Sarah Latz, Director of Education at Chicago Portfolio School, checks in with seven new grads ready for prime time: Lucas Simes (art director), Winston Thompson (art director), Kimmy Mueller (designer), Rachel Tenuta (designer), Erin Ayalp (copywriter), Nicholas McGuire (copywriter), and Teddy Cohn (copywriter). Link to their portfolios below. Congrats to all!
Andrew is a senior copywriter at Adrenaline Agency in Atlanta. Since his last post on MC way back on 07.20.16, just after graduating from Creative Circus, he’s been busy. His site features some cool work for Atlanta United (above) and UNIFY Credit Union, plus a spec script for Seinfeld that takes place during quarantine 2020. Time for an update!
Jon is a copywriter at FCB in NYC. Since his last post on MC (back on 06.29.17) right after graduating from Miami Ad School, he’s been busy. Cool variety of projects on his site from Purex “How to Laundry” for dads to anti-smoking “70 vs. You” and “Kick(flip) the Habit” to Restaurant Talks for Lincoln Financial Group (above). Dig it.
Big thanks to Aaron Marshall, new copywriter and recent Creative Circus grad, for giving MC a heads up that links to all September 2020 Creative Circus graduate portfolios are available now at the link below. Congrats to all of the grads—can’t wait to see where they land!
Caleb is a junior copywriter at Bandujo in NYC after graduating from VCU Brandcenter this year. Always love seeing the books coming out of VCU. Lots of fun campaigns in Caleb’s, including Miele (above), NERF, Connect 4, Sun Records, Raising Cane’s, and Boomerang. Can’t wait to see what he does next!
Justin is a copywriter in NYC, previously at ViacomCBS and Nickelodeon (before getting pandemic’ed), now on the hunt for his next thing. His site is full of work for/in partnership with Nickelodeon, including something called Toiler Paper Blasters which would have been an immediate MC purchase pre-pandemic, before TP became became the new money. His site also features a two-minute LEGO stop-motion video that he got to write for the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. That’s not work. That’s just fun. Can’t wait to see where Justin lands next.
Matt is a copywriter/ACD in San Francisco who has spent time at Droga5, 72andSunny, Saatchi NYC, W+K Shanghai, and most recently Lyft in-house (pre-pandemic). Since his last post on MC (way back on 05.08.11, when he was a baby copywriter), he’s been busy—and it shows. His portfolio is so good. It was nearly impossible for MC to pick which project to feature, Dos Equis “Keep It Interesante” or Samsung “Let’s Go To Work” or Nike or ESPN or … had to be Seventh Generation “Vajingle” with the one and only Maya Rudolph (above). OMG so good.
Andy is a senior copywriter in NYC, formerly in-house at AT&T, now on the hunt for his next gig (thanks to 2020, ugh). Love seeing in-house portfolios. His site features six awesome projects for AT&T and DirecTV, including Sports Illustrated magazine wraps, an animated social campaign, and ultra-slick marketing kits. One of the questions MC gets asked most often about being an in-house creative is, “Does it get boring, working on one client?” Not if your client is the size of AT&T. Also be sure to check out Andy’s Music page. Good stuff.
The Bravo Group is looking for a copywriter to join their Harrisburg, PA, office or work remotely with the ability to travel to Harrisburg on occasion for in-person collaboration as needed. From the Bravo Group:
The Copywriter is a collaborative creative team member who generates groundbreaking ideas and writes creative copy for advertising, traditional media including television and radio, collateral material, websites and social media.
With talent in Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., Bravo helps organizations find clarity in chaos so they can see clearly and act decisively. Our solutions are grounded in data science but designed for humans, which gives our clients an edge to Win Tough Fights. Ranked the #1 Public Relations firm in Pennsylvania, we specialize in industries where government and public opinion impact success.
Key components of this role include:
Producing innovative and original ideas
Taking the initiative
Leading the conversation
Exploring new frontiers
Interest in commerce, popular culture, and new advertising trends and techniques
Qualifications:
BA in English, Advertising, Marketing or related field of study
3+ years in an agency developing multichannel campaigns
Experience writing copy for various social media and other digital advertising platforms
Experience with casting, working with VO talent and selecting music for TV/radio ads is helpful
Superior writing and editing skills
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with competing deadlines and multiple priorities
Comfortable working in a cross-functional, team-oriented environment
Benefits:
Generous PTO and flexible schedule including flex holiday time off
Benefits include health, dental, vision, 401k, disability and more
Sara is a copywriter at H&L Partners in San Francisco. Whole bunch of projects on her site for Toyota (including one featuring SF Giants catcher Buster Posey), plus McDonald’s, Oakland Museum of California (The Art of Burning Man), and a cute/not cute video for the UN to help spread the truth about COVID-19. “Stop licking toilets if you don’t want to be dead. Honestly that shouldn’t have to be said.” So true.
Rosalyn is a copywriter/digital marketer in Columbus, specializing in content strategy and social media marketing. Don’t miss her super ultra adorable #RedRoofLuvsMoms campaign promoting Red Roof Inns as the top pet-friendly hotel brand where “Pets Stay Free.” OMG so cute. Love it.
Michael is a copywriter in Los Angeles. Before COVID-19 hit, he was hired to be Playboy’s only in-house creative as they attempted to rebrand and become more inclusive in the digital age. (Michael reports Playboy has since closed up shop as a quarterly.) Today, he’s on the hunt for his next gig. He’s got a few projects for Playboy on his site, but also a bunch of others including work for Farmer’s Insurance, ampm, Burger King, and Honda. Also be sure to check out Michael’s Humor section, featuring work he’s done as a featured blogger for the Huffington Post Humor Section.
Ben is a copywriter/ACD at Leo Burnett in Chicago. Since his last post on MC (way back on 02.17.12), when his book was still a student book, he’s been busy. Today, his site features projects for Allstate (Mayhem, above), Wingstop, Dunkin’, Grey Poupon, and Miller Lite. Definitely time for an update.
Matt is a copywriter/CD/Aussie currently at Iris in London. So many great projects on his site for a crazy variety of brands. His campaign for Starbucks, Every Name’s A Story, won the £1M Channel 4 Diversity in Advertising Award 2019 and it’s easy to see why. The first film, titled “Every Name’s a Story,” is just beautiful. Love it.
Benji is a senior copywriter who was recently furloughed from DDB NY and is on the hunt for his next big thing. Since his last post on MC (way back on 12.16.14), when he was fresh out of ad school, Benji has added all kinds of cool campaigns to his portfolio for brands like Jameson, Nespresso, VISA, Capital One, and Tostitos. Don’t miss his 7-Eleven project “53¢ FOR LIII” (above), for which he got to write a real-deal long copy ad that ran in the Boston Globe. For a copywriter, that’s victory.
Brendan is a copywriter at Fallon in NYC. As one would expect from a Fallon writer’s portfolio, there’s genius and hilarity all over his site, including projects for Cumberland Farms, Hotels.com, RITAS, and a handful of spec projects as well. But the grand prize goes to Brendan’s masterpiece: “Work From Home” set to the tune of “Let It Go” from Frozen, to benefit Broadway. It’s what the world needs now.
Tarik is a new copywriter and a recent graduate of VCU Brandcenter. (Big congrats!) All kinds of fun work on his site for brands like MTV, Kodak, Depop, Vital Farms, and North Face. In Tarik’s “Not Ads” section, don’t miss “Surviving Winter” (created with AD Emily Adamson). Which absolutely needs to be a real thing.
Rachel is a new copywriter and a recent graduate of VCU Brandcenter. Her site is divided into Ad Campaigns (Sun Records, Sir Kensington’s, Timex, and McCann’s Irish Oatmeal), Brand Acts & Innovations (Spotify – The Game, Buffalo Wild Wings), Real Work (The Emmys), and Unbranded. Before VCU, Rachel spent some time in Hollywood, where she “helped breathe life into film and television projects at every phase of development and production. I was even lucky enough to work with the people who make some of my favorite funny TV shows: Broad City, Workaholics, Last Week Tonight with Jon Oliver, and Catastrophe.” Super cool. Can’t wait to see where she lands!
Dave is a copywriter/creative director/producer/strategist in Nashville. Since his last post on MC (way back on 4.17.13), he’s been busy. All kinds of work on his site for brands like Harley-Davidson, Xtreme Trout, Iron Man Wetsuites, Brookdale Senior Living, Music City Boxing, United Methodist Church, Boys & Girls Club, and Special Olympics (above). Definitely time for an update.
Matt is a copywriter/creative director who splits time between New York and Los Angeles. So many great campaigns on his site, including a Super Bowl spot for Busch Beer, a Febreeze save-the-day project for the Parrish, Alabama Poop Train (have to see it to believe it), a Febreeze Super Bowl spot about a man whose bleep don’t stink, hilarity for Booking.com (above), plus tons more. Love it.
Jennifer Reis, a copywriter at Cultivator in Denver, checks in with a cool project her agency created called “Remind Me What Matters.” From the remindmewhatmatters.com site: “While we’re not out of the woods yet, it’s safe to say we’ve all recognized some important things we take for granted when we’re too busy to slow down and fully appreciate them. To commemorate this significant time in our lives, we invite you to mail a postcard to your future self, friend or family member. It could be a thought, an idea, a pep talk, a recipe, a new perspective. Because while things may be fresh in your mind now, we sometimes so easily forget. Whatever your message, let it be a reminder that even in the toughest times, something positive can always come out of it.” Only $1, and the $1 goes to charity. Dig it.
Emily is a new copywriter and a recent graduate of VCU Brandcenter. (What a time to be graduating, sheesh.) All kinds of killer spec projects in her portfolio, including a super fun idea for Halo Top ice cream. Which is technically not ice cream, but is ice cream. Right? Right.
Karl is copywriter, creative director and owner of PB&J in Traverse City, Michigan. The print part of his site is organized by product/service category, including Retail, Packaged Goods, Travel/Tourism/Conservation, Automotive, Healthcare, and Misc. Then, up top, he’s got links to video and digital. All kinds of super smart headlines all over his site. Dig it.
Robert is a copywriter/ACD formerly at Commonwealth/McCann in Detroit (pre-COVID-19). His portfolio was submitted to MC by Joel Austin, a fellow copywriter located in Dallas. (Big ups!) Huge variety of projects on his site for brands like Chevrolet, NAPA Auto Parts, Key Bank, International, University of Alabama, and more. Joel also recommends Robert’s “Quarantine Check-in Videos” where he interviews fellow comedians and creatives. (Link to video below.) Good times.
Sara is a senior copywriter in San Francisco. Since her last post on MC (back on 10.20.16), she’s been busy. All kinds of new work up on her site for SF tech giants Uber and Twitter, plus bareMinerals, Sephora, Levi’s, HP, and Stella & Dot. Definitely time for an update.
Shevek is a copywriter at McCann in NYC. Since his last post on MC (back on 04.19.18), he’s added all kinds of new work to his portfolio including projects for Verizon, New York Lottery, Purell, and Soundcloud (above). His site features a “here’s the pudding” link that curates his portfolio into four bite-sized categories for recruiters short on time. Smart.
Big thanks to Sarah Latz, Director of Education at Chicago Portfolio School, for sending MC the latest CPS grads sites. So much great work! Below are links to all Spring 2020 grad portfolio sites, plus a note from Sarah.
“Chicago Portfolio School has been offering a free class to undergraduate students who now have to finish their academic year from home. Jeff Epstein, the founder of Chicago Portfolio, leads the online class and discussion of more than 70 college students from around the country. Advertising professors from around the country helped spread word of the class, and students from all of the Big 10 campuses, and state schools like Florida, Oregon, Arizona, as well as smaller schools, are registered.
Recruiters from Leo Burnett, plus veteran copywriters, art directors and strategists have virtually visited to talk about how to get a job and create award-winning campaigns.
For now, the class is ongoing, and seniors (creative and non-creative majors) are still welcome to register for the online class. Additionally, the school’s allowing anyone to virtually “sit in” on a number of other classes they offer.
Reach out to Sarah at sarah@chicagoportfolio.com for more information.”
Nick is a new copywriter and a new Chicago Portfolio School graduate. His Pizza Hut packaging redesign is what the world needs now. The best thing about ordering pizza tonight is having leftover pizza tomorrow. So why not include reheating instructions inside the box?
Julia is a new copywriter and a new graduate of Chicago Portfolio School. With her Rent the Runway Airbnb partnership project, “you can rent your vacation home and the wardrobe you need for the trip.” Um, yes please. Such a good idea.
Eric is a new copywriter and a new graduate of Chicago Portfolio School. The first project in his portfolio for Golden Road Brewing brings celebrities, stolen by Hollywood, back to their hometowns—with an apology and a gift. Craft beer. Apology accepted.