Creative Consultant, Copy Director, Brand Strategist

I’m occasionally asked to develop sponsored content: Informative and entertaining texts that introduce readers to a sponsor’s product in an engaging way that feels more like leisure reading than advertising. Its particularly fun when I have the chance to give things an LGBTQ spin…I enjoy the challenge of of finding an angle that will catch the attention of queer audiences and keep them reading while also generating brand awareness and leads for my clients.

Feel free to get in touch if you need creative copywriting solutions in offbeat categories that need a fresh voice and an engaging approach.

Below, find a recent example. And check out another here.

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Next time I post my profile on a dating app, I’ll be supplementing some of the usual descriptor — 6′ tall, hairy chest, dog dad, loves pina coladas and long walks on the beach — with a phrase I’ve never been able to honestly use before: Big mushroom head.

For accuracy’s sake, that’ll be styled as Big Mushroomhead. And for honesty’s sake, I’ll make it altogether clear that I’ve not engaged in some dubious genital enlargement scheme.

Instead, this proud new self-description will serve as a sign of my great enthusiasm — like a Deadhead’s for Jerry Garcia or a Sneakerhead’s for Air Jordan 1s — for MUDWTR, the amazing mushroom-based coffee alternative that’s become my new morning go-to.

Created in Venice Beach, California by Shane Heath, a software designer, jiu jitsu enthusiast and healthy living advocate, MUDWTR incorporates a fabulous foursome of healthy, non-hallucinogenic shrooms (lion’s mane, cordyceps, reishi and chaga) along with cacao, turmeric and masala chai spices which not only provide chocolatey, chai-like flavor but can help reduce inflammation and lift my mood.

Scoffing at coffee

MUDWTR is a godsend for one-time javahounds like me who have become frustrated with the downsides of coffee drinking — jitters, crashing, screwed up sleep — but still want a beverage-centered ritual to begin their days. 

Making my morning mug of MUDWTR gives me the same calm, intention-setting vibe and soothing sense of self-care that I used to get from a French-pressed espresso, but with way less negative impact on the rest of my day and on my relationships with other people.

If my “Big Mushroomhead” idea catches fire, I’ll definitely be looking for fellow mellow MUDWTR drinkers on the apps. Why date a guy who swings between being revved up on caffeine in and feeling too pooped to pop? Since I first checked out MUDWTR, its been helping me feel balanced, alert, mindful and even-tempered all day long. 

Tell me you’re a Big Mushroomhead and I’ll assume you’re going to be able to concentrate when we converse and keep things moving at a comfortably cozy pace. I’m into guys who are MUDWTR Manly, not Coffee Grindrs.

On average, a cup of coffee contains about 95 mg of caffeine, while a gently energizing morning cup of MUDWTR :rise blend has just a fraction of this — a micro-dose, if you will. It can lift your mood to a productive plateau without ever pulling the rug out from under you.

Fungi is for fun gals, too!

All kidding aside, I don’t want to give the impression that you need to be a dude to get the benefits of MUDWTR and be a Big Mushroomhead. Like the queer community that’s beginning to discover MUDWTR, mushrooms — part of the fungi family — are exemplars of gender fluidity. According to science magazine, Discover, “gender isn’t really a fungal construct… fungi can have thousands of sexes.”

As it turns out, one of the folks who helped turn me on to MUDWTR is Sarah Rewall, one of the four queer leaders of SWRL San Diego, a gender-inclusive social community for gay, straight, trans and non-binary skateboarders.

Sarah, who was born in Brazil, turned to skateboarding at what she describes as “a really dark time in my life… I would stay home in my little sadness bubble while my partner at the time went out boarding. Eventually, that community welcomed me and provided a lot of encouragement even though I’d never skated before.”

Since she started drinking MUDWTR last year, she’s found that it delivers its own sort of uplift. “I used to drink a lot of coffee, but it really put me in a kind of brain fog. It felt addicting and if I had too much it felt like it made my heart race. MUDWTR gives me a much more comfortable feeling, and I like knowing that it’s made of natural, organic ingredients.”

Today, in addition to advocating for SWRL and MUDWTR, Sarah and her partner run King Coast Clothing, a mission-based brand that repurposes textiles to help keep them from becoming landfill. Everything she does makes me feel Big Mushroomhead energy!

Brew up your best self

If you’re ready to brew up an awesome new attitude and make the most of every day, check out MUDWTR online. You’ll find tons of info on the benefits of the amazing mushrooms and other healthy ingredients that go into every cup. 

You can also learn about MUDWTR :rest, our second, entirely caffeine-free blend of soothing, healthy ingredients, specially formulated to take before sleep (or some mushy snuggling).

Both MUDWTR blends reflect the brand’s commitment to helping build healthy minds through healthy habits. At www.mudwtr.com, you’ll discover an archive of free content dedicated to our ever-expanding commitment to your pursuit of mental health, well-being and Big Mushroomhead Passion.

Place your first order today and get mushroomheaded in a great new direction.