SCOTT MUSKA // WRITER
LAP: srm5082@gmail.com // POCKET: 724.272.9357 // PLACE: I keep my stuff in Chicago
VML / ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR + COPYWRITER
October 2022—Present
Writing, ideating, leading teams and projects, client whispering, etc.
Intel, Dick's Sporting Goods, Ringling Brothers, Smirnoff, vitaminwater, smartwater, BP, Butterball, Coca-Cola, Coke Studio, BODYARMOR, Krispy Kreme, Lean Cuisine, Nestle, Starbucks, Leidos, Dasani, Miami Tourism, Wild Turkey, Pizza Hut, Degree, new business
SELF-EMPLOYED / FREELANCE WRITER
June 2011—Present
In my free time, I write and concept for agencies, brands and editorial publications. I also write books. I do not have much of a personal life.
Agencies: Launchpad Advertising, The Mixx, ThoughtMatter, Mashable Brand X, Guardian Labs, GET Creative, Pixel, TripleLift, LaPlaca Cohen, UEG,
Vault49, Washington Post Creative Group, Edelman, AKQA
Brands: Disney, Netflix, Trojan, CDW, Avocados from Mexico, MGM Casinos, weVibe, Paramount Pictures, Screen Gems, History Channel
Roman for Men, Philips, Drivetime FM, SmileBright, Johnston & Murphy, The Drop Canned Wine, Miracle-Gro, Drizly
Publications: Playboy, GQ, Mashable, AdWeek, Women's Health, Cosmopolitan, SELF, Glamour, Thought Catalog, NBC News, Men's Health, Bustle,
Good Housekeeping, USA Today, SMITH Magazine, NPR, FlipCollective, P.S. I Love You, Human Parts, The Bold Italic
Books: I Thought This Was Worth Sharing: Stories and Some Other Stuff About Love and Some Other Stuff, Many of These Could Have Just Been Tweets: Poems
DDB / ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR + COPYWRITER
August 2021—October 2022
Moved to Chicago without having ever been to Chicago. Worked out well. Had a lot of fun. Made some great work for the Army. Did not actually join the Army.
U.S. Army, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
HUGE / SENIOR COPYWRITER
October 2018—August 2021
Served as a copy lead and part of the Integrated Marketing team. Wrote a lot about menstruation equality and taffy-based candy, though not simultaneously.
Airheads, Brooks Running, TikTok, Centura Health, Federal Student Aid, Hooha, Period Movement, The Home Depot, M&M’s, new business
THELAB + MCGARRYBOWEN / SENIOR COPYWRITER
March 2018—September 2018
Created integrated advertising campaigns and collateral for members and prospective members of Disney’s timeshare program. Wrote a whole book about said program and learned more than anyone should know about the “Disney Adults” contingent.
Disney Vacation Club, Jameson Irish Whiskey
THOUGHTMATTER / SENIOR COPYWRITER
July 2016—March 2018
Ran the copy department at this boutique branding studio that turned over creative directors like it was run by pancake chefs but kept me around until I left of my own accord. Didn’t even get canned when I accidentally damaged a piece of art owned by the founder that was worth like five times my annual salary. Also made a client cry when I read her a manifesto. But, like, good tears. I think. They bought the territory, so I really hope so.
100 Gates Project, Downtown Staten Island, Broadway Center for the Performing Arts, New-York Historical Society,
Joyful Heart Foundation, Staten Island Zoo, Sammy B Designs, GirlForward, Girls Write Now, For the People Project, Lower East Side Partnership
OLIVER AGENCY / SENIOR COPYWRITER
September 2016—March 2017
Spent many mornings and evenings commuting to and from Unilever’s New Jersey HQ, where I worked mostly with the embedded U-Studio creative team. Wrote extensively about mayonnaise, which was a dream come true.
Hellmann's, St. Ives, Axe, Suave Men, Dove Men Care, Marriott Rewards / NCAA, BritVic
MASHABLE STUDIOS / COPYWRITER + CREATIVE STRATEGIST
August 2015—September 2016
Ideated, pitched, wrote and produced branded content for Mashable's in-house creative agency while dabbling in editorial because they would let me post whatever I wanted. Worked on more than 100 brands in 1.5 years, including a site takeover for Netflix/Black Mirror that was a satirical harbinger for what would actually become fake news. Which is like the most Black Mirror thing I can think of.
VML NEW YORK / JUNIOR COPYWRITER
February 2015—August 2015
First job out of ad school. Immediately created some Cannes-winning work. Haven’t since. But hope to again, someday.
Legoland, Shiseido, Ball Park, Travelex
PLAYBOY.COM / FREELANCE WRITER
September 2014—February 2015
Wrote daily blog posts for the Humor, Entertainment and Sex & Culture sections of Playboy.com when it made a brief transition to (this is questionable) SFW content. Was part of a team that saw global unique visitor site traffic escalate 258 percent between January 2014 and January 2015. Then the publication went back to nudes, which is tough to argue with, I guess.
LAUNCHPAD ADVERTISING / FREELANCE JUNIOR COPYWRITER
July 2014—February 2015
Supplemented my learning and income during ad school. Drank a lot of free coffee that was actually palatable.
PNC Bank, American RedCross, New Directions Behavioral Health, Pat Tillman Foundation, CenturyLink, Organic Avenue
FLYWHEEL PARTNERS PHARMA / COPYWRITER
August 2012—January 2014
Began my copywriting career at this startup pharma agency. Learned a lot about building PowerPoint decks but am still terrible at it.
Bayer R&I, Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Asante Solutions, Pfizer, Phonak, Actavis
GANNETT MEDIA / STAFF WRITER
March 2011—July 2012
Covered all things coastal DelMarVa for USA Today and other Gannett publications from a bureau in Ocean City, Maryland. Went to prison (to interview two convicted murderers, not because I did anything wrong).
ALTOONA MIRROR / STAFF WRITER
May 2010—March 2011
Covered education and crime for a newspaper in central Pennsylvania. Witnessed a meth lab explosion.
MIAMI AD SCHOOL NYC
Copywriting Certificate
PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
BA: Journalism / Minors: English and Creative Writing
Cannes Lion Silver, Media—Best Use of Ambient Media
Cannes Lion Shortlist, Direct—Best Use of Ambient Media
Shorty Social Good Awards—Winner, Pro Bono
Shorty Social Good Awards—Winner, Gender Equality
One Show—Shortlist, Health & Wellness
The Webby Awards—Finalist, Social: Public Service and Activism
The Webby Awards—Finalist, Apps, Mobile and Voice: Connected Products and Wearables
The Webby Awards—Honoree, Video: Diversity and Inclusion
The Webby Awards—Honoree, Best Mobile Advertising Campaign
ADC Young Guns Bronze Award
Communication Arts 2020 Advertising Competition—Winner, Digital Advertising
Fast Company World-Changing Ideas—Honorable Mention
The Drum Awards—PR, Technology
4A’s Partner Award—Brand Partnership / Large Agency
Medium.com—Top Writer, Humor, 2019 + 2020 (back-to-back funny stuff)
Medium.com—Top Writer, Relationships 2019 + 2020 (back-to-back emotional stuff)
SMITH Magazine—Writer of the Month (for an essay about my dog passing away)
SMITH Magazine—Contributor to the book The Moment: Wild, Poignant, Life-Changing Stories from 125 Writers and Artists Famous & Obscure (for an essay about the first time I kissed someone)
No. 1 New Release in the “Humor and Entertainment Short Reads” Amazon Category, June 2022