Hire the Best Creative Strategists in Chicago, IL

I unearth the confidence that makes brands win — and a system which created 3 billion viral views for a variety of verticals says I know what that looks like. Did Starbucks have to go with a wooden stirrer instead of plastic? No. But they know everything matters. Your brand needs systems that work flawlessly — so your content can do the job it was built to do. No more buttons that lead to a 404 page, landing pages that take 3 seconds to load, pixels and tags that don't fire. All of that destroys consumer confidence. 3 billion viral views across earned and paid doesn't happen without the whole system working. Are you ready to build something people actually feel? Advertising agencies who clients hire, hire me to build their strategy, brand books, and pitch decks — the ones they put their name on. When the work has to be right, that's the call they make. 25 years across every major marketing discipline. Client side and agency side. One person. Full ownership. No handoff gaps. No agency markup. You can also find me building the infrastructure behind the marketing. AI agents, automation workflows, and systems in N8N, Docker, and Make — because strategy that can't be operationalized is just a deck. What I Deliver ✔ B2C & B2B Campaign Strategy & Architecture ✔ Brand Identity & Creative Platform Development ✔ Full Production — concept through placement ✔ Go-to-Market for New Brands, Products & Categories ✔ Growth & Performance Marketing ✔ Account-Based Marketing Programs ✔ Conversion Creative that Moves Product ✔ AI-Enabled Marketing Systems & Workflows ✔ DTC, Healthcare, Retail & Enterprise Expertise ✔ Data, Reporting & Optimization This Is a Good Fit If You Are… Looking for one senior person to save you time, money, and frustration Launching a new brand, product, or category Scaling a B2C or B2B business past its current ceiling Tired of strategy that never makes it to execution Ready to build marketing infrastructure ahead of operations In a compliance-burdened vertical that needs creative that clears 25 years. Every major vertical. Not one legal or compliance issue. Ever. Send me a message. First conversations are always free.

ericalatack.com Erica is a Creative Director and Marketing Expert with 10+ years of experience driving growth for e-commerce brands across freelance, in-house, and agency roles. Specializing in creative direction, paid and organic social media, and brand marketing, Erica has a proven track record of developing high-performing campaigns, crafting compelling brand narratives, and driving growth across marketing channels. With a background in both creative and marketing, Erica has led initiatives for brands across industries including fashion, home goods, skincare, health and wellness, CPG, and more. Erica’s approach combines data-driven insights with creative vision, producing striking visuals, cohesive brand narratives, and innovative marketing strategies. Whether leading organic social strategy, providing creative strategy for high-converting paid social campaigns, or overseeing creative asset development, she brings a results-oriented approach to every project. Notable clients include: - Celebrity founded brand, The Little Market - RYZE Superfoods - Lemonade Insurance - Popdarts - AUSTERE Social Agency - Dose for Your Liver - Bambu Earth Skincare - Black Tulip Studio - Half Baked Harvest - Wine by Lamborghini - Thai Coco Areas of expertise include: - Creative Direction - Content Marketing & Social Media Strategy - Creative Strategy for Paid Ads - Lifestyle & Brand Photography - Email & SMS Marketing

I focus on creating memorable content for high-visibility projects. I have had the opportunity to execute marketing tasks and manage content for travel brands, events, independent films, apps, small businesses, and more. Most recently, I have worked as the senior marketing lead at a luxury travel brand as well as part of the marketing teams both at Sundance Film Festival and SXSW. I love seeing a campaign come to life through strategic content and watching it evolve through new iterations and various platforms. In doing so, my talents lie in creative direction, content management, digital marketing strategies, promotional events, brand activation, sponsor partnerships, client relations, and design. With over 10 years of experience in various creative industries, I am well-versed in creating promotional campaigns, marketing materials, and more. I am a natural creative thinker with a knack for process, allowing me to seamlessly manage teams and projects to success.

𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐲𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐒 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬? You found him. I'm Steven Daar, and I don't just write ads that "sound good". (Don't get me wrong, I like pretty words as much as the next writer... After all, I did write a book that stayed in the Top 20 bestsellers in the Marketing category on Amazon for 18 months straight) In 2025, I have consistently beat clients' best performing ads on my FIRST attempt. My record this year when attempting to beat a business' best ad on my first shot: 27 wins, 1 loss, 6 ties And it goes beyond "just" the copy.... I help you upgrade key pieces of your customer acquisition systems BEYOND just the ad to turn cold traffic into profits. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁: Most copywriters spend 30 minutes searching Google and consulting with ChatGPT about your market....and they call that "research"... Meanwhile, I follow a proprietary research process that's now been streamlined down to two hours. It ends with a complete psychological profile report of your target market and ideal customer or client (see examples in my portfolio). Here's what I dig through in my research process: • Reddit threads where your clients confess their deepest fears • Amazon reviews where they reveal what actually matters • Facebook groups where they share real struggles • Google search data that exposes hidden desires This isn't "market research". 𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑚𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑚𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑠. I use these to write the exact words that make people in your market think: "Holy $h!t....this person gets me." (Which creates a cocktail of thoughts & feelings that makes wallets FLY open) 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱: ✅ Beat dozens of "unbeatable" ads that had been winning for years (2025 'Beat Your Best Ad' Challenge Record: 23 Wins, 1 Loss, 3 Ties) ✅ Wrote ads + VSL booking calls under $60 (Led to first high-ticket $5k sale within the first $450 in ad spend) ✅ Cut cost per lead by 27% for a 7-figure coaching company (BEFORE we even touched the copy or creative) ✅ Changed THREE words in a headline → doubled sales overnight ✅ Increased CTR from 0.8% to 2.4% on cold traffic campaigns 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗲: 🔥 Complete market psychology breakdown for unfair messaging advantages 🔥 Ad copy engineered to beat your current winners 🔥 Funnel messaging intended to maximize AOV at each stage 🔥 Strategic frameworks that set up bigger backend sales 𝗠𝘆 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱: • Bestselling author of "Profit Hacking" (Top 20 Marketing bestseller for 18 months) • Endorsed by James Altucher, Lewis Howes, and other business leaders • Managed millions in ad spend (across all biz sizes: startups, small businesses, & Fortune 500 companies) • Trained by world renowned copywriters, conversion optimizers, & sales masters 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵: ✅ Businesses spending $5k+/month on ads ✅ Companies with proven offers that convert ✅ Teams focused on profitable growth (not vanity metrics) ✅ Businesses serious about beating their current benchmarks (not just "trying something new") 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗠𝗲? (Over the 100+ other copywriters here....) Simple. I don't just write copy that converts... I write copy that OUTCONVERTS what you're already running. Most copywriters hope their stuff works. I've built a business around consistently beating what's already working. Ready to see what your BEST ads really look like? Check out my portfolio below. If you want similar results, send me a message. Let's make your competition wonder what the hell just happened. - Steve P.S. Check out the Market Psychology Reports in my portfolio. You'll see exactly how deep my research goes.

I'm a Creative Writer, Producer, and Strategist with 10+ years of experience crafting story-driven content & campaigns for brands, artists, media entities, etc. My experience stretches across industries and roles. I’ve written & produced content for Grammy winners, sold original shows to Hulu, led creative direction & copy on multi-platform campaigns for global brands like Lenovo, Intel, Target, and LEGO — generating over 100M+ unique views across digital platforms. It's an eclectic mix, but one that has sharpened my perspective as a writer, storyteller, and creative operator. Whether collaborating with brands, agencies, or artists, I aim to bring sharp strategy and just enough weirdness to make the work memorable.

📱 Social Media Strategist driving growth across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube 📈 Created Reels and posts reaching over 4M views 🎥 Expert in producing cinematic, scroll-stopping content for digital platforms 💼 Experience with corporate, brand campaigns, and advertising 🕒 17+ Years of Creative and Strategic Expertise ✅ Content Strategy ✅ Audience Growth ✅ Copywriting & Storytelling ✅ Visual Direction ✅ Video Editing ✅ Color Grading ✅ Sound Design Award-winning Video Producer and Social Media Strategist with 17+ years of experience creating cinematic content that drives audience engagement, growth, and revenue. Founder of Cinematic Memories, a YouTube channel achieving 200K+ monthly views and monetized through advertising, sponsorships, and brand partnerships. Expert in leading creative teams, managing $100K+ budgets, and producing high-impact campaigns for brands like JBL, Looney Tunes, Fila Shoes, Fox Channel, Sprint, and Hilton Hotels. Combines storytelling, social strategy, and platform-specific expertise to deliver content that engages audiences and generates measurable business results across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, including Reels that have reached over 4M views.