Hi. I'm Blase, an award-winning Chicago-based creative director/copywriter with a conceptual approach and over 10 years of experience including earned, social, activations, broadcast, print, digital, radio and some things I’d rather not talk about.
Currently available for freelance and maybe full-time if we both have the adver-hots for each other.
E. Blase.Mnich@gmail.com
P. 847.401.4842
Freelance Creative (current)
- Havas Chicago Jan-Feb 2025
- Jack Morton March 2025
- Quality Meats June 2025
- Spiro June 2025
- NameOfYourAgencyHere Soon, probably.
The Kitchen at Kraft Heinz
Associate Creative Director | Head Hotdog of the Glizzy Gang
Aug 2021 - April 2024
Creative lead on Oscar Mayer, Velveeta, and Jet-Puffed.
Built and led a creative team of six writers, art directors and content creators. Collaborated with chronically-online strategists and social managers to produce engaging and PR-worthy activations, campaigns and reactive content, including:
#SaveBaconHairs — a reactive, multi-channel campaign in response to Roblox’s removal of the popular bacon hair avatar.
#OscarTakeMeToProm — a reactive-social, promposal contest that gave students a chance to win a ride to prom in the Wienermobile.
Queso Pong — an outrageous new way to promote the consumption of Velveeta queso in the hot summer sun when sales slump.
#GoSmorgazing — an awareness campaign that combined stargazing and s’more-making to promote Jet-Puffed’s glow-in-the-dark bag.
Beef Baby — an influencer partnership with the I Smell Like Beef kid to help launch Oscar Mayer’s new beef hotdogs.
The 12 days of Oscar — an “Oscar-fied” take on the iconic X-mas carol and Oscar Mayer’s first jingle in nearly 50 years.
One Show Bronze + 3 Shortlists / The Drum Awards Best in Social Media, 2 Silver + 3 Shortlists / Shorty Awards Gold Honor x2, Silver Honor, Bronze Honor + 7 Finalists / Webby Awards Nominee (Finalist) + 2 Honorees / Telly Awards People’s Choice Silver / New York Festivals Shortlist / Obie Awards Finalist / Ace (Internal KraftHeinz Awards) Shortlist / The Drum - U.S. Ad of the Day / Gizmodo / DailyMailUK
Side-Hustles
Share The Distance Instagram Filter
Lettering Works Candid Covid Cards
Freelance ACD | Writer
The Kitchen at Kraft Heinz
Concepted and developed Kraft’s Flvrs Club — a launch activation for new Kraft Mac & Cheese flavors.
Campaign concept development for Gevalia and Ethical Bean coffee brands.
Tried (failed) to avoid food puns.
AdAge / Crain’s / HypeBeast / Thrillist / People Mag
Leo Burnett
- Helped launch and develop the tone for 6ourbon 7ime — an award-winning Beam Suntory campaign to help encourage Americans overworking from home reclaim the 6-7pm happy hour for themselves.
- Concepted and wrote for the new Serta Arctic Mattress Launch Campaign.
Clios x3 / LIA x1 / One Show Merit x2 / ADC x1 / ANDY x1 / ADDY x5 / Jay Chiat Awards x1 / CreativePool x1 / Leo Burnett GPC Scale: 7
Jack Morton
- Concept and copy for confidential client/project.
Razorfish/Publicis Sapient/Sapient Razorfish (Permalance April 2018 - March 2020)
- Partnered with Leo Burnett to launch and work on the Esurance Surprisingly Painless campaign starring highly-likeable celeb spokesperson Dennis Quaid.
- Led day-to-day digital and social work for the campaign.
- Concepted, wrote and produced 50+ OLV, pre-roll and social spots.
- Launched Surprisingly Painless Gifting by Esurance, a line of Dennis Quaid gift wrap and honest gift-giving type things activated at two pop-up gift wrap shops in New York and Chicago.
- Launched Surprising Painless Dad’s Day Cards - shareable Father’s Day ecards.
- Created the Coinless Kettle digital poster series for the Salvation Army, a new way to donate in the cashless age.
- Threw ideas down for various projects and new business pitches for T-Mobile, Samsung and Eli Lilly.
AdAge / AdWeek / The Drum / Reel 360
Ogilvy & Mather Chicago
Copywriter
Dec 2013 - Jan 2018
- Launched The Lightest Day, Corona Light’s takeover of the Summer Solstice and urged people to ditch work early to drink beer during the summer solstice.
- Built The Lightest Bar, a (fake) bar powered by the sun to remind people to find their “lightest bar” and celebrate The Lightest Day.
- Created The Jam Poster, an interactive poster exhibit that let people create a song by touching the art at the Illinois Holocaust Museum.
- Partnered with Gilt to create Corona Light “Light Looks” - four fits made to go from the office to the patio bar.
- Pitched and won Diet Coke new business.
- Pitched and won Motorola new business.
- Pitched and lost other new business.
Key client included: Corona Light, SC Johnson (Scrubbing Bubbles, Pledge, KIWI & more), Coca Cola & Diet Coke, Tyson, CDW, Illinois Holocaust Museum & New Business.
Freelance Copywriter
Sept 2013 - Dec 2013
- FCB
- Legacy Marketing Partners
- Personal clients
Aisle Rocket Studios (ARS)
Copywriter
Jan 2011 - Sept 2013
- Cut my teeth working Whirlpool brands (Amana, KitchenAid, Gladiator GarageWorks + more) and Sears brands including Kenmore & Craftsman.
- Concepted winning idea for agency rebrand (Aisle Rocket Studios)
- Wrote print for Vermont Castings Group
- Wrote countless spam emails
Robinson & Maites
Freelance Copywriter
June 2010
FedEx Small Business
Killian Branding
Intern Copywriter
Dec 2009 - March 2010
Leo Burnett | Arc
Intern to Freelance Copywriter
Nintendo, Whirlpool & Amana, Walgreens New Business Pitch concepting, Bally Total Fitness & Blackberry (RIP lol).
AWARDS
2024
The One Show - Bronze - Brand-Side/In-House - Direct - #SaveBaconHairs
The Drum Awards - Silver - Social - CPG
The Drum Awards - Silver - Social - Integrated
Webby Awards - Nominee (Finalist) - Advertising Social Media Campaign - #OscarTakeMeToProm
Webby Awards - Honoree - Advertising Social Media Campaign - #SaveBaconHairs
Webby Awards - Honoree - Advertising Real-Time Response Campaign - #SaveBaconHairs
Telly Awards - Silver People’s Choice - Beef Baby
Shorty Awards - Gold Honor - Multi-Platform Campaign - #SaveBaconHairs
Shorty Awards - Silver Honor - Branded Content - #SaveBaconHairs
Shorty Awards - Bronze Honor - Food and Beverage - #SaveBaconHairs
Shorty Awards - Finalist - Integrated Campaign - #SaveBaconHairs
Shorty Awards - Finalist - Multi-Platform Partnership - #SaveBaconHairs
Shorty Awards - Finalist - Filter/Lens - #SaveBaconHairs
Shorty Awards - Finalist - Real-Time Response - #SaveBaconHairs
Shorty Awards - Finalist - Gamification - #SaveBaconHairs
Shorty Awards - Finalist - Humor - #SaveBaconHairs
Shorty Awards - Small Agency of the Year
Campaign UK - In-House Agency of the Year
2023
The One Show - Shortlist - Brand-Side Projects - #OscarTakeMeToProm
The One Show - Shortlist - Brand-Side Projects - Go Smoregazing
The One Show - Shortlist - OOH Craft - Go Smoregazing
Shorty Awards - Gold Honor: On a Shoestring - #OscarTakeMeToProm
Shorty Awards - Finalist - Integrated Campaign - Go Smoregazing
The Drum Awards - Winner - Social Media: Real-Time Response or Activation - #OscarTakeMeToProm
The Drum Awards - Finalist - Content: Social Media - #OscarTakeMeToProm
The Drum Awards - Finalist - Digital Advertising: Integrated - Go Smoregazing
The Drum Awards - Finalist - Out of Home: Multi-Channel Campaign - Go Smoregazing
The Drum Awards - Winner - Social In-House Team of the Year
The Drum Awards - Winner - Content In-House Team of the Year
The Drum Awards - Finalist - Digital Industries: Agency Team of the Year
New York Festivals - Shortlist - Small Budget/Big Idea - #OscarTakeMeToProm
Obie Awards - Shortlist - Custom Installation - Go Smoregazing
Ace Awards - Finalist - Creativity Design & Packaging - Go Smoregazing
2022
Clio Awards - Silver - Brand & Corporate Identity: Design - 6ourbon 7ime
Clio Awards - Silver - Design Craft: Typography - 6ourbon 7ime
Clio Awards - Bronze - Digital/Mobile & Social Media Craft: Graphic Design - 6ourbon 7ime
Clio Awards - Shortlist - Direct Marketing: Design - 6ourbon 7ime
The One Show - Merit - Interactive: Craft in Online/Mobile - 6ourbon 7ime
The One Show - Merit - Integrated Craft: Art Direction - 6ourbon 7ime
ADC - Bronze - Advertising - 6ourbon 7ime
ADC - Merit - Visual Craft / Art Direction - 6ourbon 7ime
ANDY Awards - Winner - Craft - 6ourbon 7ime
Chicago ADDY - Silver - Digital + Print Advertising - 6ourbon 7ime
2021
London International Awards 2021 - Bronze - Art Direction Campaign - 6ourbon 7ime
ADC 100th Annual Awards - Shortlist - Press - 6ourbon 7ime
Creative Pool Annual Awards - Silver - Integrated - 6ourbon 7ime
Jay Chiat Awards - Silver - National Strategy - 6ourbon 7ime
Etc.
Illinois Governor’s Conference on Tourism - Best Tourism Marketing Campaign — Take a Stand Center, Illinois Holocaust Museum (2018)
Chicago Interactive Media Awards Star - Winner - Cross-Channel Campaign - Amana Life.Simplified (2011)
Marcom Awards (Student) - Honorable Mention - “Silence is Golden” Chicago Fire Department PSA (2008)
Ava Awards (Student) - Platinum Honor - “Save Your Shirt” Spec Gillette :30 Spot (2008)
Columbia College Chicago Spot Shot Contest Winner - “Save Your Shirt” Spec Gillette :30 Spot (2008)
PRESS
Ad Age
AdWeek
Agency Spy
Creativity Editor’s Pick
DigiDay
The Drum
Forbes
Crain’s
People Magazine
Daily Mail
Gizmodo
Glossy
MediaPost
Chicago Tribune
Reel 360/Reel Chicago
The Chicago Egotist
ABC
FOX
WGN
Access Live
Hypebeast
Thrillist
Trendhunter
Elite Daily
Food & Wine
Brand Innovators
EDUCATION
Columbia College Chicago
2005 - 2009
B.A. Marketing Communications | Advertising Concentration