating copy for wine labels and POS tickets, writing content for the M&S website, producing tasting notes, food recommendations and region/producer stories for the M&S Wine Club notes, and working on design strategy for both front and back in-house wine labels.I really enjoyed working with the M&S wine team because their passion for quality and diversity is so infectious. With three in-house winemakers and the unique way M&S operates, the team spread their net wider than most, meaning there's always lots to write about and interesting stories to tell. The scope for learning about new wines and regions was a huge plus too.

I worked freelance with M&S from June 2007 and joined their in-house design team later that year. I've continued to write regularly for them, working with their head of copy Ann Ledgard across a broad range of new and existing product ranges – generating names, creating tone-of-voice and writing lots and lots of packaging copy.

I worked on the first major re-design of Sainsbury's premier sub-brand Taste The Difference with brand specialists BR&Me. As sole copywriter I helped consolidate the copy style, establish a consistent tone of voice and, ultimately, help increase the profile and desirability of this market-leading range.