Greg Rolnick
Creative Director | Copywriter | Content Strategist
San Diego, CA, USAI’m an omni-channel creative leader and communications specialist with over 13 years of agency experience in Chicago and the West Coast looking to tell compelling stories that change consumer behavior and move brands forward. I’ve had the opportunity to develop creative–and drive results–for some of the most recognizable companies in the world. An unflappable team player who strives to bring out the best in his colleagues
Comfortable working with anyone from CEOs to interns and leading teams of two or 20 (often in multiple cities at once). Passionate about new ideas, hockey, dogs, and persuasive sentence fragments.
Before joining the advertising world, served as the Promotions Director for The Onion, was a freelance writer/journalist, and worked in numerous facets of the music industry.
Clients have included: Qualcomm, Wells Fargo, HP, Purina, McDonald's, State Farm, ESPN, Lowe's Home Improvement, and more.
Specialties: Digital, Broadcast, Social, CRM, Direct, Creative Leadership, Copywriting, Creative Strategy, Promotions, Team Management, Interactive Ideation, Presentation, Witty Banter and Snappy Patter.
Comfortable working with anyone from CEOs to interns and leading teams of two or 20 (often in multiple cities at once). Passionate about new ideas, hockey, dogs, and persuasive sentence fragments.
Before joining the advertising world, served as the Promotions Director for The Onion, was a freelance writer/journalist, and worked in numerous facets of the music industry.
Clients have included: Qualcomm, Wells Fargo, HP, Purina, McDonald's, State Farm, ESPN, Lowe's Home Improvement, and more.
Specialties: Digital, Broadcast, Social, CRM, Direct, Creative Leadership, Copywriting, Creative Strategy, Promotions, Team Management, Interactive Ideation, Presentation, Witty Banter and Snappy Patter.
Work Experience
Tandem Diabetes Care
Creative Director
Lead in-house creative team to manage and evolve Tandem Diabetes Care corporate and product visual identities and language to ensure consistency across mediums, including print, digital, web and video. Collaborate closely with marketing, corporate and product development to design creative concepts that reflect the brand's visual identity and advance multi-channel campaigns.
February 2019
- Present
San Diego, California, United States
MeadsDurket
Creative Director
Highlights Included:
• Creating multiple integrated brand outreach campaigns for the San Diego Honda Dealers
• Reinventing full brand campaign and marketing materials for the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
• Crafting new mission statement and brand purpose for MeadsDurket agency (“The Next Step”)
• Writing a new messaging platform for Susan G. Komen San Diego (“When is Now”)
• Fulfilling a lifelong ambition to work with iconic sports mascot, The San Diego Chicken
• Creating multiple integrated brand outreach campaigns for the San Diego Honda Dealers
• Reinventing full brand campaign and marketing materials for the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
• Crafting new mission statement and brand purpose for MeadsDurket agency (“The Next Step”)
• Writing a new messaging platform for Susan G. Komen San Diego (“When is Now”)
• Fulfilling a lifelong ambition to work with iconic sports mascot, The San Diego Chicken
February 2017
- August 2018
California, United States
Mirum
Creative Director
Qualcomm, Mazda, Cobra Puma Golf, Dexcom, New Business
Highlights Included:
• Being the creative lead on 2nd largest account and longest-lasting client relationship
• Flying in at the 11th hour to reinvent and sell winning creative on a global pitch in Singapore
• Pitching, winning, and developing a launch campaign for Equidate, a Silicon Valley start-up
• Helping create and produce Mirum24, a 24-hour "ideathon", which became a global event
• Serializing my time sheet entries into the saga of Svetlana and her quest for shtetl justice
Highlights Included:
• Being the creative lead on 2nd largest account and longest-lasting client relationship
• Flying in at the 11th hour to reinvent and sell winning creative on a global pitch in Singapore
• Pitching, winning, and developing a launch campaign for Equidate, a Silicon Valley start-up
• Helping create and produce Mirum24, a 24-hour "ideathon", which became a global event
• Serializing my time sheet entries into the saga of Svetlana and her quest for shtetl justice
September 2016
- January 2017
California, United States
Momentum Worldwide
Freelance Creative Director
Samsung, Mondelez, Tullamore DEW, multiple pitches
Highlights Included:
• Reinventing promotional copy approaches for Samsung retail consumer-engagement
• Helping lead multiple integrated pitches for experiential events, including the 2016 Ryder Cup
• Distilling a new, cross-channel experiential marketing plan to reward loyal whiskey drinkers
Highlights Included:
• Reinventing promotional copy approaches for Samsung retail consumer-engagement
• Helping lead multiple integrated pitches for experiential events, including the 2016 Ryder Cup
• Distilling a new, cross-channel experiential marketing plan to reward loyal whiskey drinkers
June 2015
- August 2015
Illinois, United States
Designkitchen/Blast Radius
Group Creative Director
Wells Fargo, HP, ISACA
Highlights Included:
• Pitching, winning, and leading the largest account at DK
• Helping establish and staff DK San Francisco office
• Managing creative teams in both Chicago and San Francisco
• Developing the creative platform for Wells Fargo’s largest ever credit card launch
• Finishing in 2nd place in the office March Madness pool
Highlights Included:
• Pitching, winning, and leading the largest account at DK
• Helping establish and staff DK San Francisco office
• Managing creative teams in both Chicago and San Francisco
• Developing the creative platform for Wells Fargo’s largest ever credit card launch
• Finishing in 2nd place in the office March Madness pool
April 2012
- April 2015
Illinois, United States
Arc Worldwide
Creative Director
Beneful, Pro Plan, Fancy Feast, Purina.com
Highlights Included:
• Redesigning and relaunching Beneful.com
• Integrated Pro Plan campaign for the Westminster Dog Show (broadcast, digital, OOH, event)
• Pioneering the first crowd-sourced promotion to create a new flavor of Fancy Feast
• Getting a kitten to hit her mark (repeatedly)
• Having David Frei of the Westminster Dog Show on speed dial
Highlights Included:
• Redesigning and relaunching Beneful.com
• Integrated Pro Plan campaign for the Westminster Dog Show (broadcast, digital, OOH, event)
• Pioneering the first crowd-sourced promotion to create a new flavor of Fancy Feast
• Getting a kitten to hit her mark (repeatedly)
• Having David Frei of the Westminster Dog Show on speed dial
January 2011
- April 2012
Illinois, United States
Arc Worldwide
Associate Creative Director
Beneful, Pro Plan, Fancy Feast, Cat Chow, Purina.com
Highlights Included:
• Learning the art of cat food photo prep
• Playing a (literal) shell game with dog kibble
• Defining a new movie genre – Film Blanc
Highlights Included:
• Learning the art of cat food photo prep
• Playing a (literal) shell game with dog kibble
• Defining a new movie genre – Film Blanc
November 2009
- January 2011
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Tribal DDB
Copywriter/Associate Creative Director
Lowe's, McDonald's, State Farm
Highlights Included:
• Award-winning spring site/campaign for Lowe’s (with my copy read by Gene Hackman)
• Redesign and rebranding for Kobalt Tools
• Creating online videos for State Farm that were then used on broadcast
• Introducing America to the world’s smallest food architect
• Seeing my copy on a NASCAR bumper sticker
Highlights Included:
• Award-winning spring site/campaign for Lowe’s (with my copy read by Gene Hackman)
• Redesign and rebranding for Kobalt Tools
• Creating online videos for State Farm that were then used on broadcast
• Introducing America to the world’s smallest food architect
• Seeing my copy on a NASCAR bumper sticker
April 2007
- November 2009
Illinois, United States
15 Letters
Copywriter
Orbitz, ESPN, Chrysler, TV Guide, Hostway, Coleco
Highlights Included:
• Reinventing Hostway’s digital marketing campaign through the adventures of a talking glove
• Developing concepts and crafting copy for Orbitz “advergame” rich-media web banners
• Creating a video-rich, interactive web site for ESPN fans to engage with the brand in a new way
• Writing backstories for drag racing gondoliers and honing my Blackjack hand modeling skills
Highlights Included:
• Reinventing Hostway’s digital marketing campaign through the adventures of a talking glove
• Developing concepts and crafting copy for Orbitz “advergame” rich-media web banners
• Creating a video-rich, interactive web site for ESPN fans to engage with the brand in a new way
• Writing backstories for drag racing gondoliers and honing my Blackjack hand modeling skills
May 2005
- February 2007
Illinois, United States
The Onion
Promotions Director
• Created and coordinated local, regional, and national promotions
• Lead copywriter for client advertising and internal company communications
• Master of Ceremonies for concerts, events, and festivals
Highlights Included:
• Inventing and producing MulletFest (a celebration of loud music, long hair, and cheap beer)
• Hearing President Clinton’s favorite Onion stories from (then) Congressman Rahm Emanuel
• Pulling off 150 Chicago promotions and 15 national online promotions in 1 year
• Lead copywriter for client advertising and internal company communications
• Master of Ceremonies for concerts, events, and festivals
Highlights Included:
• Inventing and producing MulletFest (a celebration of loud music, long hair, and cheap beer)
• Hearing President Clinton’s favorite Onion stories from (then) Congressman Rahm Emanuel
• Pulling off 150 Chicago promotions and 15 national online promotions in 1 year
July 2002
- December 2003
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Freelance
Writer/Journalist
• Freelance contributor to Chicago Magazine and Crain’s Chicago Business
• Weekly column in RedEye Chicago from January to April 2004
• Contributing writer for the 2003 Not For Tourists Guide to Chicago
• Updated 2002 Frommer’s Irreverent Guide to Chicago
• Wrote audio script and brochure for 2002 See It ALL walking tour of Chicago
• Music journalist/critic for CNN.com, Centerstage Chicago, and MustHear.com
• Wrote marketing materials for RPM & RMC (ATL-based mgmt companies)
• Weekly column in RedEye Chicago from January to April 2004
• Contributing writer for the 2003 Not For Tourists Guide to Chicago
• Updated 2002 Frommer’s Irreverent Guide to Chicago
• Wrote audio script and brochure for 2002 See It ALL walking tour of Chicago
• Music journalist/critic for CNN.com, Centerstage Chicago, and MustHear.com
• Wrote marketing materials for RPM & RMC (ATL-based mgmt companies)
April 2001
- August 2005
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Various Clients
Music Industry Impresario
Seven years in almost every facet of the music industry, working with myriad artists, nightclubs, major and independent record labels, A&R executives, public relations, publicity, and booking agencies, music conferences, award shows, and just about anyone with a guitar and a dream.
June 1995
- July 2002
United States
Education
Vassar College
Bachelor of Arts, Film
August 1991
- May 1995
Poughkeepsie, New York, United States
Awards
Interactive One Show, SXSW Finalist, Adobe Site of the Day, FWA Site of the Day, Webby's People's Choice, WebAward, NY Festivals Finalist, MarCom Platinum Award