Strategy is a big, loaded word. I define it simply as a deliberate practice of identifying and prioritizing opportunities for brands. And as marketers are surrounded by hungry new “mouths to feed” – new ways to target, a growing demand for content, proliferating digital platforms, to name a few – prioritizing among these choices is more important than ever.
To help our clients make the most of these opportunities, I’ve integrated a bunch of functions at the agency: brand strategy, communications planning, media, analytics, and technology. By linking these practices closely, strategy remains a continuous thread through our work.
As a strategist, I’m grateful to have started my career as a creative, working at agencies including Lintas, Chiat/Day and Ingalls before jumping over to Think New Ideas, one of the original global digital agencies. And I have to blame Fast Company for my transition from creative into strategy. Luckily, it seems to be working out so far.
You can find me leading strategy engagements, writing about branding, helping out at The Ad Club, speaking to groups of industry vets and aspiring students, and running our ongoing series of Pecha Kucha nights at PJA. To keep my creative spark alive, I’m an active photographer. And I’m most passionate about raising funds for Alzheimer’s research, hanging out with my wife and two boys, and an ongoing 20-year wrestling match with our heavily-shaded garden.