Michael Van Egeren
Writer | Creative Director
517.285.8225 | Email | LinkedIn | Portfolio
KEY ROLES
National Creative Director, Wells Fargo Insurance—Launched the brand, produced their first national sales conference, their most successful trade show and the digital infrastructure for Wells Fargo’s global growth strategy.
Executive Creative Director, McLaren Health—Directed a staff of seven producing cross-platform campaigns for Michigan’s 12-hospital McLaren System.
Creative Director, Audi—Wrote and directed brand positioning campaigns, CRM, retail and after sales; managed designers and outside creative contractors.
Associate Creative Director/Copy, Penn Medicine—Wrote and directed multi-platform campaigns; sourced and directed voice talent, actors, sound engineers, cinematographers, photographers, writers and art directors.
Senior Copywriter, McDonald’s, Ford Trucks, FedEx, Citi—Wrote retail/CPG campaigns and marketing materials, developed new business pitches
EXPERIENCE
Information Systems Audit and Control Association (Contract)
AUG 2024 – PRESENT
+ Developed a wide range of marketing materials—campaigns, product launches, landing pages, emails, banners, event notices, brochures and more—for the world’s leading cybersecurity association
+ Crafted launch messaging to a narrow professional target audience
+ Worked with art directors to trim and place copy in designs for maximum impact
Bang Communications
Writer | Creative Director
JUN 2010 – Present
+ Formed and led a remote creative team that billed $200,000+ in its second year during the 2008 recession
+ Developed full style guide for the 8th ranked hospital in America
+ Provided thought leadership on health system branding
+ Provided strategy, messaging and direction for global heavyweights like Audi, GM, Coca-Cola and Mc Donald’s
+ Developed six original national brands from logo to final deliverables and won national best in class for brand identity
+ Managed all creative development, copywriting, budgets, staffing, client contact and feedback
VMLY&R, Kansas City, MO
Associate Creative Director (Contract)
SEP 2021 – JUL 2022
+ Crafted a wide range of retail and social campaigns for General Mills, one of which won VML’s coveted ‘The Sh*t’ award
+ Co-directed the SEO refresh for General Mill’s full CPG portfolio, all platforms
+ Executed complex digital strategies to multiple verticals on multiple platforms for global SaaS Qlik
MRM//McCann, Greater Detroit
Associate Creative Director (Contract)
DEC 2020 – JUL 2021
+ Developed copious concepts and copy for GMAC Credit
+ Wrote campaigns, landing pages, emails, videos, displays and collateral, quickly
+ Juggled up to 12 projects at once via close collaboration with art directors and account staff
TILT, Greater Detroit
Associate Creative Director
NOV 2017 – DEC 2020
+ Wrote and produced national campaigns for Penn Medicine
+ Wrote and produced Penn’s first podcast series, with a launch campaign set in the Philadelphia subway
+ Integrated strategy into all aspects of the creative process, cutting false starts and reworks to near zero
+ Developed the Penn Medicine brand and demand campaigns that won us the Johns Hopkins account
Latcha + Associates, Greater Detroit
Creative Director (Contract)
MAR 2014 – AUG 2017
+ Developed creative strategy on the fly, as necessary
+ Reinvented the new-owner experience for the launch of Audi’s first electric vehicle
+ Developed a CRM program that positioned every Audi vehicle against comparable Mercedes and BMW models
+ Led content strategy and development for Audi.com, a Conde Nast property
+ Set an agency record for productivity, at one point managing 17 creative projects at once
Publicom, East Lansing, MI
Creative Director
MAY 2006 – OCT 2010
+ Assembled and led the region’s most awarded creative team
+ Managed all department budgets, project budgets, performance reviews and staff development
+ Developed the pitch that won the McLaren Health account, more than doubling agency revenues
+ Led the design and launch of the Wells Fargo Insurance brand
+ Produced the first national sales meeting for Wells Fargo Insurance and the top-performing trade show in Wells Fargo history
Pace & Partners, Lansing, MI
Associate Creative Director
SEP 2000 – MAY 2006
+ Primary writer/producer on a $10M agency portfolio
+ Developed cross-platform campaigns for a wide range of state agencies, associations and nonprofits
+ Wrote and produced 1,000,000+ pieces of direct mail per month, in up to five executions
+ Revamped the above production process to cut outside costs by 50% and triple lead time
Frankel & Company, Chicago, IL
Senior Writer
AUG 1997 – JUL 2000
B2c
+ Wrote content and retail campaigns for McDonald’s, Hallmark, G. Heileman Brewing, United Airlines
+ Developed campaigns for more than a dozen Fortune 500 CPG brands
+ Wrote speeches and videos for McDonald’s CEO
+ Served as the youngest member on Frankel’s vision committee
EDUCATION
Northern Illinois University, DEKALB, IL
BA Journalism (News/Editorial)
Northwestern University, CHICAGO, IL
Graduate Fiction Writing
Michigan State University, EAST LANSING, MI
Graduate English Lit
The Second City, CHICAGO, IL
Improv Comedy Writing/Performance
COACHING/MENTORING
15+ years directing creative teams
ESL Instructor, West Side Community Center, Chicago, IL
High school debate coach, Buffalo Grove High School, IL
Grade school debate coach, Red Cedar School, Lansing, MI
ESL instructor, Refugee Development Center, Lansing, MI
Recruited for adjunct faculty spot at Michigan State University
WRITING / DIRECTING EXPERTISE / SAMPLES
Ebooks
SEO
SECTOR EXPERIENCE
Tech
SaaS
Automotive
Healthcare
CPG
Transportation
Telecom
Nonprofit
Construction
Retail
Education
Government
Health tech
Marketing
Financial
PLATFORM PROFICIENCIES
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel
Adobe Creative Suite
Adobe InDesign
Asana
Google Analytics
Microsoft Teams
WordPress / CMS
Slack
Keynote / PowerPoint
ChatGPT / AI