As creative professionals we spend so much time and energy focusing our talents on clients who, frankly, may not even know we exist. However when it comes to our personal brands most creatives are content to throw their portfolio on Cargo Collective and call it a day.

Malecopywriter.com was simply an attempt to brand myself and stand out in a crowded field of incredibly talented creatives.

Back in 2008, I thought a funny way to get noticed would be to parody the most masculine man alive: the legendary Burt Reynolds.

Eight years later, I needed a new muse. But who? Then it hit me: Vladimir Putin.

Putin’s the perfect blend of over-the-top masculinity, swagger and brazen media whorishness that I myself aspire to. Plus making fun of him is always good for a few laughs.

That is until you’re mysteriously poisoned by a radioactive isotope.

My landing video is essentially a subtle nod to the ridiculous propaganda imagery Vladimir Putin routinely cranks out.

To achieve that Putinesque vibe, we deliberately messed with the color to make the film feel as if it was shot on crappy Russian video stock. We even closed the piece with the old Soviet state TV signoff from the 1980’s. Granted these are subtle design choices that only I will appreciate, but, hey, you asked.

Regarding the rest of the site, we wanted to extend that ex-KBG look throughout the portfolio, so we leaned in on old Russian/Soviet design elements – such as typography, title treatments, a rich, warm color palate – all of which were common in early Soviet propaganda posters.

As for reusing the bearskin rug, I didn’t spend $5,000 on that thing only to have it sit in a closet. Oh, which reminds me, does anyone want to

I’m not gonna sit here and bore you with numbers that, frankly, you’ll probably just tune out. With a self-promotion piece I suppose the only result that’s really worth considering is the following: Ask yourself, would you consider hiring this guy?

If your answer is “Maybe?” then there are your results.