WHO'S THIS MIKE GUY, ANYWAY?
I think I’ve had an interesting career so far. I’ve helped build two creative departments from scratch. Made a TV spot from a WWII bunker in Poland. Fed wild lines to Joan Rivers from up a tree. Made a piece of creative that broke the internet, changed social media forever, and ended up in Twitter’s IPO. Oh, and I was almost killed.
When it comes to the work, I try to keep it simple, relatable, and insightful. When it comes to my team, I give them the opportunity, support, and, above all, respect. When it comes to myself, I just try to get some sleep once in a while. I have a tireless work ethic and try to keep the job fun and productive for everyone.
TV, social, gadgets, experiential, skywriting, doesn't matter, I can play anywhere.
WHERE I'VE BEEN
Toptal
Executive Creative Director
02/2021 - present
Head of the in-house creative department. Core responsibilities are to uplevel and increase the output of creative, grow the team to match our hyper-growth, and build a creative culture in a place that didn't have one. Check, check, check.
UEG
VP, Executive Creative Director
09/2018 - 12/2020
Head of the creative department where I expanded the capabilities of the agency, deepening our experiential thinking while flexing our social, film, and conceptual muscles.. Clients included Asics, The North Face, SC Johnson, BMW, Pernod Ricard, Little Caesars, to name a few.
Freelance
Creative Director
01/2018 - 08/2018
Worked with Chobani, Pressed Juicery, and Playboy during my self-imposed and much-deserved sabbatical.
360i
Group Creative Director
02/2011 - 12/2018
Was the first group creative director, conceptual creative, and defacto CCO at the agency until our first one was hired in July of 2012. Built the creative capabilities from the ground up. Led the OREO business that went from almost dead, creatively, to making some of the most well-known work in the industry. Took the HBO business from a small redesign assignment to handling almost every show launch in their schedule. Both businesses still work with the agency to this day. Other businesses I ran during my tenure included Diageo, Toyota, A&E, Nestlé, Ubisoft, Fox Entertainment, and New Biz, to name a few.
Razorfish
ACD / Creative Director
08/2007 - 01/2011
Part of the core team that built the marketing capability at the New York office. One of the lead creatives on the team that won, AXE, our first major piece of marcomm business. Lead creative for the AXE , Nasonex and All Laundry businesses and part of the New Biz team. Helped win the Sheraton business on my last day at the agency. Also work across with the platform
Publicis Modem
Associate Creative Director
06/2006 - 07/2008
This was my first job in the digital space (outside of writing emails at DraftFCB) and on my first day, the ECD said, "Here' you're going to be the lead creative on all things digital for Delta Air Lines." Um, ok. They were just coming out of bankruptcy and we seized on the opportunity to do some amazing work. We were some of the first movers in the Facebook apps space and created podcast programs before podcasts were podcasts. Was a great experience that jump-started my career.
DraftFCB
Senior Copywriter
04/2000 - 06/2006
It was my first real agency job, so I wrote pretty much everything from half a billion scripts for Compaq/HP to another half a billion print ads for Verizon Wireless and Avis.