Mark Gutheim
Creative Strategist
Digital portfolio
Vault Furniture 2025
I had the privelage of working with Vault Furniture through DePaul's PR & Advertising Entrepenuers class. I worked directly with the owners of the company (Brandi and Andy) to reform their social media presence and brand identity.
I filmed and edited this Instagram reel from scratch to showcase one of their top selling products, the minimalist wall vase. The aesthetic decisions I made in this ad were grounded in my brand audit, and it was developed exclusively with the Adobe Creative Cloud Apps.
One of my favorite details in this ad is the "Brandi & Andy" signature at the end. I sourced it from an invoice that came with the vase and used Adobe Illustrator to image trace the text, converting it into a web-friendly PNG. This small touch adds authenticity and personality, which are qualities of their small business they specifically wanted to communicate.
Only Plants 2025
Only Plants Chicago is a vegan bakery focused on creating plant based goods and environmental sustainability. It is also my cousin's side hustle, and I made this ad for her for no particular reason after coming home with one of her apple pies.
Here is a client testimonial:
I filmed this using my iphone, a tripod and a mini studio light in my apartment. It was edited together using Adobe Premiere Pro. I played a green screen Youtube video on my TV and sat in front of it for the shots of me flying across the screen.
This is a fun portfolio.
Influencer Post 2024
This man-on-the-street style video was for the conservative influencer ‘raqisright,’ who focuses on growing her audience by sharing Republican perspectives in a direct, approachable way.
I independently edited this TikTok freelance, sorting through 11 minutes of source footage to produce a final cut in under four hours, meeting the client’s same-day turnaround request. The goal was to create a unique, memorable video that still aligned with the account’s established style.
Metrics
| KPI (15 hours after post) | |
|---|---|
| Views | 13,500 |
| Interactions | 1380 |
| Engagement Rate | 10.2% |
@raqisright 6 days till we MAKE AMERICA HOT AGAIN! Link in bio for election night tickets
♬ original sound - raqisright
Kalshi Campaign 2024
Kalshi is the first CFTC-regulated exchange for trading on future events. It lets people bet on topics like inflation, Fed rates, unemployment, and government shutdowns.
I wrote and edited this Instagram reel for Kalshi, intended to target Gen Z audiences. It focuses on Trump's huge swing in the polls, while also staying relevant to the brand. It was posted on an influencer account through B&B Media Group.
Metrics
| KPI (24 hours after post) | |
|---|---|
| Views | 47,668 |
| Interactions | 2,869 |
| Engagement Rate | 6.02% |
FOX Sports University 2024
During the 2024 spring quarter at DePaul University, I had the privilege of competing against 3 other teams to produce a marketing campaign for Major League Baseball on FOX, as well as the Flippin' Bats podcast with Ben Verlander. I edited this video to be shown during our final presentation to FOX Sports executives, and soon after my team was selected as the winning group."Happy to share our winning team is Team 2! We felt their “History Happens Here” video was the strongest idea we’d seen all day"- Cati Hance, FOX Sports Network ExecutiveYou can find me on FOX Sport's website hereExecutive Summary
More about the FOX Sports University program here. Link to my teams final slide deck here.
Property of FOX SportsFormatted for Television
Allez Café (2024)
This was an ad I wrote, filmed and edited for TikTok.
blog
Branding Op-Ed
Predictions for Digital Media in 2025 (Written Article)
Kit Kat Campaign
About me
While everyone else focuses on following trends, I aim to create them.
I’m a creative strategist with a passion for social media campaigns. People usually pay me to help them turn their ideas into bold, engaging content that cuts through the noise.In early 2025, I co-founded The Fold Social to put an end to the trend-chasing monotony that plagues social media. Too many brands play it safe, recycling the same lifeless content, hoping to stay ‘relevant’ by entertaining algorithms instead of people. The Fold Social is my answer to that.I build content and strategies that prove there’s a better way; One where creativity isn’t sacrificed for convenience, where brands have a voice instead of just an aesthetic, and where engagement comes from real impact, not just algorithmic luck. Social media should challenge, entertain, and inspire, not just take up space. That’s what I create, and that’s the standard I hold myself to.
Love,
Mark
contact
(224) 234 6645
Predictions for Digital Media in 2025
Mark Gutheim
9/24/24
Digital creators and filmmakers alike have come together globally to make video horizontal again. The relatively young movement communicates a shared hatred for ‘Satan’s aspect ratio, 9x16’, and addresses the creative concern for visual storytelling. For 30 seconds during the Super Bowl this year, television screens globally were consumed by two-thirds in complete darkness as Kanye West’s Super Bowl Ad aired. Yeezy saw a 15,777.56% increase in website traffic, blowing out all other advertisers in the event, and recording $19.3 million in sales before midnight (Semrush, economictimes.indiatimes.com). The ad’s viral success signaled towards the mass degradation of attention spans globally, as well as the conditioning of contemporary audiences towards less demanding, shallow media. An intimately brief dissection of art is required to better understand the future of digital media.
There existed a time in which film reflected art; German Expressionism in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919) and Baroque stylisms in Citizen Kane (1941) suggest a time in which art and constructive ambiguity was actively sought after in visual storytelling. This is no longer the case. The average shot length of films continues to decline (Cutting). This translates as less information per scene, no space for ambiguity, and in turn, no patience for art.
dataset compiled by the British film scholar Barry Salt
Francis Stark's 'Nothing is Enough' (2012)
Currently in the Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago you can find Francis Stark’s Nothing is Enough (2012), a single-channel video projection on a 14 minute loop. In other words, a black and white horizontal video is featured in the same gallery as works by Van Gogh, Picasso and Worhol. Minimally, pompous art jurors recognize short-form video as a satisfactory art medium, indicating that high art too is following suit of film, and reflecting the rich legacy of the social media consumption vortex.
No one has time for art anymore and mankind has felt a profound impact of its absence. Ambiguity has lost its role in consumed media, and with it a certain capacity for thought. No longer are consumers given the opportunity to wonder, rather they are conditioned to be given all information, all at once, all the time. A world entirely devoid of art would feel emotionally flat, culturally impoverished, and less innovative, stripping humanity of vital elements that make us feel alive, connected, and inspired—the current state of digital media in 2024.As creators and audiences, we hold the responsibility to choose what we consume. In one year's time, I predict this responsibility will fall even further from our grasp. It will get worse before it gets better. Digital media in 2025 will reflect a generalized obsessive conformity, whereas individuality is discouraged, and originality is alienated towards a troubling brink of extinction; Digital media in 2025 will be boring.Some guy named Albert said, "I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots”. Media exposure is inherent, and to suggest removing screen time from one's life is nothing short of unreasonable. I don’t think the solution to the depressed state of digital media is its complete removal, nor do I feel any sort of moderation is required. Rather, consumers should take time to better understand their role in media consumption. I believe it won’t be until individuals begin to show interest in their own identities rather than that of others that the state of digital media can begin to heal. A day will come where we will once again be able to see the value in art and ambiguity; A day will come when we make video horizontal again.
Works Cited
“GBD Results.” Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-results/. Accessed 24 Sept. 2024.
Miller, Greg. “Data from a Century of Cinema Reveals How Movies Have Evolved.” Wired, Conde Nast, 8 Sept. 2014, www.wired.com/2014/09/cinema-is-evolving/.
“Semrush .Trends: Digital Trends on Any Website, Industry, and Market.” Semrush, www.semrush.com/trends/. Accessed 24 Sept. 2024.
West, Kanye. “Yeezy.Com Super Bowl Ad.” YouTube, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BWYyRicB8w. Accessed 24 Sept. 2024.
“‘Make Video Horizontal Again.’” Flickman, www.flickman.co/products/mvha. Accessed 24 Sept. 2024.
Kit Kat
The Kit Kat "i miss dad" campaign blends timeless sentiment with modern sensibilities to introduce a new generation of the iconic chocolate wafer. This blog post outlines the overall campaign strategy, the tools utilized, budget considerations, success metrics, and additional creative ideas designed to maximize impact.
Comprehensive Digital Marketing Campaign
Kit Kat's original branding, much like others from that era of marketing, is drowning in unrelatable, over the top jingles and imagery. This campaign is a satire personification of Kit Kat's brand legacy.By personifying Kit Kat’s branding as a well-meaning but outdated father figure, the campaign taps into themes of familial bonds, generational gaps, and humorous cultural critique. The tagline evokes both a genuine emotional connection and a sense of playful irony, making it a perfect fit for a Gen Z audience that favors more bleak and untraditional images.
Social Media Video
Social Media Stills
Instagram (1080x1080)
Instagram (1080x1080)
To reach Gen Z effectively, the campaign utilizes a mix of digital-first tools and platforms:
Short-Form Video Content
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are at the forefront of the campaign. These channels are home to Gen Z’s preferred content format: quick, visually engaging videos. The campaign would feature scenarios where Kit Kat, as a metaphorical dad, appears in comedic and touching situations, such as giving overly enthusiastic advice or offering a break at the perfect moment. For now, Kit Kat Jr is featured remembering his father after his presumed recent passing.Memes and Internet Culture
The campaign leverages humor and meme culture to make Kit Kat part of Gen Z’s daily online experience. Meme overtones encourage users to join the conversation, creating organic virality.
Website Ads
Leaderboard (728x90)
Skyscraper (120x600)
Half-Page (300x600)
The "i miss dad" campaign will embrace a cost-effective approach, prioritizing authenticity and creativity over expensive production. Here’s a rough breakdown of the budget:
Content Creation (40%)
Funds go toward producing TikTok and Instagram videos, meme designs, and influencer collaborations. This allocation ensures a steady flow of content across platforms.Paid Social Ads (30%)
Amplifying reach through targeted ad placements ensures the campaign hits key demographics.User Engagement Incentives (20%)
Investments in prizes or rewards for user-generated content, such as Kit Kat bundles or branded swag.Experiential Marketing (10%)
Pop-ups and guerrilla marketing events provide a tangible, shareable element to the campaign. By focusing on high-impact digital strategies and keeping production costs low, the campaign remains accessible and relevant to its audience.
Email Marketing
The success of the campaign hinges on its ability to connect with Gen Z authentically. Key performance indicators include:
Social Media Engagement
High engagement rates on platforms like TikTok and Instagram (e.g., likes, shares, and comments) indicate resonance with the target audience.Hashtag Trends
The virality of campaign-specific hashtags like #imissdad provides a clear metric for organic reach and audience participation.Brand Sentiment Analysis
Monitoring online conversations and comments about Kit Kat offers insights into whether the campaign improves brand perception and relevance among Gen Z.Sales Growth Among Gen Z
Sales data tied to Gen Z demographics will validate whether the campaign translates into tangible results. Tracking purchases through QR codes or promo codes featured in the campaign provides additional clarity.
All content created on this page was created and formatted using Adobe Creative Cloud products, including Premier Pro, Photoshop, and Illustrator. Most photos featured in video and photo content were generated using ChatGPT's image generation software; This was used to create images of human-like Kit Kats. All other video content was filmed and produced in my apartment. This campaign was created for academic purposes, and is not associated with Kit Kat in any capacity.