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.
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 + 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
London International Awards
Clios
One Show
Art Director’s Club
The Drum Awards
Webby Awards
Shorty Awards
Andy Awards
ADDYs
New York Festivals (Shortlist)
Creative Pool Annual Awards
Jay Chiat Awards
Obie Awards
CIMA (Chicago Interactive Media Awards) Star
Marcom Awards Honorable Mention
2018 Best Tourism Marketing Campaign — Illinois Governor’s Conference on Tourism
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