Professional Summary

Mikey leads creative teams to award-winning work and long-lasting client relationships. He’s an integrated campaign specialist, pushing suppliers and clients to boost sales while staying under budget. An art director at heart that can’t stop writing. A leader of international commercial productions with clients of all levels.He steers squads through multiple projects while reducing stress, keeping things positive and productive.

Skills

Team Leadership, Creative Presentation, Client Relationships, Strategy, Brand Creation, Campaign Development, Art Direction, Commercial Scripting, Design, Copywriting, Audiovisual Production, Website Design, Social media, Video Editing, All Adobe CS, Figma, Music Engineering

FREELANCE - Creative Director 2019-2022

Agencies - Vail Resorts, Integer, Jack Morton, Doe-Anderson, Arc Worldwide 

Brand Clients - McDonald’s, Vail Resorts, Maker’s Mark, Maui Jim

• Oversaw creative communications for the McDonald’s Worldwide Conference ‘22 

• Developed a new creative campaign for Maui Jim 

VMLY&R CHICAGO - Creative Director 2017-2019 

Clients - Mini Babybel, Hillshire Farm 

• Collaborated with Disney/Pixar for the launch of Toy Story 4, creating a co-branded TV spot for Mini-Babybel with a sweepstakes promo. 

• Shorty-Award Winner for Hillshire Farm’s short video recipes featuring a talking Lit’l Smokie.

CAVALRY - Associate Creative Director 2016-2017

Clients- Corona, Iron Energy, Kim Crawford, Marzetti Simple Harvest Dips, Modelo, Whirlpool, Woodbridge Wine, Meiomi 

 • Launched the hit new product Corona Premier with an integrated campaign through Broadcast, OOH, social media and events in partnership with the PGA. 

 • Oversaw the creative for Mini Babybel and its 3D-animated cheese character. We collaborated with Pixar for the launch of Toy Story 4, creating a co-branded TV spot and sweepstakes promo. 

 • Winner of a Shorty-Award for Hillshire Farm’s short video recipes featuring a talking Lit’l Smokie.  

LEO BURNETT - AD, Sr. AD, Associate Creative Director 2009-2016

Accounts - High Noon Vodka, Samsung, Altria, Beretta, Centrum, ComEd, Harley Davidson 

 • When wine giant E. & J. Gallo came to us with nothing but a vodka recipe – My partner and I created the casual day-drinking vodka brand High Noon and its down-to-earth campaign. High Noon is sky-rocketing, becoming one of the most profitable brands in the category. 

 • Winner of a Cannes Lion for creating the Samsung Voices of Life campaign with my partner, helping mothers share their heart and voice with their premature babies in the NICU. 

 • Samsung Cannes Lions 2016 Marketer of the Year. 

 • Concepted and developed the #momentofnote social media campaign for Samsung’s Galaxy Note S generating millions of views and thousands of user-generated content posts. 

 • Working with Altria brands – I navigated FDA rules and regulations to make responsible advertising to users of age-restricted products.   

FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY 2005-2009

BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) Graphic Design