The Super Awesome Description award is a way of recognizing a member of the Zappos Development content team once a month. If a product description is particularly witty or creative, anyone in the company can nominate the person who wrote it.  The nominations are then read by other members of the content department and voted upon; the description with the most votes wins. The writer of that description is rewarded with a trophy and a certificate, not to mention recognition from their peers.

The winner for May is Jennie W. Jennie is part of the athletic performance team and her quirky description for the Raskullz Cutie Cat Helmet was too amazing to ignore. Congratulations Jennie!

We asked Jennie a few fun questions to get to know her better. Check out her answers below!

What is your biggest Grammar pet peeve?

I’m not thrilled when I see pronoun/antecedent disagreement committed in pursuit of gender neutrality. Just make it plural, people.

What is your favorite color?

If frequency is any indicator, then black is the likely choice. But my dad will probably read this and tell me that black isn’t a color.

What inspired you when writing this description?

Raskullz generates extensive back stories about all of the characters in the line, so they actually make my job much easier. Then I just imagined my ten-year-old niece Soraya talking with her friends. They probably don’t talk anything like that, and I’ve just invented the what-a-33-year-old-believes-preteens-say language.

What's a fact people would be surprised to learn about you?

I was a four-year member of my university’s pep club. Apparently, people don’t normally find me peppy. Go Bears!

The Super Awesome Description award is a way of recognizing a member of the Zappos Development content team once a month. If a product description is particularly witty or creative, anyone in the company can nominate the person who wrote it.  The nominations are then read by other members of the content department and voted upon; the description with the most votes wins. The writer of that description is rewarded with a trophy and a certificate, not to mention recognition from their peers.

The winner for November is Jennie W. Jennie is part of the athletic performance team and her clever description for the Quiksilver Daddy Day Bag was a force to be reckoned with. Congratulations Jennie!

We asked Jennie a few fun questions to get to know her better. Check out her answers below!

What inspired you when writing this description?

I used my many, many, many experiences trying to pack a bag when leaving the house with my now two-year-old. You really do pack your hopes and dreams into that bag. Along with the butt cream and binky.

What is your favorite Zappos core value?

Deliver WOW through service! Service is a privilege; the world would be a happier place if more people thought that way.

What's a fact people would be surprised to learn about you?

Most people are usually surprised to find out I married my high school sweetheart. I’m kind of surprised by it myself. Because if you would have told me when I was sixteen that I would marry him one day, I would have told you to lay off the pipe.

Fun facts about Jennie:

My favorite food is pretty much anything I can eat in a bowl with a spoon.

We have a 1:1 DVR-to-person ratio in our house. We take TV that seriously.

Books are my best friends.

I am older than the Internet.

This week’s Zapponian Spotlight is on Chris N. from the Content Team of Zappos Development, Inc. Chris is an Ohio State grad and spends his free time writing (which ,coincidentally, he also does for a living!), watching movies, and looking at funny cat photos on the internet.

We asked him the standard ZS questions, and here are his answers:

Pick 3 words to describe your personal style.

C: Inconsistent, lazy, and steezy

 Who is your favorite musician or band?

C: Hmm hard to choose just one favorite.  Wu-Tang Clan, I guess.

Name 3 things you never leave home without?

C: Phone, wallet, keys.

If you could have dinner with one famous person, who would it be?

C: Jean Claude Van Damme.  We’d hunt down a large bison and Jean Claude would roundhouse it onto the grill.

What’s the weirdest thing to ever happen to you?

C: I was attacked unprovoked while walking into a bar!

What’s your favorite part about working at Zappos?

C:  The great people!

The Super Awesome Description award is a way of recognizing a member of the Zappos Development content team once a month. If a product description is particularly witty or creative, anyone in the company can nominate the person who wrote it.  The nominations are then read by other members of the content department and voted upon; the description with the most votes wins. The writer of that description is rewarded with a trophy and a certificate, not to mention recognition from their peers.

The winner for October is Chris G. Chris is part of the Casual Lifestyle team, and his riveting account of the OXO® Adjustable Drawer Organizer left no doubt why this was a very winning description. Congrats, Chris!

We asked Chris a few fun questions to get to know him better. Check out his answers below!

What inspired you when writing this description?

I got “crazy Uncle Mike” from “Another Irish Drinking Song” by DaVinci’s Notebook. (Good stuff, but listen with your headphones on.) I found out about DaVinci’s Notebook by listening to Pandora while writing descriptions!

What is your favorite Zappos core value and why?

Tutu Tuesday! No, wait…
You’d think it’d be number three, but I really like number two the best. I’ve worked for too many companies who say “That’s the way we do things,” and never try anything new. Zappos is up for anything.

What's a fact people would be surprised to learn about you?

The alternate universe version of me is an accountant.

The Super Awesome Description award is a way of recognizing a member of the Zappos Development content team once a month. If a product description is particularly witty or creative, anyone in the company can nominate the person who wrote it.  The nominations are then read by other members of the content department and voted upon; the description with the most votes wins. The writer of that description is rewarded with a trophy and a certificate, not to mention recognition from their peers.

The winner for October is Marco B, and this is his third time winning for the year. Marco demonstrates great wit and skill and wowed his fellow coworkers with his description for the Tommy Bahama RLX1114 watch.

We asked Marco a few fun questions to get to know him better. Check out his answers below!

How does it feel to win the SAD award three times in one year? 

M: It’s very humbling, to be honest.  There are so many people writing very creative descriptions all the time, anyone and everyone is truly deserving of this honor any given month.  To be awarded with the SAD is a phenomenal honor and I appreciate the consideration given to my writing.

What is it about your descriptions that you think people relate to?

M: Perhaps there is an “everyman” style to it that the reader responds to. Something instantly relatable.

What is the greatest piece of advice you’ve received when it comes to writing?

M: Write in your voice.

What styles influence you personally?

M : Two characters in two different books who spoke and thought in very distinctive ways: Holden Caulfield (The Catcher in the Rye) and Howard Roark (The Fountainhead).

Fun Fact:

M: In my spare time, I am a Pinball Wizard.  I wish we had a pinball machine in the lobby again.

The Super Awesome Description award is a way of recognizing a member of our innovative content department once a month. If  a product description is particularly witty or creative,  anyone in the company can nominate the person who wrote it.  The nominations are then read by other members of the content department and voted upon; the description with the most votes wins. The writer of that description is rewarded with a trophy and a certificate, not to mention recognition from their peers.

The winner for August  is Erica S., who also had the pleasure of winning in February and June. Erica is part of the Clothing team and her portfolio includes Athletic Performance Apparel, Outdoor Apparel and Outdoor Apparel 2. Erica impressed us, yet again with her  clever  description for the Outdoor Research Women’s Sensor Glove.

We asked Erica a few new  questions to get to know her better. Check out her answers below!

How does it feel to win the SAD award three times in one year?

E: It’s crazy!

What is it about your descriptions that you think people relate to?

E: I try to be funny and provide as much info. as possible to help someone really understand the product.

What is the greatest piece of advice you’ve received when it comes to writing?

E: My favorite professor in college said “just write s***.” I would agonize over the perfect word, perfect sentence, perfect paragraph, and so it would take me forever to write something. She told me to stop thinking and just write, and worry about the fine tuning later.

If you could give one piece of advice to other writers what would it be?

E: I’m the one who could use some advice, so send it my way!

The Super Awesome Description award is a way of recognizing a member of our innovative content department once a month. If a product description is particularly witty or creative, anyone in the company can nominate the person who wrote it. The nominations are then read by other members of the content department and voted upon; the description with the most votes wins. The writer of that description is rewarded with a trophy and a certificate, not to mention recognition from their peers.

The winner for June is Erica S. Erica is part of the Clothing team and her portfolio includes Athletic Performance Apparel, Outdoor Apparel and Outdoor Apparel 2. She certainly wowed us with her sweet yet funny (because it’s true) description for the Patagonia Kids Girl’s Blossoms Dress.  Congrats, Erica!

We asked Erica a few fun questions to get to know her better. Check out her answers below!

What is your biggest Grammar pet peeve?

Words that are purposely misspelled like, “Karen’s Kat Kindergarten”. I start twitching when I see stuff like that.  

What inspired you when writing this description?

I have friends who talk about all the clothes their kids refuse to wear. This description goes out to them. Dress your kids in whatever you want while you can!

What's a fact people would be surprised to learn about you?

I have a lazy eye and had to wear an eye patch when I was younger to strengthen it. Arrrrrrrrrr matey!!

What is your favorite core value and why?

‘Create Fun and A Little Weirdness’ – I think too many people confuse having fun with being immature. You can take some time for yourself every day to have a good laugh and relax, even if it’s just watching a talking dog video or serenading your co-worker with Lady Gaga songs.

The Super Awesome Description award is a way of recognizing a member of the Zappos Development content team once a month. If a product description is particularly witty or creative, anyone in the company can nominate the person who wrote it.  The nominations are then read by other members of the content department and voted upon; the description with the most votes wins. The writer of that description is rewarded with a trophy and a certificate, not to mention recognition from their peers.

The winner for April is Marco B. He demonstrated great skill in speaking the language of the Diesel customer and even added a rock & roll twist to the description for the Diesel Lavezz Bracelet.

We asked Marco a few fun questions to get to know him better. Check out his answers below!

What is your biggest Grammar pet peeve?

M: “Impactful” is not found in the Oxford English Dictionary, yet many business exec-type people are enamored with saying it.

What inspired you when writing this description?

M: A musician named Elliott Smith wore similar wristbands at his performances.  He possessed the ability to strengthen seemingly fragile words in his lyrics.  It’s unfortunate he’s no longer with us.

What is your favorite Zappos core value?

M: Build open and honest relationships with communication.  It’s the foundation to everything you do not just at work, but as a human being in general.  It’s the rock that makes the world roll.

What's a fact people would be surprised to learn about you?

M: I’ve never been to the circus, nor have I tasted cotton candy.