Category Archives: Schools

Creative Circus Week 2011 – Mike Gallucci

Going through the Circus CW grad books, you notice a couple of things. One, they were a tight group. Lots of references to each other in bios and photos of each other in their work. Lots of collaboration. Two, it seems like half of them were in rock bands or pseudo rock bands. Mike Gallucci was 1/2 of Soft Serve, one-hit wonder band (with fellow Circus CW grad Matt Vitou). Make sure you check that out. Also, don’t miss his crazy video for Hamilton Beach Blenders, and his Yelp reviews for himself.

Portfolio: cargocollective.com/mikegallucci

Creative Circus Week 2011 – Mike Haftel

Mike is an intern at Strawberry Frog in NYC. Not only is he a talented writer, but check out his photo section. Lots of portfolios out there with photography as bonus sections, but Mike’s is great. Also check out Amplify: The Project. Awesome.

Portfolio: mikehaftel.com

Creative Circus Week 2011 – Blake Solomon

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The first thing you’ll notice about Blake’s portfolio site is Blake. Lots of Blake. Funny. Make sure you check out his campaign for McDonald’s, in which Ronald McDonald takes off the face paint and reveals himself as just Ron. A guy like you and me, but with a clown wig.

Portfolio: blakesolomon.com

Tom Wilson

Tom is a copywriter/CD in Chicago. His portfolio is just awesome, but his print section (“READ”) is especially sick: Altoids, Porsche, Gatorade, Bahamas. Yes, please.

Portfolio: hiretomwilson.com

Louis Wittig

Louis is a junior copywriter at iNDELIBLE in NYC. His portfolio features a campaign for the American Heart Association that uses the nastiness of pizza grease to deliver its message in an ingenious way (above). His portfolio also features an app for Little Caesars pizza. And there, my friends, is the copywriter conundrum. We saveth from heart attack. We selleth the heart attack.

Portfolio: louiswittig.com

Greg Gerstner

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Greg is a copywriter/ACD at Ogilvy NYC. Love how his site is written. Nothing on the home page, just clean. History and Honors is thorough but minimal. For each campaign, there’s just the right amount of set-up (when set-up is needed). And credits are fully blown-out, awards show-style.

Portfolio: greggerstner.com

Gino Click

Gino is a copywriter in San Francisco, previously a Social Media Copywriter at Mekanism. If you’re like MC, you found that title interesting. Social Media Copywriter is awesome on your rez, for sure. And there are killer examples of it on Gino’s site. But does that mean no writing traditional or digital while in that position? Does it mean no social media for the rest of us? Hmm.

Portfolio: ginoclick.com

Matt Bowne

Matt is a senior copywriter at Barkley in Kansas City. Bunch of fun work on his site, including Sonic Drive-in, Blue Bunny Ice Cream, Krispy Kreme, Mr. Coffee and plenty more. The caption above his Sonic TV spots simply says, “These commercials increased sales by 1000%. I’m sure of it.” How many times have I wanted to write that? Also, be sure to click on Bio for one of the most awesome family photos ever.

Portfolio: mattbowneexperiment.com

Keith Zang

Keith is a senior copywriter at The Kaplan Thaler Group in NYC. This is what you get when you’re an interactive copywriter working at AKQA or Kaplan Thaler or one of those. You get yourself a custom portfolio site. Really like how simple it is to nav. You can jump around and see the whole thing in just a few minutes, which is rare for a portfolio full of interactive work. Nice.

Portfolio: keithzang.com

Matty Smith

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Matty is a copywriter at Barton F. Graf9000, the new Gerry Graf shop that just nabbed Eric Kallman from W+K. Is there a cooler place to be? No. So, how did Matty get the gig? Well, he’s got a Master’s Degree from VCU Brandcenter AND he was an Eagle Scout. Once again proving MC’s theory that drummers, comedians, surfers and scouts make good copywriters. Of course, Gerry already knew this.

Portfolio: mattysmith.com

Matt Vitou

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Matt is a new copywriter/co-lead singer at W+K Shanghai after graduating from Creative Circus. (MC’s first China entry. Love it.) What kind of portfolio are they looking for at the W+K on the other side of the world? Here’s your chance to find out.

Portfolio: cargocollective.com/mattvitou

Jamie Schwarz

Jamie is a copywriter in NYC. First, check out his work. Then, check out his rez. Since graduating from Miami Ad School in 2005, he’s worked at a couple of shops, freelanced at a bunch, and is now about to launch an eco-denim company. Which, to MC, seems to perfectly align with the CWs coming out of Miami Ad School (influenced by CP+B), which Jamie attended. Entrepreneurs, idea factories, world tours.

Portfolio: jaimeschwarz.com

VCU Brandcenter Week 2011 – CW Grads

Ladies and gentlemen, MC is honored to present the portfolio sites of the 2011 VCU Brandcenter graduating copywriters (in alphabetical order):

Adam Aceino – aceino.com

Bill Carlson – wrcarlson.com

Scott Cleveland – scottrcleveland.com

Ryan Contillo – ryancontillo.com

Sam Dolphin – samdolph.in

Jeff Hornung – jeffreyhornung.com

Lane Karczewski – lanekarczewski.com

Richard Langhorne – richardlanghorne.com

Brian Naujelis – briannaujelis.com

Simon Philion – simonphilion.com

Samantha Ridgway – samridgway.com

Lauren Simon – llsimon.com

David Sloan – meamdavid.com

Jennifer Stopka – jenniferstopka.com

Julian Tippins – juliantippins.com

Rebecca Ullman – rebeccaullman.com

Adam Wolinsky – heckvetica.com

Claire Wyckoff – clairewyckoff.com

VCU Brandcenter Week 2011 – Simon Philion

Another stand-up comic. Another affiliation with the Upright Citizen’s Brigade. Another killer student book proving that: #1 Comedians make awesome copywriters and #2 VCU is one of the top copywriting schools for comedians on the planet.

Portfolio: simonphilion.com

VCU Brandcenter Week 2011 – Lane Karczewski

Lane is one of the lucky VCU Brandcenter grads who’s already landed a gig. He’ll be ripping it up at AKQA in San Francisco on Audi. How fun is that? So fun. Look out SoMa. Here comes Lane.

Portfolio: lanekarczewski.com

VCU Brandcenter Week 2011 – Rebecca Ullman

Check out Rebecca’s cool campaigns for Foursquare, Hanes, Mini Thrill Rides, and Carfax. Love the writing of her site, too. Rebecca’s got a wicked smart, snappy voice that’s just fun to read. Almost as fun as her Visual Addendum page, featuring the above photo. Quality.

Portfolio: rebeccaullman.com

VCU Brandcenter Week 2011 – Adam Wolinsky

VCU is so hooked into the industry, you know that themes in VCU student books are themes agencies are asking to see. In Adam’s, one of those themes is loud and clear: crazy innovation. Or, outlandish entrepreneurial strategic grenades. Something like that. He’s got an end-of-the-world campaign for Costco, Get Gay Married human rights campaign, one for an even faster version of Ramen, and a New Balance race for seniors called The Geriathlon.

Portfolio: heckvetica.com

VCU Brandcenter Week 2011 – Claire Wyckoff

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MC has often said that surfers make good copywriters. Surfers and drummers. Got another one to add to that list: comedians. Don’t know if she surfs or drums, but Claire is funny. Before VCU, she studied improv at Middlebury College, and at Improv Olympic and Upright Citizen’s Brigade. It shows. Smart, hilarious, fantastic writing all over her portfolio.

Portfolio: clairewyckoff.com

Craig Miller

Craig is a copywriter/CD at CP+B. The work on his site is presented as a simple reel, or downloadable reel/book. If you’re like MC, you see copywriter/CD at CP+B and you’re like, “Oh damn. This one’s going to kill.” Guess what? It kills.

Portfolio: craigmillercreative.com

Ryan Raab

Ryan is a copywriter at CP+B. As David Roth, copywriter and friend of MC put it, “probably no person with 2.5 years of experience with more work to show for it.” (Thanks for the heads-up, David.) Wow.

Portfolio: ryanraab.virb.com

Will Gorman

Will is a copywriter at Venables Bell in SF. Been there four years, after graduating from Circus. Check out his ComedyFetish.com campaign. Sick. In PRINT/OOH, check out his Slim Jim T-shirt. Brilliant.

Portfolio: thebookofgorman.com

Jane Koh

Jane is a freelance copywriter in Madison, formerly at Leo Burnett. Her portfolio is classic Burnett, featuring work for Special K, Go-Tarts and Secret. Click into Broadcast and then scroll down to Go-Tarts. Casting is priceless.

Portfolio: copybyjanekoh.com

Greg Hunter

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Greg is a copywriter/ACD at Firehouse in Dallas. He’s got a brand new site that’s loaded with killer work. Don’t misses: Spike TV, Full Throttle + NHRA, K-Y, and Mother Candles.

Portfolio: cargocollective.com/greghunter

Jeff Van Zandt

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Jeff is a copywriter/ACD at Cramer-Krasselt in Milwaukee. (Brand new gig, big congrats Jeff.) Check out this note to Jeff from Jason Alexander, after Jason received Jeff’s first script for his Jenny Craig Video Blog, “Jeff, I am literally blown away. Brilliant. I couldn’t have said it better. You truly got my voice down. I have no notes and anyone who knows me knows that is a first. It’s perfect. Go with it and thank you. If I ever run for office you are hired as my official speechwriter. Happy holidays. I’m telling my wife that I am blown away or in the words of George, ‘I am speechless. I am without speech’.” Nice.

Portfolio: vzcreative.com

Howard Hill

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Howard is a senior copywriter in NYC. His site features integrated work for six clients, plus a one-shots page, plus a page of outtakes. I recommend you click into DIRECTV and watch the Wayne’s World brand spot. Then go down to Outtakes and watch the Wayne stand-in just melt under the pressure of trying to say a lead-in line to Kim Basigner. Who wouldn’t?!

Portfolio: krop.com/howardhill

Thomas Kuhn

Thomas is a junior copywriter at BBDO Germany. How much does MC enjoy posting sites from outside the States? Lots. (Hint: Send ’em!) So cool to see what kind of opportunities junior writers get at BBDO Germany. Don’t miss: Sharpie Extra Fine. Dig it.

Portfolio: thomas-kuhn.com

Adam Gothelf

Adam is a recent Miami Ad School grad in NYC, looking for his first copywriting gig. You know what you don’t see much of in student portfolios these days? Good radio. Check out “Peet’s Coffee” on Adam’s site, which landed him a 2nd Place Student Mercury Award. Nice.

Portfolio: gothelf.tv

Kevin Steele

Kevin is a copywriter at WONGDOODY in Los Angeles, been there since May 2010 after graduating from Circus. What a great shop to land at right out of school. Such an awesome time in the career. Getting killer work produced, swapping out student campaigns for real stuff in the book, staying at Shutters when you’re like 25 years old and two nights’ hotel bill is equal to one month’s paycheck. But who cares? You thought up a giant skeleton outdoor board while you were peeing in the shower one morning and someone paid $200k to build the thing. (Just made that up. Not Kevin’s actual story.) Love it.

Portfolio: cargocollective.com/kevinsteele

UPDATE – Steven Tornello

Steven is a copywriter/ACD at AKQA. He’s got a shiny new site that begins with an absolutely hilarious Website Orientation Video Program. Love it love it love it.

Portfolio: steveohville.com

Jean Morrow

Jean is a Miami Ad School grad and a new copywriter at Evolution Bureau in San Francisco. What a fun book she got out of MAS. Long copy (Canon), tequila app (Cuervo), beautiful art direction (Cowgirl), cool product ideas (Avis + Celestial), and nakedness (Maxim). Good times.

Portfolio: cargocollective.com/jeanmorrow