As a kid, I ate a lot of cereal. The sweeter, the better. And the cooler the character on the box, the better. While I shoveled spoonfuls of crunchy, sugary goodness into my mouth, I imagined myself making those fun commercials featuring Count Chocula and his monster pals, Toucan Sam, Cap'n Crunch, and Sonny the Cuckoo Bird. I swore that one day I would do it for a living. So I decided advertising copywriting was my calling. And although I still haven't created the next Snap, Crackle, Pop, I've done some crunchy, sugary work that I'm truly proud of for clients that I really enjoyed doing it for.
Now, with 35 years of experience as a copywriter and creative director in and around the Philadelphia area, working for agencies such as Ketchum, Brownstein, Digitas Life Brands, and others, I believe my cereal addiction pointed me in the right direction. I've dug deep into brand campaigns for Microsoft, Pizza Hut, the New Jersey Lottery, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Astra Zeneca, DuPont, EpiPen, Mylan, Sam's Club, Fuji Bikes, and many other consumer, pharma, and business-to-business accounts. With experience that includes traditional print and broadcast advertising—of course, digital—creating campaigns that live in media we only dreamed of when I was a young whippersnapping ad writer. Today, besides providing my copywriting in a freelance capacity, I'm also a managing partner with my creative sidekick, Buzz Miller, in our own agency called PINE. Visit us at www.pinephilly.com.
Most recently, I spent time in the pharma agency world, working on accounts that have been global in size to launching a new orphan treatment for 2,000 patients. From EpiPen to Crestor, and epilepsy to insomnia. Sure, it's not cereal, but it's helping a lot of people out there.
And, with a bit of humility, I should tell you that I've won numerous regional and national advertising awards for some of that work, including MM&M awards, local and national Addys, and Mercury Radio Awards.
I also spend time imparting my wisdom on eager advertising students as an adjunct professor at Temple University. As a teacher, I've learned and grown more than I have ever imagined. Mentorship has become one of my most cherished roles.
Currently, I reside in Philly with a couple of cool cats, a shelf full of cereal mascot bobble heads, and a constant desire to keep doing great work.