Hi. I'm Blase, an award-winning, attention-seeking, Chicago-based creative director/copywriter with a conceptual approach and over 12 years of experience including earned, social, activations, broadcast, print, digital, radio and some things I’d rather not talk about.
Currently available for freelance.
E. Blase.Mnich@gmail.com
P. 847.401.4842
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 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 pitches for T-Mobile, Samsung and Eli Lilly.
AdAge / AdWeek / The Drum / Reel 360
Ogilvy & Mather Chicago
Copywriter
Dec 2013 - Jan 2018
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
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
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
Telly Awards - Silver People’s Choice - Beef Baby
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 - 2018 Best Tourism Marketing Campaign — Take a Stand Center, Illinois Holocaust Museum
Chicago Interactive Media Awards Star - Winner - Cross-Channel Campaign- Amana Life.Simplified
Marcom Awards (Student) - Honorable Mention - “Silence is Golden” Chicago Fire Department PSA
PRESS
Ad Age
AdWeek
Agency Spy
Creativity Editor’s Pick
DigiDay
The Drum
Forbes
Crain’s
People Magazine
Gizmodo
Glossy
MediaPost
Chicago Tribune
Reel 360/Reel Chicago
The Chicago Egotist
ABC
FOX
WGN
Access Live
Hypebeast
Thrillist
Trendhunter
Elite Daily
Food & Wine
EDUCATION
Columbia College Chicago
2005 - 2009
B.A. Marketing Communications | Advertising Concentration