INDEPENDENT STRATEGY & LANGUAGE PRACTICE
Saying the complex thing simply.
I work out what matters most, then find the clearest way to say it.
Why Modern English
Modern English combines brand strategy and copywriting, specialising in positioning, messaging and verbal identity.
I spot when the brief is only part of the problem.
A communication problem often points to a strategic question that still needs to be resolved.
I decide what the story needs to lead with.
I work out what can credibly be claimed, how the pieces connect and what can be left out.
I carry the answer all the way through.
I turn the strategic choices into a messaging system, verbal identity and final copy.
Where I usually come in:
01 The business has moved on, but the way you describe it hasn’t.
02 You’re launching something, but too many features, benefits and opinions are competing to lead.
03 You’re entering a new category or redefining an old one, and need a clear position to take to market.
04 You need to take a clear position on something complicated, sensitive or fast-moving.
05 Your offer has grown more complex, and customers can’t easily tell which parts are relevant to them.
I’ve worked with:
Featured Project: Heidi
Heidi had grown beyond medical scribing, but “AI scribe” no longer explained where the product was heading.
I helped clarify what that shift meant for Heidi’s positioning, then built the messaging system for explaining AI Care Partner across the business.
“James played a key role in shaping how Heidi presents itself to the market as the product evolves. His work clarified our position and how we talk about the product and the category.”
Leah Mahtani
Former CMO, Heidi
About James Aviaz
I started as a journalist and editor, then moved through marketing, advertising and brand work, including several years in-house at Spotify in New York.
Since going independent, I’ve worked with Spotify for Artists, Heidi, Pilot, Koala and Sydney Opera House. Earlier in my career, I worked with Uber, Airbnb, Tinder, Budweiser, Marriott and Amex.
Work I’ve contributed to has been recognised by the One Show, ADC, Webby Awards, Shorty Awards and AGDA.
Modern English brings together the editorial judgement, brand thinking and writing craft I’ve built across those roles.
What are you trying to explain?
Tell me who needs to understand it and where you’re stuck.