MARK OLSEN, M.A., M.F.A.
Los Angeles/Orange County • (310)- •-• https://mark-olsen.com
WRITER CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Mark is a resourceful and hands-on creative director copywriter with over 15 years of experience crafting engaging
content and telling stories across digital platforms. He knows video production, experiments with new tools, and
has a knack for skillfully incorporating others’ feedback. With a sharp eye for detail and a solid understanding of
motion graphics and animation, Mark brings fresh, effective ideas to life in everything he creates.
SKILLS: Leadership, generative AI, mentoring, copywriting, creative direction, art direction, integrated campaigns,
content marketing, ideation, corporate video, motion graphics, scripting, branding, advertising, events, digital, email,
social, blogging, search engine optimization (SEO), looks fabulous sitting at a desk.
INDUSTRIES: Financial, enterprise technology, post-production, aerospace, life sciences, automotive, retirement
investing, banking, management consulting, hospitality, luxury, legal, real estate, insurance, nonprofit.
BLUE ROOM POST
2/2016 – present
Writer-Producer / Creative Director
• Served as creative lead, writer-director, art director and producer for a range of retail and B2B videos and
motion graphics for Co-op Solutions, a fintech service provider and thought leader to a nationwide network
of credit unions (long-term consultant).
• Scripted, produced, directed and voiced videos and other rich digital media for disruptive technology
initiatives and internal employee campaigns at Boeing Commercial.
• Other accounts: Samsung, Iron Mountain, Kurv, M3 BIOPHARMA, Venbrook, SilverOak Investments, Court
Investment Services, RAW Consulting, 41Orange, DxTerity, EPD Solutions, ESL Power, Phoenix Audio,
Premio, Bolender Law, Mia Becar, John P. Hanson Cancer Research Foundation at Northwestern University,
La Maestra Community Health Centers, Daniel Pearl World Music Days West L.A.
CAPITAL GROUP
1/2021 – 1/2023
Senior Writer
• Penned copy for and directed the creative production of B2B videos, motion graphics, event materials,
presentations, web SEO content, and integrated campaigns for email, paid email, paid search, and organic,
native and paid social, including Elevate, EveryoneSocial and LinkedIn for Sales – within the advisor-sold
retirement plans vertical and using the agile method.
• Wrote a multi-tiered email reengagement campaign for an online tool that pulled an 8.93% click through
rate (CTR), beating its benchmark by over 5.0 (l/t consultant).
NUVEEN
5/2017 – 10/2019
Writer / Marketing Project Manager
• Conceived of, scribed and project managed major components of the firm’s online content and print
collateral as part of its rebranding into management of environmental, social and governance (ESG)
investments (l/t consultant).
GP STRATEGIES
4/2016 – 7/2016
Creative director / Co-director of Content
• Served as creative lead and co-director of content for a live automotive event in Las Vegas (Aria), the dealer
launch of luxury car brand Genesis from Hyundai; directed production on a full day of content for 800
attendees, eight hours of speeches and breakout sessions for eight presenters, including instructional design,
speaker support and multimedia, from concept to delivery in 31 days (consultant).
PIMCO
Writer-Producer / Creative Director
1/2012 – 1/2016
• Brand marketing and communication services: Launched and spearheaded firm’s video practice from
inception; developed format, look and tone of original rich digital media content; conceived and articulated
multimedia brand standards manual that guided the consistent production of motion picture content across
13 global offices; managed $1.2m annual budget; saved firm up to 45 percent, or $1m annually by developing
and leading a network of independent creative resources.-– 1
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Creative directed and line produced all facets of rich digital production and post-production workflow,
including ideation, scripting, story boarding, art direction, lighting, camera, audio, editing, chroma key,
motion graphics, color grading, scoring and content management (l/t consultant).
Writer-Producer
1/2010 – 12/2011
• Wrote and produced material for dozens of live events, including conferences hosted in cities around the
world, featuring financial personalities and well-known government policymakers; applied exceptional writing
skills to compose material for a wide range of occasions and styles, capturing the voices and personalities of
different types of executives.
• Briefed and directed professional and non-professional talent including C-suite executives; prepared talking
points and briefing materials; coached executives on giving a natural, conversational delivery; captured and
incorporated all edits and feedback, and briefed executives on speaking and recording logistics with an eye
for detail.
Senior Copywriter
2/2006 – 12/2009
• Collaborated within brand team to write positioning and corporate identity materials for institutional fixedincome audiences; drove business growth for pension, defined contribution, and wealth management
businesses in North America, EMEA and Asia-Pac. Supported a corporate rebranding and the opening of
new global offices in Europe and Asia; firm’s assets under management increased from $200b to $2t.
OTHER
• Transamerica (Los Angeles) – Writer / marketing project manager: banking and employee benefits.
• Bozell (Omaha) – Copywriter on accounts Mutual of Omaha, First National Bank of Omaha, Vise-Grip,
Nebraska Lottery, Jolly Time Popcorn, Boyt Luggage, NCAA College World Series, Inacom.
• Kahler Friendt & Partners Integrated Marketing Communications (Omaha) – Writer / public relations
specialist on accounts Inacom, Chick-fil-A, Borsheims Fine Jewelry and Gifts, Bank of Bellevue.
• First Data Resources (Omaha) – Associate documentation writer: credit card merchant transactions.
EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | SCHOOL OF CINEMATIC ARTS
Los Angeles
M.F.A., Cinema-Television Production / Screenwriting
• Finished under budget and ahead of schedule producing two graduate thesis films.
• Produced ‘thursday afternoon,’ winner of Gold Award / Student Film, Worldfest-Houston.
• Earned USC Graduate and Professional Student Award, highest non-academic award for grad students.
• Twice received Outstanding Leadership Award from USC Office of International Services, where I served as
graduate assistant and editor in chief of the international student publication, published six times per year.
UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS | SCHOOL OF ENGLISH WORKSHOP THEATRE
West Yorkshire, UK
M.A., Theatre Studies / Playwriting
• Thesis paper: ‘American Religious Drama: Fundamentalism and Televangelism in an Age of Mass Appeal.’
• Thesis play published by Alumnus, Leeds Playtexts in Performance – the only student-produced play in my
graduating class selected for publication by the Workshop Theatre.
DANA COLLEGE | LIBERAL ARTS SCHOOL
Greater Omaha
B.A., Psychology / B.A., Multimedia Communications
• Magna cum laude; Alpha Chi national honor society; double major / double minor (English / theatre).
• Active in journalism as editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, and theatre as actor, director and
crewmember for numerous main-stage and black box productions (best actor / ‘The House of Blue Leaves’)
• University of London semester abroad: Intensive global studies coursework, AIS adjunct.
COMMUNITY
Treasurer, Hermosa Victorian HOA; Treasurer, Pacific Garden Terrace HOA; Volunteer board, Scandinavian Film
Festival of Los Angeles; Member, National Eagle Scout Association; Chair, Writers Against Dangling Participles.
generative AI, artificial intelligence, content, creator, blog, information, data, visualization, social media, newsletter, video, podcast, ChatGPT, TikTok, marketing, script, execution, SEO, writing, ideas, post, summary, mining,
headline, spelling, grammar, syntax, quality, ethical, brand, transparent, human, authentic, draft, tone, style, format, story, edit, brainstorm, workshop, inspiration, accurate, fast, research, MS, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Keynote,
iMovie, Outlook, mail, Apple, Adobe, Audacity, GIMP, Workfront, Slack, Brightcove, Smart Sheet, Wrike, Squarespace, WordPress, experience, event, presentation, public relations, press release, motion graphic, collateral,
advertising, brochure, corporate communication, internal, B2B, B2C, banner, marketing, Agile, e-mail, Web, multimedia, fintech, institution, wealth management, fixed income, ESG, risk, trade, operations, pension, retirement,
defined contribution benefit, sponsor, participant, estate, custody, attorney, probate, insurance, credit union, biopharma, life science, text, concept, workflow, design, interpersonal, soft skill, humor, comedy, creative, strategy,
instructional design, performance, leader, executive, resilient, kindpersistent, voice, project management, detail, consistency, tone, goal
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