2 minutes with: Gerardo Ortiz

Ellie Chase — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 19:07:17 +0000

2 minutes with: Gerardo Ortiz Ellie Chase Thu, 10/08/2026 - 13:07

Hannah Stewart

Watching sports is one of Gerardo Ortiz’s (Advert'10) guilty pleasures—but as a creative director at 72andSunny, sometimes it’s part of the job. Ortiz, second from left in the photo, recently teamed with fellow Buff Shane Chastang (Advert’04) on an Emmy-winning commercial promoting the NFL.

Responses edited for length and clarity.

Photo courtesy Gerardo Ortiz

Congrats on the Emmy win! Tell me all about Champion.

Coaches have played a great role in my life—I played football, basketball and baseball growing up. We had the idea that, for better or worse, kids repeat everything they hear. And I would know; I have a 2-year-old.

We wanted to honor coaches, and we even got data that the ad sparked an interest in coaching—that was a huge win. Seeing my kid react to it was a win. The Emmy was a cherry on top.

He’s only 2, but will you coach your son?
Oh yeah, that’s the goal! Participating in sports helps shape future leaders. That’s why Champion was near and dear to me.

Now, Champion wasn’t your first time working in the sports space, was it?
No. Through my career, I’ve been able to do work with dream brands like ESPN, Adidas and the NFL.

More recently, I’ve done work for the Cadillac Formula One team. So I’ve had the chance to travel to Guadalajara and even Monaco to tell the stories of those drivers.

How about a favorite project you’ve worked on?
I would say the glass helmet. We made a clear helmet that athletes would take photos in, and then tell their stories. It really let fans connect with players in a way that their actual, opaque helmets can make difficult.

What’s one of your proudest moments from your career?
One of the most rewarding was when I spoke to CMDI’s Class of 2021. I grew up in North Denver, and CU was always my dream school. I learned how to tell stories here, so having that opportunity was a full-circle moment I’ll always remember.

Hannah Stewart graduated in 2019 with a degree in communication. She covers student news at the college.

Gerardo Ortiz won an Emmy for a creative spot he worked on for the NFL that celebrated coaches of all kinds.

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Spring 2025: 2 minutes with...

Amanda J. McManus — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 20:09:47 +0000

Spring 2025: 2 minutes with... Amanda J. McManus Wed, 02/26/2025 - 13:09

Max Pollak (Advert’10)
Creative Director, Deutsch LA

After years away from Boulder, Pollak returned to CU for a collaboration between NerdWallet and Travis Hunter. Pollak and his team shot a video where Hunter talked about the “Smartest NIL” campaign and a giveaway where fans could win a collectible cutout piece of Hunter’s contract with the brand. The highlight for Pollak? A selfie with “Heisman” Hunter.

How did you land Travis Hunter? In his Heisman season, no less?
I’m a huge CU fan with season tickets, and it just so happens that NerdWallet already has a partnership with CU. I knew Travis Hunter would be a great brand ambassador, and we even sneaked into the Coach Prime documentary.

As to the Heisman, I thought he should win it and I thought there was a big chance. I’m happy it happened, but I can’t say I predicted it.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
Focus on what you love. Success comes out of that.

I’m actually stoked for what I get paid to do. I like advertising because it’s a puzzle to figure out—it’s both strategic and creative, and I like intertwining all that.

You used to be a firefighter. What’s something memorable about that job?
You never want something bad to happen—but there’s [an adrenaline rush] when you hear the bells and sirens.

My best friend—also a volunteer, now with FDNY—and I were driving to a car show when we got the page that his house went up in flames. We had to put out a fire that was going through his house, which we had played in as kids. It makes you sympathize with people.

Best compliment you’ve ever received?
I was at Barchetta recently and my wife was sitting there with our kid, and this guy walked up to me and said, “You have a great spot”—meaning the table in the restaurant. I thought it was weird, but I said, “Yeah, I know.” He was like, “Wow, how confident!” and walked away. I saw my wife was dying laughing, and she told me what he actually said was, “You have a great smile!”

Rory Fitzgerald Bledsoe
PhD Candidate, Media Studies

Rory Fitzgerald Bledsoe is a PhD candidate in media studies who runs a multimodal art gallery, Space__Space, in East Boulder. Her first exhibition, “Phones are Heavy,” ran from November through January; “Archive Fever Dream” opens in March.

Why did you want to open a gallery?
This space is public scholarship. I’m interested in creating discourse on cultural issues that transcend the limits of the law. I also ran a gallery in Boston where I gave solo shows to artists who hadn’t had one before, and it’s gratifying to elevate emerging artists and underrepresented ideas.

Was there a gallery you had in mind as you envisioned what Space__Space could look like?
I did an artist/curatorial residency in New York, at Flux Factory, and that has been a big influence on my drive for cultivating experimentation and community.

Something you hope visitors notice as they walk through the gallery?
The work, of course. And maybe the sunset-pink trim. Pink has connotations of being frivolous, but I see it as subversive—a power color. So I put it in the bottom trim around the gallery, where it’s a secret signature that doesn’t get in the way of the work.

Tell me about those sunsets.
I’m used to underground, windowless art spaces in New York and Boston. From the back of Space__Space, you can see mountains, and from the front, you get the sunset. Someday, I want to do a site-specific installation that harnesses sunsets, because they are so spectacular.

Biggest surprise?
Being able to do it. Every time you take the risk of creating something—like in Boston, running Space 121 out of my apartment, I wasn’t sure what would happen. But I’ve started to believe if you build it, when there is a thirst, they will come.

Wait, the gallery in Boston was out of your apartment? What did your landlord say about that?
They never found out. (Laughs) We had openings; we just called them parties.

Last one. A favorite work from your first exhibit?
The brilliant Flora Wilds flew in to install her sculptures, which was a magical collaboration. But I will say everyone who came in had a different favorite, and that is a mark of a resonant and successful show.

A selection of works from Space__Space’s inaugural exhibit, which closed in January. From left, works by Maya Buffett-Davis, a ��ñ�� graduate student; Ana González Barragán; Devon Narine-Singh; and Flora Wilds. Photos by Kimberly Coffin (CritMedia, StratComm’18).

A regular feature catching up with people in our community who are doing interesting and impactful work. In this edition, a commercial with Travis Hunter and a new art gallery in East Boulder.

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Spring 2025

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2 minutes with: Gerardo Ortiz

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Spring 2025: 2 minutes with...

Max Pollak (Advert’10)Creative Director, Deutsch LA

Rory Fitzgerald BledsoePhD Candidate, Media Studies

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Max Pollak (Advert’10)
Creative Director, Deutsch LA

Rory Fitzgerald Bledsoe
PhD Candidate, Media Studies