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phillip.mccarthy@gmail.com

​​Brand Director (contract - rfl: completed contract)
Optum, New York NY, 2021 – 2022

Leding work to rebrand Optum, a division of UnitedHealth Group—the biggest name in healthcare.

  • Created a brand voice and tone that exemplifies company values and resonates with consumers, launching it across all internal and external channels, and conducting creative reviews to improve and approve outgoing marketing materials

  • Developed new brand pillars to guide B2B and B2C messaging in line with the new identity to better explain the Optum value prop to consumers and help sales teams close more deals

  • Worked with marketers from across the organization to challenge legacy approaches and drive this new vision for change, with early results on social showing an 80% increase in engagement

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Associate Creative Director (contract - rfl: completed contract)
Amazon, New York NY, 2020 – 2021

Led copywriting and messaging development for the launch of Alexa Together.

  • Directed the relaunch of Alexa Care as Alexa Together, a connected elder care service and marquee product at Amazon Day

  • Wrote and produced accompanying launch video, explaining benefits of Alexa Together with more focused messaging and clearer, consumer-centric messaging

  • Drove go-to-market brand messaging and creative for the Disneyland and Disney World introduction of Hey Disney!, a voice AI “magical companion” for resort hotel guests and a first for the hospitality industry

  • Worked on an array of other Alexa-powered devices as well

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Creative Director & Copywriter (freelance)

New York NY, 2019 – Present

Freelance and contract creative director, content marketer, and copywriter.

  • Clients include Foxwoods Resort Casino, ELA, Amazon Web Services (AWS), AUDIENCEX, Rivian, Indigo Slate, and Thermador

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Creative Director
Critical Mass, New York NY, 2017 – 2018 (rfl: loss of business)

Team lead and client partner on BMW USA at its social media AOR.

  • Directed social media campaign for world debut of BMW X2 in Detroit, generating engagement levels over 40% higher than average

  • Launched real-time Greenwich Village-targeted Twitter scavenger hunt/photo shoot for BMW sponsorship of David Bowie Is exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum, with 130 user-generated posts and 93% positive sentiment

  • Managed a team of five

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Associate Creative Director

Spark44, New York NY, 2016 – 2017

Content creator for Jaguar & Land Rover at its global AOR.

  • Partnered with client sales leaders to create lead gen campaigns and promotional materials, improving response rates by 25% for both brands

  • Work included print, digital, eCRM, direct mail, and social

 

Associate Director of Social Media

MUH-TAY-ZIK HOF-FER, San Francisco CA, 2015 – 2016 (rfl: family matters)

Team lead and client partner on Audi of America at its social media AOR.

  • Introduced new kinds of digital creative, including North American debut of second-gen Audi R8 supercar on Snapchat and introduced brand to gaming through an official XBOX tag

  • Nurtured and continued to grow social fanbase on existing channels with content like the Audi lunar rover ("We liked the moon so much we put *four* rings on it")

  • Managed a team of four

 

Senior Copywriter & Social Media Strategist

Razorfish, New York NY, 2011 – 2015

  • Led social media brand identity and product messaging for Mercedes-Benz USA; managed one direct report, three indirect resources, and additional creative resources as needed

  • Developed trendsetting #MBphotopass program, reinventing how luxury auto brands approach visually driven social and achieving a 32% higher social engagement rate versus all global luxury competitors

  • Increased followers on MBUSA’s Facebook page from 80K to 2.8 million and earned double the average engagement percentage of any competing brand

  • Led digital content development, social media campaigns, and eCRM demand generation programs for market-leading brands, including J.P. Morgan, Citi and Chase, as well as Mercedes-Benz USA

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Copywriter
Various, Various Places, 2004 – 2008 (rfl: graduate school)

  • Clients included Arizona Jeans, BFGoodrich, Boston University, Ferrari, Harvard University, JCPenney, Mazda, Tropicana

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