Author: Jess Zafarris

Jess Zafarris is the author of two books, Once Upon a Word and Words from Hell, with a third forthcoming in 2025. She has contributed to three other books on topics such as social media and gaming. In the past year, she has been quoted in The New York Times and The Guardian, profiled in The Boston Globe, and interviewed on NPR and BBC World Service Radio. She speaks at conferences about writing careers and social media strategy. After 15 years in B2B and enthusiast media, she went independent to write and create content for organizations including Dictionary.com, PR Daily, Writer's Digest, and Indie Agency News, as well as a host of communications and advertising agencies. Her podcast, Words Unravelled, has reached more than 2.5 million listeners, and her etymology videos are followed more than 100,000 word lovers.

Show Off: Spicy Straws, Booth Boots, and Bloody Subs

A sandwich, known as a Bloody Sub, is being cut in half by a large metal blade labeled SHEETZ on a wooden countertop, with sauce splattering.

Congratulations on your survival and hopefully thriv—thrival?—of another week. It’s another roundup of the best and brightest from our members! Already a member? Tell us about your latest work here to be featured next week. Not a member yet? Start here. With the ado done, let’s get right to it. Planit for Sheetz with Liquid […]

Show Off: Cameron’s Camera, Tongue Tattoos and a Talking Raccoon

A split image shows a talking raccoon puppet holding a blue cup, a hand holding a phone with Cameron’s Camera displaying a red car, and a person in goth attire with blue lipstick sitting on a couch.

We took last week off for the July 4th holiday, but we’re back to bring you a different kind of fireworks—great indie work! And everything is totally normal and not surreal. Trust me. Already a member? Tell us about your latest work here to be featured next week. Not a member yet? Start here. Schafer […]

Show Off: Proud of These Pride Projects

The image features the phrase Mind your BUSINESS in bold pink letters with dollar signs as Ss, set against a black background—a perfect way to show off your proud projects and ambitions.

Welcome back! Congratulations and cheers to all those who had a roaring good time at Cannes, from activations to awards. All our member work is gold-standard in our eyes, though, so let’s get to our weekly roundup of member excellence, starting with some Pride Month magic. Already a member? Tell us about your latest work […]

Show Off: This One’s for the Losers

Red line drawing of a smug donkey showing off in a beret and smoking a cigarette, with the text “Le Dîner des Perdants Cannes” below it.

Welcome to our weekly roundup of the latest and greatest from IAN members. If you’re reading this, odds are you’re gazing wistfully at the latest updates from your Cannesed colleagues and contemporaries. But fear not, entertainment and enlightenment await below. Already a member? Tell us about your latest work here to be featured next week. […]

Show Off: Gotta Hand It to ‘Em

A hand with red nails holds up a silver fork with prongs shaped like a human hand, ready to Show Off its unique design against a dark background.

While you’re scrambling to put the last-minute touches on your Cannes plan, take a moment to appreciate this lovely work from our network. Already a member? Tell us about your latest work here to be featured next week. Not a member yet? Start here. Mother for KFC and Marks and Spencer In what was perhaps […]

Show Off: Let’s Workshop This

A man with closed eyes sits among others in a workshop. Text overlay reads The Workshop | Heineken with the Heineken logo, inviting you to show off your skills.

Cannes can’t stop the indie beat Everyone’s headed off to Cannes shortly, so this week’s roundup is a little thinner, but that’s no reason so stop showcasing the latest and greatest from all our favorite indies. (Which is all of you. You’re all our favorites.)  Did we miss something? We’ll show off your work too: […]

Show Off: Indies Defying Gravity

A man jumps away from a red pickup truck at a gas station, almost defying gravity, as apples spill from the truck bed and a nearby bucket of water crashes to the ground.

But like, in a spacey way, not a witchy way. This week’s Show Off is a double feature, showcasing new work from our network over the past two weeks. Take a tour of the latest in this astronomical display of indie excellence. If you’re a member, tell us about your latest work here to be […]

Show Off: Thrice the Centennial Many Will Ever See

A cartoon orange fish with a mustache, thick eyebrows, and a raised arm stands in front of blurred background objects, ready to show off its centennial charm.

And then some. Heaps of great work from our members this week. It might induce a smattering of emotional whiplash (though it’s worth it) as we journey from the silliness of freshly milked Peeps and the Dirt Man troubadour singing about Mentos to a nightmare-inducing PSA for parents. First up, though, we’ll start with two […]