Artist First
Philosophy
Brands have the capacity to be patrons to visionaries–interpreting their mission in ways they never knew possible.
Teacher/Student
Approach
The proper nurturement of talent is only effective insofar as the teacher is open to also being the student.
Collaboration
Process
Success is identified when all team members (including our clients) can sit back in awe of a project and say, "We did this."
Bio
Brian’s fascination with branding and advertising started in an unexpected place: the Wieden+Kennedy auditorium in Portland. The Portland Institute of Contemporary Art held meetings there after hours, and he found himself drawn to the space. The massive black-and-white employee portraits, the human-sized bird’s nest in the corner, the feeling that creativity was happening all around him. It was the first time he saw branding as something more than just business. It could be art.
That curiosity led him to VCU Brandcenter, where he graduated in 2008 and began a career working with some of the world’s most recognized brands. He’s collaborated on campaigns with teams at The Martin Agency, Ogilvy, TBWA\Chiat\Day, and McGarryBowen, shaping work for Nissan, Disney, Dove, Walmart, and GameStop.
Beyond the work itself, Brian believes in building up the next generation of creatives. He’s taught at Chicago Portfolio School and regularly hosts industry workshops to help brands define their purpose and connect with audiences in more meaningful ways.
He’s also a multi-disciplinary artist who never stops creating. During the worldwide lockdown, he self-published Quarantined Portraits, a collection of remote-painted portraits and interviews with artists and creatives around the world, capturing a moment in time through art and conversation. He and his spouse live in the woods with their five kids, three cats, three dogs, two birds, one bunny and one gecko.
Garrett Curry | CEO, Raygun Design
Colleague + Partner
“It’s always nice to augment my team with the pedigree of talent and experience that Brian has to offer. With him comes a unique dichotomy of agency professionalism and scrappy instinct that insists on diving deeper than clients expect.”
Ted Hoper | Art Director
Employee + Team Member
"Reflecting on our AD-CD dynamic, I have always felt accountable, but never blamed for errors. Where some might deflect responsibility to save face with a client, Brian instead defends my mistakes as if they were his own. This, in my opinion, is the most important quality of a leader."
Jim Monk | President, Clozzits
Client
"Working with Brian and the entire team has truly been a wonderful experience. They took our vision and built a comprehensive website, brand layout/rollout, content development, social media setup/management, and customer journey development - all while expertly handling a complex set of technical requirements."
Matt Tamaru | COO, Ramen Hero
Client