Post Perspectives: Behind the title with our head of strategy, Mika.

This creative started writing brand campaigns for his favorite oatmeal at eight years old.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR COMPANY?

We’re a creative marketing agency. I could get into the nuts and bolts of our process and services, but what we specialize in is pretty simple: building a brand’s story, telling that story and spreading that story everywhere people can fall in love with it.

WHAT’S YOUR JOB TITLE?

Director of Creative Strategy

WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL?

The short answer is that I oversee brand strategy and integrated marketing campaigns. The longer answer is that our creative strategy team’s primary goal is to take complex insights and business challenges and develop simple, clear creative solutions. Sometimes that’s renaming a company or developing a new brand position, or conceiving a big “hook” for a 360 marketing campaign and rippling it out across on-air, social, experiential, and brand partnerships.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB?

Identifying the unique differentiator of a brand or product and figuring out how to express that in a succinct, unexpected way.

WHAT’S YOUR LEAST FAVORITE?

Proofreading 150-page presentations.

WHAT IS YOUR MOST PRODUCTIVE TIME OF THE DAY?

9am. Once that coffee hits, I’m off to the races.

IF YOU DIDN’T HAVE THIS JOB, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING INSTEAD?

I always wanted to be a garbage man growing up, so if they still ride along on the back of the truck, probably that.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS PROFESSION?

I started writing ads for my favorite oatmeal to convert my classmates when I was eight years old, so I’ve been a marketer at heart for pretty much my whole life.

WHAT IS THE PROJECT THAT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF?

We just developed a brand campaign for Freeform that rejects dated societal norms. Our concept, “It’s Not Us, It’s You,” was a breakup letter to society; we shot real people, as well as the network’s talent, and empowered them to speak their piece and break up with all the things that suck about societal standards.

NAME THREE PIECES OF TECHNOLOGY YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT.

Noise-canceling headphones, Apple TV and my bike. That was technology at one point, right?

CARE TO SHARE YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC TO WORK TO?

I’m not ashamed to admit that Flo Rida gets my creative juices flowing.

THIS IS A HIGH STRESS JOB WITH DEADLINES AND CLIENT EXPECTATIONS.

Golf is my ultimate stress reliever. Being surrounded by trees, chirping birds and the occasional “fore” puts me at ease.