ABOUT
Summary
James Oliver Cury is an award-winning writer, editor and media strategist with extensive experience in digital and print publishing. He's helped build and revitalize brands with pioneering work in content creation, audience development, social media, community/influencer networks, and video—with a data-based approach that drives traffic, boosts engagement, garners press, and reveals new revenue streams.
Experience
As VP/Content at travel site ThePointsGuy.com, Cury created the brand's tentpole "TPG Reports," oversaw a soup-to-nuts redesign, built a 24/7 newsroom team, and doubled traffic from 2.5 to 5 million uniques. Prior to that, he was the digital director at Details.com (Condé Nast) where he oversaw digital, mobile, and editorial strategy across all platforms. While there, he increased traffic tenfold, quadrupled the pace of content creation, and expanded syndication with third-party companies like Buzzfeed, Liquor.com, and Equinox. He also created dozens of new video series and launched the Style Syndicate, a wholly independent influencer network/community hosting content from the world's top men's style bloggers—which provided a platform for all kinds of sponsored content.
Before Details, Cury was the shelter-sites web director at Hearst Digital, where he guided the transformation of GoodHousekeeping.com, HouseBeautiful.com, and CountryLiving.com. Before Hearst, he was executive editor of Epicurious.com and led the editorial team to numerous awards, including a James Beard, Webby, MIN, NY Emmy, OMMA, and MPA. He also helped launch the “Epi-Log” blog and contributed to the development of the site's iPhone app, which has been downloaded more than 10 million times. Cury was the food/restaurant editor at Time Out New York and senior editor at Playboy.com.
Get all the details in my "Case Studies" section.
Notable Achievements
Cury has been a judge at the Culinary Institute of America, the Jack Daniels World Barbecue Championship, and the Food Network's "Iron Chef" show. He's written for dozens of magazines and websites including Travel & Leisure, Entertainment Weekly, Esquire, Maxim, Men's Journal, SPIN, PC World, Wired News, and The New York Times. He is also the author of "The Playboy Guide to Bachelor Parties" (Simon & Schuster). He is currently a judge for both the James Beard journalism awards and the restaurant and chef awards.
JAMESCURY.COM
WRITING. EDITING.
DIGITAL STRATEGY.
WRITING
News, reviews, features, cover stories, and other writing from print and online magazines.
Travel Biometrics: Speedy Security at Your Fingertips
5 Things that Prove the Pumpkin-Flavor Trends Has Gone Too Far (syndicated to Yahoo)
The 6 Weirdest Rules in Professional Barbecue (syndicated to Yahoo)
Video produced: March Fashion Cover Story / Behind the Scenes
Travel: Exotic Vacations
Super-premium Mezcal
Travel: America's Best Bartenders
Travel: America's Best Hotel Bars
Travel: America's Best Sushi Restaurants
The Best Energy Drinks: Taste Test Results
Top 5 Royal Sex Scandals
The Best Sandwiches in the USA
Flick & Click (movie and corresponding website review, weekly column)
On the Next Wave of Website Advertising
How the MPAA Polices Hollywood Movie Sites
Robert Moog Q&A
Profile: The Lunachicks
Profile: Quincy Jones
Profile: Willie Nelson
Profile: They Might Be Giants
Column: David Bowie and Music Security Formats
Misc.
Bloomberg: Nine Secret Menu Dishes to Ask for Now
The James Beard Awards 2015 Program Guide: Then and Now
Renaissance Hotels Magazine: Blue Ribbon's Deep, Delicious Roots
PC World: Online Shopping Tips
Wired: Putting a Price on Webcasts
Men's Journal: Scary Eats (with Tarantula Recipe)
Time Out Music: Backstage with Turbonegro
Seven-Fifty Daily: Bartenders Spill on Their Nights from Hell
VIDEOS
Cury on camera as a guest expert.
ABC NEWS
On the savory ice cream trend
NYC-TV
The topic: secret restaurants with Leslie Price and Kelly Choi
Promo
Promoting Food Bank NYC with Stanley Tucci
WE TV
Discussing the challenges of owning restaurants with Anthony Bourdain, Donatella Arpaia, and Dana Cowin
DIGITAL STRATEGY
& CONSULTING
SERVICES
Analysis
SEO
Social Media
Workflow
KPIs
Storytelling
Writing/Editing
Video
Edit Calendars
Native/Sponsored
Design
Mobile & Web
Email Newsletters
Responsive Design
Audience Development
Syndication
Partnerships
Influencer Networks
BRANDS
PRESS
Interviews with Cury
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Fashion Week Daily
Television & Radio Appearances
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NBC Today Fox 5 News
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WB-11ABC Eyewitness News
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Food Network's What's Hot, What's Cool
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Nippon TV Good Day New York (channel 5)
Judging & Committees
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James Beard Chefs & Restaurants
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James Beard Journalism Awards
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National Magazine Awards (Digital Media)
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Iron Chef America (Flay vs. Bernstein)
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Jack Daniels BBQ Championship
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Culinary Institute of America
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The Webby Awards
CONTACT
jamescury at gmail.com
917-749-5683