Russ Rizzo is a manydisciplinary Creative Director, Writer, Artist and other things in Brooklyn, New York. He routinely releases projects in different shapes at his amusement studio RUSS RIZZO.
Russ is currently freelancing for both brands and agencies. Over the past year, Russ has worked across new and existing business at Uncommon, Wieden+Kennedy, and Mother. He’s led accounts for full projects, helped win new business, and protected ideas from concept to production to launch. Russ prioritizes working on full projects in small teams of enjoyable, ambitious people.
Previously, Russ spent 6 months working across the Uber business at Mother New York. There, for St. Patrick’s Day, he turned Uber’s most popular ride into the nation’s best getaway car called Uber IrishXit.
Russ also spent 6 different months at Uncommon in both New York and London. There, he wrote, led, and produced the first campaign platform for British Airways in the U.S. called British Airways Accents, while also helping win new business like A24.
Before going freelance, Russ was a Creative Director at Tombras NY, where he turned a NASCAR race into a 2-hour ad for Arby’s with signs that said Arby’s Cheesesteak This Way.
Before that, Russ was a Creative Director at Slap Global in New York City. There, he made a campaign inviting customers to commit promo fraud called SeatGeek “First-Time Buyers”.
Before Slap, Russ was an Associate Creative Director and Writer at CALLEN in Austin, Texas. There, among other things, he created the voice and most everything for the agency’s NIL dijon mustard brand, Bijan Mustardson.
Before CALLEN, Russ was a Creative at Mother LA. There, he wrote and launched a new brand platform for Postmates called When All You Can Food is Think About. He also pitched and wrote nearly the entire Postmates Don’t Cookbook, which won a Yellow Pencil for Writing at D&AD. Then he made a second film series called When All You Can Food is Think About 2, a film and radio campaign called Other Ads When You’re Hungry, a recreational Chicken Boat, and more. A year into the work, for completely unrelated reasons, Uber bought Postmates for 2.65 billion dollars. Also during this time, Russ convinced Sonic to make an advertising campaign for a Cup of Ice, which caught Cardi B’s attention, along with others.
Before Mother, Russ was a Copywriter at Barton F. Graf (R.I.P.) in New York City, where he mostly made work for Little Caesars and lost a bunch of new business pitches. Don’t tell Gerry, but Russ had a lot of fun.
Before BFG, Russ studied Copywriting at the VCU Brandcenter in Richmond, Virginia. He also had fun there too as well.
Russ grew up playing competitive hockey in Buffalo, New York. He’s gone unselected in the NHL Draft for 18 consecutive years, and is now playing advertising in New York City. Russ currently lives, eats, makes, and sleeps in Park Slope, Brooklyn with his creative partner and partner partner Casey Phillips Rizzo. Together, their work has been awarded by Cannes, D&AD, One Show, and more. It’s also been featured on Hypebeast, ESPN, Forbes, AdAge, Adweek, and blah blah blah.
Notes, inquiries, or credit card information with CVC code can be sent by email to russ@russrizzo.com, or by mail mail to:
[street address redacted] Unit 2
Brooklyn, NY [zip code redacted]
If you don’t feel comfortable sharing your personal financial details via mails, you can always post a picture of your credit card (front and back) and tag Russ on Instagram, or if you absolutely must, LinkedIn.
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Uber
British Airways
Postmates
Arby’s
Postmates
Postmates
Postmates
Postmates
SeatGeek
Bijan
Little Caesars
SonicWhen the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that college athletes could profit off their own name, image, and likeness, creating a gourmet dijon mustard brand with University of Texas football player Bijan Robinson was the next logical step.

Below are select projects in chronological order, beginning at launch and continuing as Bijan moved from college to the NFL.
Packaging
Launch Films
bijanmustardson.com
@bijanmustardson
Bijan No. 5
Season 1 Recap
40-Time Sale
NFL Rookie Bottle
Mustard Tour Tee
Apology Coupons
Packaging —
Each bottle of mustard came in a box with a lengthy note from Bijan printed inside.



Launch Films —
“Cheer Up” :30

“Pass” :30
bijanmustardson.com —
Like every brand, Bijan Mustardson had a website. And an origin story.

@bijanmustardson —
On social, the brand was written as if it was coming from Bijan himself. Similar to real Bijan, mustard Bijan was always positive, well-intentioned, and thorough.

Bijan No. 5 —
Bijan wore jersey #5. The name of this candle has nothing to do with Chanel.


Season 1 Recap —
During college football season, Bijan Mustardson was everywhere.

“Season 1 Recap” 2:14
When Bijan declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, the mustard followed him through the offseason and into the NFL.
40-Time Sale —
A sale where bottles of mustard were priced according to Bijan’s 40-yard dash time at the NFL Combine.

The faster he ran, the cheaper the mustard.

Bijan ran an official time of 4.46 seconds.


Mustard was priced at $4.46 for one day. At 44% off, too many bottles were sold.

NFL Rookie Bottle —
Like a rookie card. But a mustard bottle. Designed in the colorway of Bijan’s new team.

The week before the NFL draft, bottles were secretly designed in every NFL team colorway.

Then, Bijan’s fictitious graphic designer “accidentally” tweeted out all the label designs.

Fans immediately had opinions and wishes.

When Bijan was selected 8th overall, the Atlanta Falcons colorway was immediately released for purchase. The limited run of 150 bottles sold out at $50 each, a 900% profit.






Mustard Tour Tee —
A Mustard Tour that lines up perfectly with Bijan’s NFL game schedule.








Apology Coupons —
A discount for opposing fans based on how many yards Bijan burned their team’s defense for on the field. A cent per yard and dollar per touchdown feels pretty fair.

New coupons were posted after every Falcons win, geo-targeted to the losing team’s city.




Despite not being able to take advantage of the discount, Falcons fans enjoyed them.

Opposing fans did not like them as much.

Bijan Mustardson
Creative, Creative Director: Russ Rizzo
Creative, Creative Director: Casey Phillips Rizzo
Founder, Chief Creative Officer: Craig Allen
Partner, President: David Hughes
Creative [Apology Coupons]: Ethan Sims
Designer [Apology Coupons]: Ben Hallam
Designer [Mustard Tour Tee]: J. Collins
Designer [Label, Logo]: Robert Lin
Producer: Amy Kommatas, Jessalynn Forde
Agency: CALLEN
Years: 2022, 2023
Films
Director: Craig Allen
DP: James Lee Phelan
Producer: Janice Woods
Edit: Dan Maloney, Nomad
D&AD Shortlist — Naming
One Show Shortlist — Cultural Driver
One Show Shortlist — Influencer
SXSW Conference — Featured Panel
Featured on ESPN College Gameday, Bleacher Report, FOX Sports, USA Today, Barstool, Eater, Sports Illustrated, and more.