Hi, I’m a freelance creative and copywriter.
I came to advertising the typical way, by going to art school then working on a food truck. I went to art school because I love being creative, thinking critically, and making things. My degrees were in photography, but I worked in a lot of mediums, including video, text, and sculpture. My artwork is probably best described as conceptual art because I like working from an idea. For example, for my master’s thesis, my art was trying to get better at basketball. I would go play basketball most days, and document it in different ways.
After graduating from art school, it seemed like advertising would be a good place to put these skills and interests to use. Advertising agencies disagreed, and they told me to go to advertising school, if they talked to me at all. Getting an equivalent degree and going further into debt seemed stupid. So, I got a job on a food truck and set to work making an advertising portfolio in my spare time. It took a few years, but eventually I got a job as a creative at Wieden+Kennedy Portland. I worked there as a copywriter for six years, on KFC, Old Spice, Fisher Price, Meta, and more.
In 2021 I went freelance, launching Brandes Paranormal Investigations Agency, Inc. and have been doing that since.
So hire me for some freelance work, not only will you be getting top notch creative, but your accountants will also get a bit of whimsy.
Get in touch at michaelrbrandes@gmail.com