I’m Bill Wanek. or as Jeff Goldblum

would call me, his “biggest failure.”

After a failed, but legendary attempt at college, I moved out to LA to become a famous actor. The next Tom Cruise. The next big thing. That talk of the town. I very quickly realized that I was indeed amazing—at waiting tables. Acting, not so much.

I studied acting at Playhouse West in Hollywood under the tutelage of the great Jeff Goldblum. Life…eh…uh…could find a way, but Jeff could not find a way to make me an actor worthy of the main stage, so he ultimately booted me out the side exit—which was an extinction-level event for my red carpet dreams. 

Despite not getting any attention or callbacks for my commercial auditions, I gained an appreciation for the commercials themselves. So, I hightailed it back to Chicago to learn everything there was to know about the craft of creative copywriting. 

After a fistful of big agencies, a few good mentors and a ton of failures—I became better than the rest. I cut my teeth at a number of name-droppable creative shops, including Young and Rubicam, Ogilvy and Mather, McGarrybowen, Publicis, Cramer Krasselt, The Atlantic and others.

What I learned about creativity, life and leadership I brought with me to build love for brands—big and small. I can run big teams, produce big ideas and present the hell out of any concept. Plus, I can carry 4 plates at a time, which is incredibly helpful during late-night pitch feasts.

  • Experienced Creative Director and Copywriter with 16+ Years Experience and a proven track record of leading creative teams globally, resulting in the creation of award-winning campaigns for renowned brands. Expertise in copywriting, creative concepting, pitch development, brand activation, client relationship management, and leadership. Skilled in delivering innovative and impactful solutions within diverse budgets, from $10K to $2.5M.

  • Creative Directing | Copywriting | Advertising | Marketing | Concept Development | Content Creation (TV, Online, Social) | Brand Development + Activation | Traditional + Health Sciences | Strategy | Social-First Media Campaigns and Copy Print/OOH/Radio/Digital/Experiential | Brand Voice | Editing + Proofreading | Storytelling | Client Relationship Management | DTC and B2B Marketing Campaigns | SEO | 20 national TV commercials | Leadership and Team Collaboration | Featured in Forbes, USA Today, Good Morning America, AdWeek, CNN

  • 24+ awards encompassing national, regional and local recognition, including Good Morning America, AdWeek, ADDY’s, EFFIE’S, and others. Plus, a Double Gold Winner at the 2022 Muse Awards for The Galleri Test and a Double Platinum Winner for my work on Illumina at the 2021 Marcom Awards.

  • Buffalo Warchild | February 2023 - Present

    Executive Creative Director

    Brands worked on: Diageo Brands (Smirnoff Splash, Bulleit Bourbon Cocktail Collection, Crown Royal Cans, Ketel One, Ciroc Vodka, Captain Morgan) Republican Red Wine, American Factory Wheel, Kingdom Come Clothing

    Highlights:

    Brand activation for Republican Red Wine required my direction and leadership of creative teams (17 people) in Romania, California, and Florida simultaneously.

    Successfully orchestrated creative teams and production crew on a large-scale collaboration between (5) alcohol brands, navigating complex legal parameters to achieve a triumphant 5-day shoot across 5 locations, featuring a dog dressed in a lobster costume.

    Brand activation for Kingdome Come Apparel, including pop-up shops, a podcast, and a basketball tournament.

    Long-Dash | June 2021 - January 2023

    Executive Creative Director

    Brands worked on: Twitter, Coolsculpting, Alix Partners, Blue Shield of California and Botox

    Creative Drive | March 2020 - June 2021

    Creative Director

    Brands worked on: HP and Illumina

    Jack Morton Worldwide | March 2021 - June 2021

    Associate Creative Director (Freelance)

    Brands worked on: RINVOQ, Blue Moon and Coors Light

    Vitro| October 2014 - December 2018

    Associate Creative Director

    Brands worked on: Wild Turkey, Asics, Adidas Golf, Marvel, Petco, Alaska Communications, Red Robbin and Whiskey Barons

    Audacity Health | January 2020 - February 2021

    Associate Creative Director

    Brands worked on: Grail, Hologic, Thermo Fisher, Ahoy, Nellcor and Illumina