Category Archives: Chicago

Senior Team Wanted: Cramer-Krasselt, Chicago

Craig Likhite, VP/Creative Manager at Cramer-Krasselt, is on the hunt for a senior team (senior art director + senior copywriter) to join their team in Chicago. From Craig:

We are looking for an individual or team to help us continue to make friends, not ads. You’ll work across integrated clients like Tropicana, Porsche, Corona Hard Seltzer, Spirit Airlines, Pacifico, Cedar Fair Parks, and more. The position is based in our Chicago office. All C-Kers will have a hybrid work schedule when we return to the office in January 2022.  

The team we’re looking for already has a great portfolio – broadcast/film as well as fully integrated campaigns.  Let’s see some non-traditional thinking, too (PR-driven ideas /brand acts). 

You will be equal parts concept-driven and design-driven. Someone who puts the idea before execution. And then, crafts the ever-loving hell out of that idea. This is an individual, or a team, who thinks about who would direct, DOP, and edit it all. A team who lives to produce work that makes their colleagues jealous. Who goes for not just a great PR idea but wants that idea on the cover of Archive. 

If this is you, then you should join us.

To apply, visit C-K’s careers page here. Or reach out to Craig at Clikhite@c-k.com.

Alice Crippa

Alice is a copywriter/ACD/innovation catalyst at FCB Chicago. Since her last post on MC (on 07.08.15, almost exactly six years ago), she’s been busy. Don’t miss her epic video “Call From Nature” for Michelob Ultra Pure Gold. And be sure to check out her Travel Ads radio spots for Radio Flyer (so good). Definitely time for an update.

Portfolio: alicecrippa.me

Patrick French

Patrick is a copywriter/senior creative at FCB Chicago, working remotely from NYC. All kinds of cool projects up on his site for brands like NBA 2k, Blue Shield, Glad, plus a Michelob Ultra as-big-as-it-gets Super Bowl spot featuring Jimmy Fallon and everyone else. Also, don’t miss his McSweeney’s article from June 2020, “IF YOU DON’T DONATE $2 TO MY CAMPAIGN IN THE NEXT 16 MINUTES, I’LL BE FORCED TO DIVE HEAD FIRST IN FRONT OF THIS RICKSHAW.” So good.

Portfolio: mrpatrickfrench.com

Chicago Portfolio School | Winter 2021 Grads

Sarah Latz, Director of Education at Chicago Portfolio School, checks in with 13 new copywriter, art director and designer grads: RJ Dralle (copywriter), Ian Souter (copywriter), Patrick Leahy (copywriter), Abbey Blankensop (art director), Bree Bregman (art director), Cooper Brannigan (art director), Emily Panico (art director), Erin Nedelman (art director), Grace Ren (art director), Taylor Glicksberg (art director) Tiffany Mei (art director), Priscilla Cha (designer), and Rachel Fried (designer). Link to their portfolios below. Congrats to all!

Winter 2021 CPS Grad Portfolios: chicagoportfolio.com/debut

Chicago Portfolio School | Fall 2020 Grads

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!

Fall 2020 CPS Grad Portfolios: chicagoportfolio.com/debut

Kimmy Mueller

Kimmy is a new graphic designer in Chicago and a recent graduate of Chicago Portfolio School. Lots of really beautiful work on her site including rebrands for Walgreens and Oikos yogurt, a needed fix for an online Myers-Briggs personality test, work for Stoli (above), lettering and typography, logos, and more. Can’t wait to see where Kimmy lands!

Portfolio: kimmymueller.com

Casey Fielder

Casey is a junior art director on the hunt for his first gig after graduating from Creative Circus. His site was sent in by his friend Ricky Depugh who is a junior copywriter in Atlanta. How nice is that? So nice, MC is including links to both of their sites below. Some crazzeee spec campaigns on Casey’s site, including “The Savage Citrus” for Simply Grapefruit Juice (above). The video on his About Me page is pretty wild too. Can’t wait to see where he lands!

Casey Fielder’s portfolio: caseyfielderad.com

Ricky Depugh’s portfolio: ricky-depugh.com

Aaron Vick

Aaron is a copywriter/ACD at DDB in Chicago. Since his last post on MC (way back on 02.24.14), he’s completely revamped his portfolio with a bunch of new TV & video from Miller Lite, Capital One, and State Farm, plus projects for McDonald’s, Cottonelle, and the Chicago Bears. Definitely time for an update!

Portfolio: aaroncvick.com

You can also view the portfolio of Aaron’s long-time creative partner/art director, Garrett Fleming, here: cargocollective.com/garrettfleming

Daniel Goldberg

Daniel is a new copywriter in Chicago and a recent graduate of Chicago Portfolio School. (Love seeing student portfolios.) At the time of this post, his site features six spec projects for brands including McDonald’s, Motel 6, Megabus, Illinois Lottery, and Big Brothers Big Sisters. His campaign for Goldfish, highlighting the cafeteria trade value of Goldfish for kids, is super fun. Can’t wait to see where Daniel lands!

Portfolio: danieldidthis.com

Brandon Scavone

Brandon is a new copywriter and a recent graduate of Chicago Portfolio School. While he has no strong opinions on the Oxford comma, he does about using a parenthetical (learn more by reading his resume via his About Me page). Brandon’s portfolio features spec projects for big brands like Monster, Tumblr, StubHub, plus Acorns and Which Wich (featured above). Can’t wait to see where he lands!

Portfolio: onbrandscavone.com

Erin Ahern

Erin is a copywriter at Ogilvy in Chicago. Her site includes projects for Modelo, Ball Park (above), Tyson Air Fried Chicken, Morton Salt, Jimmy Dean, and Grainger. Her Ball Park campaign uses classic baseball cards to celebrate the true heroes of the game—hot dog vendors. Because, hot dogs.

Portfolio: erinoahern.com

Chicago Portfolio School: Fall 2019 Grads

Sarah Gatling Latz, Director of the Education Department at Chicago Portfolio School, checks in with portfolio links to the CPS Fall 2019 Copywriter, Art Director, and Designer grads. Congrats to all!

COPYWRITERS

Abby Myers | abby-myers.com
Alexandra Tsarpalas | alexandratsarpalas.com 
Brian Meyer  | brnmyr.com
Conner Schrock | connerschrock.com
Madison Kopp | madisonkopp.com
Matt McGrane | mattmcgrane.com
Sophia Campanelli | sophiacampanelli.com 
Taylor Smith | taylorwordsmith.com

ART DIRECTORS

Amanda Gebelhoff | amandagebelhoff.com
Claudia Testa | claudiatesta.com
Erin Ploen  | erinploen.com
Grace Duffy | graceduffycreative.com
Rafael Costa | theredninjaturtle.com

DESIGNERS

Jao ChiShan  | jaochishan.com 
Grace Kosner | gracekosner.com
Jessie Pomper jessiepomper.com
Katie Danaher | katiedanaher.com
Kara Kopec karakopec.com

Feel free to contact the grads or connect with Sarah for an intro.

Taylor Ann Smith

Taylor is a new copywriter and a recent graduate of Chicago Portfolio School on the hunt for her first gig. She’s got spec projects on her site for clients like Starbucks (above), Harley-Davidson, 4OCEAN, Tumblr, Unbound Babes, Framebridge, and LUSH Cosmetics. Also, be sure to check out her photography page, “The Pics.” It’s like getting a copywriter and a photographer with one hire. Can’t wait to see where she lands!

Portfolio: taylorwordsmith.com

Sophia Campanelli

Sophia is a new copywriter and a recent graduate of Chicago Portfolio School. (Congrats, Sophia!) She’s got an adorable campaign for Kraft Singles in her portfolio (above), celebrating small milestones in the life of a kid, which never actually feel small when you’re a kid. In addition to copywriting, Sophia also has a talent for naming colors. Check out her “Colors” page to view “Caramel macchiato with oat milk. Not almond.” and “Dehydrated pee.” Nice.

Portfolio: sophiacampanelli.com

Rose Gaylen

Rose is a new copywriter in Chicago and a recent Chicago Portfolio School grad. (Big congrats!) Her portfolio at the time of this posting features five projects for Everlane, Beefeater Gin, Svalbard Tourism (got to be a first for MC), Azteca Tortillas, and Garnier Fructis (above). From her About page: “What I like most about copywriting is the research you get to do beforehand.” Agreed.

Portfolio: rosegaylen.com

Copywriter Wanted: Two by Four, Chicago

Hero_Job-Detail

Becky Stevenson, HR/Operations Director at Two by Four in Chicago, is on the hunt for a Copywriter/Great Idea Generator. From Two by Four:

“Is your brain a petri dish for great ideas? Do they bounce around in your head like pinballs on crack? If so, perhaps you’d like to see them come to fruition as a Great Idea Generator: Copywriter at Two by Four. We’re in the market for a kick-ass writer – someone who not only gets it, but does it. An inventive, surprising, passionate thinker, someone who can take a strategy and conceptually turn it on its ear. A self-motivated, self-aware self-starter, with an understanding of mediums from television to web, print to guerilla – and everything in between. Oh, and did we mention you’ll be doing this at breakneck speed? Buckle your seatbelt. If you think you’ve got what it takes, give us a shout. You may be the right writer for the job.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Develop fantastic creative concepts, seen through to execution
  • Come at things from refreshingly unique angles; don’t just show us the expected stuff: surprise us, excite us, wow us, and make us happy we hired you
  • Do create work that makes our clients, the agency and your parents proud
  • Don’t be a prima donna; if you are, trust us – you won’t last very long here
  • Raise your hand when you’re not busy. Volunteer. Engage. Immerse yourself. Help out wherever you can. Make yourself indispensable. We’ll notice, you’ll benefit.
  • Depending on experience level, present work to clients; in any event, you’ll be working towards that goal – we don’t want you to go to every client meeting
  • Keep track of your hours and do your time sheets on time; yes, this matters
  • Oh, and other thing: we start at 8:30; yes, this matters, too – set your alarm accordingly
  • Roll up your sleeves, put on your thinking cap and dive headfirst into new business – we’ve won a ton of new biz this year alone. Want an opportunity to grow? This is it.
  • Stand out, but fit in. This is one helluva fun place to work, with a really cool agency culture. Be a part of it.

Qualifications / Skills Required for this Position:

  • Enough experience to let us know that you know what you’re doing.
  • A really nice body of work.
  • Being a grown-up. We don’t want to have to watch over you all the time, and you don’t want that either. If you can’t work without supervision, this won’t work.
  • A general understanding of how things work in advertising, including radio production and tv production, print production, web development, etc.”

For more info or to apply email Becky at: resumes@twoxfour.com

Caroline Chen

adler

Caroline is a digidesignwriterist/ECD at SOCIALDEVIANT in Chicago. Since her last post on MC (way back on November 9, 2011) she’s been busy. All kinds of cool projects on her site for clients like the Adler Planetarium (above), Presence Health, Corner Bakery Cafe, Mercedes-Benz, and the Affordable Care Act. Also, don’t miss her Lone Blockbuster project. So funny.

Portfolio: caroline-chen.com

Anna Crane

oldspice

Anna is a copywriter moving to Chicago in April, looking for her next thing. Since her last post on MC (09.24.16, after graduating from Creative Circus), she spent a year at New Honor Society in St. Louis before deciding to make the move. Her portfolio is a mix of produced and student work—which is so fun to see. Where’s she going to land? Stay tuned!

Portfolio: annacrane.co

Steve Horn

conan

Steve is a senior copywriter at Digitas in Chicago. He’s got fun projects for some fun brands on his site, including Maytag, Duluth Trading Co., KitchenAid, and Conan (above). Don’t miss the outdoor campaign he did for Conan in Berlin (and check out the video that goes with it). Hilarious.

Portfolio: stevenjameshorn.com

Eduardo Vea Keating

mexicochicago

Eduardo is a copywriter/CD from Spain who’s been living and working in Chicago for the past six years—and is currently at DDB Chicago. Lots of cool outdoor and experiential stuff on his site, including projects for Mexico.com (above) and MINI (love the chairlift). Which makes sense, because he also has a second Behance site showing off his art, design and sculpture projects. Love it.

Portfolio: behance.net/eduportfolio

Mike Beamer

cubs

Mike is a copywriter/CD at FCB in Chicago. Since his last post on MC a year ago, Mike has added a St. Louis Children’s TV campaign, an Illinois Tourism TV campaign and some other Illinois-made videos and OOH to his site. But his favorite update is an Illinois Tourism print ad in Sports Illustrated congratulating his beloved Cubs for winning the World Series (published in the World Series commemorative issue). Yessssss.

Portfolio: thismikebeamer.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

Amy Creyer

claw-hand

Amy is a copywriter/ACD at Momentum in Chicago. Before becoming a copywriter, she got her start in advertising as a professional influencer. From Amy: “At the height of fashion blogging popularity my street-style blog, ChicagoStreetStyle.com, had 1.4 million annual uniques. As a one-woman content shop I landed projects with major brands like Burberry and Microsoft, and I was an official Maxxinista for T.J.Maxx. Through the process of these partnerships, I discovered that what I loved most about being creative for a living is thinking of the Big Idea. So I made the conscious decision to leave influencing and join the agency world. Here in Chicago I’ve worked at Schafer Condon Carter, FCB Chicago, and the Leo Burnett Group. Currently I’m an Associate Creative Director at Momentum Worldwide’s Chicago office, where I dream up transformative experiences for clients like Mondelez and United Airlines.” Love it.

Portfolio: amycreyer.com