Category Archives: Freelancers

Gary Cohen

Gary is a freelance copywriter/CD in Boston. Love his headline writing. Clicking through his site, there are smart lines for brands like Nikon, Tufts, Timberland, Range Rover, Time Magazine, and Megamillions (and that’s just the first few projects). Also, don’t miss his About page. Gary tells the story of how he got into copywriting, some of the giants he’s worked with, and what matters most to him—in just a few short, well-crafted paragraphs. That’s how you do it.

Portfolio: garycohen.myportfolio.com

Jeff Johnson

Jeff is a freelance copywriter based in Tampa, FL. What a cool variety of projects on his site for brands you’ve definitely heard of—and some you maybe haven’t. Those include Back Market (above), Oatly, Outdoorsy, Kenvue, OnHub, Vote.org, and something called Google Chrome. (Ha!) His site is divided into Work (start there), Writing, More Ad Stuff, Branding, About, and Contact. When he reached out to MC, Jeff sent a very cool PDF version of his site. (If you’re an agency recruiter, worth asking for.) Good times.

Portfolio: thisisjeffjohnson.me

Chris Elzinga

Chris is a freelance copywriter/CD/ACD who has worked with a long list of killer agencies over the years—and has the portfolio to prove it. Since his last post on MC (way back on 07.15.13), he’s added work for Boost Mobile, Google, Virgin Mobile, Oakland A’s, Playstation, Microsoft, and a bunch of other big brands. Be sure not to miss the first project on his site for Glad cherry blossom-scented trash bags, “Le Party.” Ridiculous.

Portfolio: cargocollective.com/chriselzinga

Kyle Harrison

Kyle is a freelance copywriter/ACD/”long-haired dude” in Nashville, previously at shops like McCann NY, RPA, and Translation. He’s got a whopping 25 projects on his site at the time of this post—including work for Verizon, Peloton, Honda, WhatsApp, AT&T, and more. Don’t miss the first project in his portfolio, an Emmy-winning short film dealing with what we all felt during the pandemic, featuring Sarah Jessica Parker and Sufjan Stevens. So cool.

Portfolio: kyledouglasharrison.com

Nick Rudie

Nick is a freelance copywriter/CD in Minneapolis. Lots of inspiring lifestyle and outdoor projects on his site for brands like Supra Boats, Jack Link’s, CLIF Bar, Moomba Boats, Polaris, Catch Co., and Bauer Hockey (above). Makes MC want to get out there this weekend and do something active. Or, write a campaign about other people getting out there and doing something active. (Hmm.) Dig it!

Portfolio: nickrudie.com

Mick DiMaria

Mick is a freelance copywriter/CD in Los Angeles. Since his last post on MC (back on 12.15.10), he’s added a ton of projects to his site—so many, it takes two pages of thumbnails to get to them all. On the second page of projects, don’t miss “Heart Beats,” part of a branded content campaign he did with SoulPancake/Participant for Denny’s restaurants called “Denny’s Reconnection Stories.” Great story and great storytelling. Time for an update!

Portfolio: cargocollective.com/mickdimaria

Julia Sumpf

Julia is a freelance senior copywriter/CD in Berlin. (Hello, Berlin!) All kinds of beautiful storytelling on her site for brands like Google, eBay, MINI, Spotify, and more. Most of her site is in German, but the descriptions are in English and the stories go beyond language. Don’t miss her short films for Google Pixel. Nice.

Portfolio: juliasumpf.com

Newton Cox

Newton is a senior copywriter freelancing in Los Angeles, previously at Innocean and Deutsch. Since his last post on MC (back on 09.20.16), he’s been busy. All kinds of new projects on his site for Hyundai and Volkswagen, plus some of his work from Jimmy Kimmel Live back in the day. (So cool.) Time for an update!

Portfolio: newtcox.com

Ben McCoy

Ben is a freelance copywriter/ACD in NYC who has done work for agencies like Saatchi, McCann, and Barbarian for clients like Crest, USAA, and Samsung (above). His “Too Easy” campaign shows how “Samsung’s Smart TV can do just about anything from connecting with your smart devices to customizing its built-in features.” Like cancelling your kid’s band practice. Daaaaaad.

Portfolio: bendoesads.com

Mike Haftel

Mike Haftel is a freelance copywriter in San Francisco. (Mike’s been on MC a few times over the years, always great to see his portfolio updates.) Since his last post on MC in 2018, he’s added a bunch of new work to his site including a cool trailer for Alan Wake 2 (AKQA), a psychological/survival horror game. At the time of this post, the launch trailer is up for a Clio and Golden Joystick Award. Niiiice.

Portfolio: mikehaftel.com

Dave Kuhl

Dave is a freelance copywriter/ACD in Portsmouth, NH. Since his last post on MC (way back on 03.05.14), he’s been on quite a journey—including starting his own boutique agency, Love & The Machine, and a 3-year stint as an in-house ACD at Bauer Hockey. (Don’t miss his “Mayor of Boomtown” and “The Women’s Movement Never Stops” campaigns for Bauer.) Definitely time for an update.

Portfolio: kuhlproductions.com

Ryan Prescott

Ryan is a senior copywriter in NYC. Cool variety of projects for some killer clients on his site, including Pepsi (“Nickname Everything” with Luke Kuechly of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, above), Budweiser OOH, Bud Light, BIC, and Sony. Don’t miss his IG personal project, RP the Influencer, Ryan’s take on social influencer-ness. So painfully influential.

Portfolio: ryanprescott.carbonmade.com

Seth Prandini

Seth is a freelance copywriter/ACD in Santa Monica. He spent the first 11+ years of his career at one shop, RPA, and since then has freelanced for a long list of agencies that would make any writer jealous, including Crispin, Goodby, 72andSunny, WONGDOODY, PHENOMENON, Saatchi, and 180LA. (Nice.) Be sure to check out his photo filter for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (so simple) and his video for Google Play Music (above). Good times.

Portfolio: cargocollective.com/seth_prandini_copywriter

Mike Haftel

emoji

Mike is a freelance senior copywriter in San Francisco. Since his last post on MC (back on 01.09.15), he’s been busy. His new projects include a social media launch for the Xbox One X “Feel True Power” campaign (above), creative strategy and a cinematic spot for Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six: Siege game, and a global 360 campaign for Microsoft Cloud. Time for an update!

Portfolio: mikehaftel.com

Dave Fox

cowboy

Dave is a freelance copywriter/CD in Dallas. He’s got a ton of cool projects for Coors on his site, plus all kinds of hilarity. Like his campaign for the Gay Rodeo (above). And his Pi Day Rap for PizzaInn. And his Virtualdave 2.0 project, which is the first time MC has seen “Creative Partying” as a category tag. Would like to see more of it, please!

Portfolio: davefoxwrites.com

Nick Kamei

nacho

Nick is a freelance interactive art director/ACD in Los Angeles. So many fun projects on his site, including “What’s In Santa’s Beard” Scratch-Its for the Oregon Lottery, Burton’s Mountain Festival & US Snowboarding Open sponsored by MINI, Lexus projects for a VERY popular movie (pass: wakanda2018), and the NachoTron 3000 for Mission Foods (above). Nachos and long copy ads print ads—what’s more delicious than that? Nothing. Nothing is more delicious than that.

Portfolio: nickkamei.com

Al Merry

readyforlove

Al is a freelance copywriter/CD in NYC, previously at Wieden + Kennedy in Amsterdam, NYC, and London, BBH before that. Holy smokes what a portfolio. There are so many amazing Nike projects on Al’s site, it’s almost a crime not to feature one of them. However, the above spot for Gap just killed MC when it came out, so it’s the one. But please, grab a beverage of your choice and a comfy chair, and take your time with Al’s site. It’s awesome.

Portfolio: alastairmerry.com

Nechama Muchnik

unsick

Nechama is a copywriter in NYC. All kinds of super smart ideas on her site including Unsick Day for America’s Health (above), Find Your Formula for Streeteasy, Before It’s Normal It’s Art for MoMA (MC’s daughter is getting those socks), and a genius idea that’s going to make 99% of copywriters seeing it think to themselves, “How did I not think of that???” Biters by Oral-B, pens that improve your oral hygiene while you chew ’em. Brilliant.

Portfolio: nmuchnik.com

Tim Ryan

ww2commission

Tim is a freelance art director/copywriter/CD-in-one based in Maryland. He’s got a new site showcasing years of work across just about every product category there is, from The Washington Post to the Library of Congress, Mercedes to the World War 1 Centennial Commission (above). Before advertising, he was a trucker who drove everything from Macks to Autocars, Internationals to Freightliners. MC has only driven a big truck once, a 26-foot Penske, got it stuck in a Wendy’s drive-thru in Nebraska. Tip o’ the hat, Tim.

Portfolio: timryancreative.com

Hugh Gurin

justice

Hugh is a freelance copywriter/CD in San Francisco (and a good friend to MC). Been a little more than two years since Hugh’s last post (12.10.15), and since then he’s been busy. He’s got 32 projects up on his site—and like a gazillion killer headlines. Don’t miss his first project for UC Hastings (above). Truth.

Portfolio: hughgurin.com

Jane Harrison

spreadoneNAVC

Jane is a long-time freelance copywriter/CD in Orlando (but willing to travel). She’s worked with an eclectic mix of clients over the years, including Turner Classic Movies, Shutterfly, NBA City, CIBC Bank (North America), Cable & Wireless (Grand Cayman Island), and the North American Veterinary Community (above). Always interesting to see the difference between how a permalance creative executes their site (aiming for clients) versus an agency or in-house creative (aiming for a job). Dig it.

Portfolio: rightcreative.com

Jeff Oswald

dude

Jeff is a freelance senior writer/ACD in Chicago. It’s been over two years since his last post on MC (04.23.15), so way past time for an update. Don’t miss his Bud Light page, featuring Conan (“Vroom-vroom party starter” heh-heh) and “Dude Vegas.” MC has but one word. Dude.

Portfolio: jeffoswaldwriter.com

Cameron Day

bag

Cameron is a freelance writer/CD in Austin. He’s the son of Guy Day (co-founder of Chiat/Day) and the “PAST” page on his site is a who’s-who list of amazing clients and agencies. Clicking through his work, you see why—great writing all over the place. So what does MC choose to feature? A grocery bag, of course! It just perfectly sums up what a copywriter’s portfolio should be about. You may spend 30 years writing the hell out of everything from Super Bowl TV to Rolling Stone print, but in the end it’s that grocery bag you nailed that makes it to the top. Great writing is great writing, no matter where it appears. Love it.

Portfolio: iamcameronday.com

Aaron Spratt

luci

Aaron is a freelance copywriter/ACD in the DC area. Since his last post on MC (08.19.13), Aaron’s got an updated site and all kinds of new work including a bunch of projects for good: MPOWERD Luci portable solar light (above), Colon Cancer Alliance “Love Your Butt,” and crazy Car-Free Diet Show. Definitely time for an update.

Portfolio: aaronspratt.com

Robert Borges

tyranny

Robert is a freelance copywriter/CD in Denver. One of MC’s favorite things about running MC is getting to see the different paths that writers take to becoming awesome writers & CDs. From Robert: “I’ve lived some life, been some places, worked mostly in the ad biz on some cool brands, at some cool shops. I’m a classic late bloomer: graduated college @27, took up fishing @28, snowboarding @32, Harley Riding @37, currently mastering the nuances of FB community management.” Yup. That’s how you do it.

Portfolio: rborgescreative.com