Who is Hieu?
Who is Hieu?
Musician turned Brand Strategist
 
 

Musician Turned Brand Strategist / Consultant Turned Copywriter

 
 
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About Me

I was an aspiring professional musician in a past life. I performed live, wrote songs, recorded records, and learned pretty quickly that making something people care about is only half the job. You also have to know how to get them to care about it.

That led me into marketing, then advertising, and eventually brand strategy. For more than a decade, I’ve studied audiences, uncovered insights, built brands, shaped campaigns, and worked alongside creative teams to turn strategy into ideas people actually notice.

Along the way, I realized the part of the process I kept gravitating toward was the writing. Finding the line that makes an idea click. Turning an insight into a concept. Figuring out how a brand should sound, then finding the words that make someone laugh, think, feel, click, or remember.

So, I’m taking everything I learned as a strategist and bringing it to copywriting.

Now I’m a copywriter with a strategist’s brain, and I aspire to be a full-time writer in hopes of becoming a creative director. I don’t just think about what sounds good. I think about the audience, the problem we’re solving, the idea behind the words, and why anyone should care in the first place.

Turns out, I never really stopped writing. I just traded songs for ads.


Formal Education

Master of Science degree in Advertising/Branding from Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter

Richmond, VA

BSBA with a Concentration in Marketing and a Communication Studies Minor from Longwood University

Farmville, VA


Continuing Education


Marketing and Strategy (and some creative) Professional Experience

Founder, Copywriter & Brand Strategist

2026 - Present

A boutique brand studio focused on developing creative platforms, creative campaigns, copy, and brand strategies.

Marketing Manager (Contract) @ VDSS

2025 - 2026 | Richmond, VA

A state supervised and locally administered social services system in the commonwealth of VA.

Brand & Consumer Research Analyst @ Hall & Partners (Omnicom)

2019 - 2020 | Chicago, IL

Omnicom’s international brand and consumer research agency

Junior Strategist @ Savv Media (The Planning Department)

2018 - 2019 | Chicago, IL

Boutique brand activation and engagement agency powered by comic media

Brand Strategy Graduate Consultant @ OccasionGenius

2017 - 2018 | Richmond, VA

Start-up technology company focused on event services

Brand Strategy Graduate Consultant @ Capital One

2017 | Richmond, VA

Financial Institution

Brand Strategist (w/ writing experience) @ Sensis Agency

2020 - 2025 | Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, GA

An independent, integrated, multi-cultural advertising agency.

Brand & Creative Strategy Consultant @ Me, Myself, & I Comics

2020 | New York City, NY

A media company focused on comic books with the purpose of tackling mental health

Summer Strategy Associate @ We Are Unlimited/DDB (Omnicom)

2018 | Chicago, IL

Was Omnicom’s full-service advertising agency dedicated to serving McDonald’s

Branding & Marketing Intern @ Advanced Patient Advocacy

2017 -2018 | Richmond, VA

Patient advocacy organization that provides a comprehensive suite of enrollment services