Building a brand for good.
Eric Revels, Marketing Director
erevels@erccreative.com
312.206.7266
Résumé
linkedin.com/in/ericrevels
vimeo.com/ericaterc
An online CV may be informative but it only provides a career snapshot. I could tell you about how I worked for multi-national advertising agencies for 20 years and launched new branding and product campaigns for companies like Dell, Motorola, Subway, and Oscar Meyer. Or how I started up a boutique agency on the heels of the 2009 recession and, despite the timing, successfully launched a new product and branding campaigns for Snapcount software, Lurie Children's Hospital, First Eagle Bank and 4-Knines pet products.
But this is only part of my story.
In 2018 I was hired by my client, Ankin Law, a personal injury law firm in Chicago, to be the Director of Marketing responsible for a $3MM budget. Imagine a personal injury lawyer and you might picture a guy in bad suit shouting on the television. By contrast, I developed a branding campaign that utilizes an appealing animated character, Stickman, who symbolizes anyone hurt in an accident. He shifts the focus away from the shouting lawyer onto the people the lawyer helps.
In 2020, I helped pivot the firm’s message during Covid to celebrate essential workers. These commercials showcase the many frontline workers who kept Chicago moving during the pandemic and were produced entirely in-house.
These last three years have opened my eyes to the positive impact the personal injury legal industry has on people who, otherwise, would not have a voice. What I didn’t expect was that the experience would become a catalyst for the next phase in my career.
I’ve realized it’s time to take my expertise at communication and persuasion and marry that to my passion for making a positive change. I make my living crafting strategies and stories that encourage people to think something, feel something, or do something. From brand development to creative expression, encompassing media and tactical planning, managing teams and garnering support, I understand what it means to position, design, and execute a plan that moves hearts and minds to act.
As James Lipton of The Actors Studio used to ask every guest “What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?” My answer? Building a brand for good.
A Firm Foundation
• Brand Development
• Naming and Identity
• Internal Marketing
• Team Building
• Storytelling
• Ideation
• Broadcast
• Email Marketing
• Drip Marketing
• Social Media Management
• Photography
• Video Direction
• Video Editing
• Logo Design
• Email Newsletter
• Web Design
• Graphic Standards
• Copywriting
• Art Direction
• Interviews for written or video content
• Adobe Creative Suite: PS, ID, IA, PR, BR, ST
• MS Word, Excel and Power Point
Accomplishments
Director of Marketing, Ankin Law
2018 - Present
I was hired to differentiate the Ankin Law brand, increase awareness, leads and call volume.
Call inquiries increased in the evening hours significantly in 2021. Ankin Law sponsored the 7-Day Weather Forecast on WGN. at 8 and 9P. Weather-related Stickman commercials were broadcast alongside “Let’s keep it up” public service mask-wearing announcements. A greater percentage of the overall budget was devoted to OTT or streaming video over the Internet so our message could be viewed on broadcast TV, smart phone, tablet or connected TV. The message resonated and new case inquiries increased by 20% Q1 to Q2.
Implemented a “Howard Ankin is everywhere” strategy layering broadcast TV with targeted cable, streaming online video, outdoor and transit. Sports programming included commercials with athletes such as Javier Baez, Willson Contreras, Alex DaBrincat and Lauri Markkenan. Some athletes have appeared in a video series Chicagoans You Should Know in the firm’s online newsletter.
Managed a team who posted on behalf of Ankin Law on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn social media platforms and added Ankin Law to Instagram and managed a monthly newsletter.
Increased 5-Star Google Reviews from 165 in January 2018 to 597 in January 2021. I made a point to speak to as many clients as possible at the end of the process to learn about what they liked or didn't like about the firm and responded to both positive and negative reviews daily.
Pivoted in 2020 to directing and producing commercials in the COVID-19 era. Developed a campaign for the brand based on protecting workers rights and safety. A series of commercials and online videos were produced entirely in-house. Proposed and executed a commercial containing a QR code which offered “Free Ankin Law masks.”
Owner and Creative Director, ERC Co.
2010 -2018
In 2015, ERC trademarked Business to Human or B2H. We noticed that emotional storytelling was not being leveraged in the B2B space. To us, if you want to make an impact on people, it doesn’t matter if your business serves other businesses or targets consumers, at the end of the day a human being is going to make the decision. Tapping emotion can make a lasting impact. B2H became a part of the ERC brand.
ERC branded new products and services for ANCO Steel, Snapcount Software, UGN, 4Knine Pet Products, First Eagle Bank, and Ankin Law. ERC also donated time to help Temple Sholom of Chicago with website, video, and social media services to promote their news, events, and programs.
“It doesn’t matter if your business serves other businesses or targets consumers, at the end of the day a human being is going to make a decision on what to buy or sell.”
- Eric Revels
TEMPLE SHOLOM OF CHICAGO
sholomchicago.org
“Eric is an extraordinarily talented and innovative Creative Director. We worked together on re-branding Temple Sholom, including print and webdesign overhauls with measurable results.”
- Boni Fine, Executive Director, Anshe Emet Synagogue
UGN
ugn.com
“Working with Eric and the ERC team is a pleasure every time. His professionalism and integrity are first-rate and his team has never failed to come through in a pinch. I’d hire him again and again because I already have, again, and again.”
- Jon Schickedanz, CEO, The Alliance Labs
SNAPCOUNT
snapcount.com
“Eric is a master of the marketing communication process with a keen sense of what’s relevant and more importantly, what gets results. His artistic eye and extensive attention to detail helped ensure our message got noticed and hit home. I enthusiastically recommend ERC for any marketing requirement.”
- Jeff Seifert, CEO, Streamlinx
Documentary Short Film
Hyde Park Day School “On Campus”
Four college sophomores talk about how their learning disabilities have actually made them stronger in life. All four were students in the inaugural class at Hyde Park Day School, an elementary school focused on helping students learn differently and advocate for themselves in the world.
Even more experience:
JWT, Publicis & Hal Riney, DMB&B and Rhea & Kaiser