There’s Sr. Global Creative Leader Adam.
After 16 years leading teams for some of the best advertising agenices in the world like WONGDOODY, FCB, ChiatDay, and DDB, I made the move to the brand side in early 2021 to become the Group Creative Director at Zillow.
I helped steer a reinvigoration of the brand, and built something special from a work, team, and operational perspective. I learned how to organize a department to get the most out of our teams talents and developed a culture of Blue Collar Creativity. Where we show up inspried, go home fulfilled, and use our creative expertise to find solutions that lead to inventive and memorable work that makes everyone at the company proud to be a part of.
My deepest contributions are in the tech, fast food, consumer electronics, fashion, sports, real estate, finance and online marketplace industries where most would consider me a highly productive, authentic, empathetic leader who fosters an enviorment of collaboration, freedom of ideas, and respect.
My work has been recognized at Cannes, The One Show, Addy’s, Effies, and various publications.
Advertising and leading teams are just a few of the things I love in life along with my wife Emily, daughter Ella (10), My Instagram Band - Bawds Of Euphony. Nebraska Football, Collectiing Guitars-Vinyl-and Bourbon, Yacht Rock, Golfing, Mixology, Cured Italian Meats, Growing Tomatoes, and Chopping with my Shun Knives.
And Jr. Copywriter Adam.
I will always be one - no matter what my title says. But through the years I have become more consistent and reliable. I pride myself on guaranteeing to any CD or client that a) you will get an idea that will nail the meeting and b) an idea that will excite you. Hopefully those two are one in the same.
I liken most creative assignments to Steely Dan’s 1977 jazz-rock-fusion classic, Peg.
Founding members Donald Fagen and Walter Becker never kept a constant band lineup. Their creative philosophy was to bring in the best singer, drummer, bass, keyboard or guitar player that could capture the particular sound they were crafting.
When it came time to record the guitar solo, the attempts sounded too thin or too precious. Not enough umph or not enought grrrrr. Six legendary guitarists including Becker himself couldn’t nail it.
Then came the seventh player - Jay Graydon.
The result is a solo that was perfect for the problem they needed to solve. It’s so damn intellegent, yet completely accessible. It’s filled with personality, grit and soul. It comes off as effortless and just has that ever-elusive, “thing.”
I’ve been the full-time Jay Graydon my whole career. The go-to-person to inject wit, humanity and heart into brands and deliver meaningful, memorable, meeting-making, stake-holder rallying, tell-all-your-friends-about ideas that excite and inspire whoever our audience is. Even the ones with Steely Dan level scrutiny.