about gary

It took a couple of years, but Gary’s mom eventually forgave him for not becoming a lawyer.

After all, she was surprised when he started his career as a radio disc jockey in Northern California at age 18. Then, heartbroken when he quit college for a junior copywriter/producer job at a San Francisco ad agency. Soon after, when Gary helped to put a new radio station on the air at just 21, she just sighed.

Starting at the bottom as a weekend DJ running an on-air console and writing retail radio copy while spinning records (yes, actual vinyl records), Gary soon moved up to writing and producing radio and TV spots (and also writing print ads) in the 5th largest Media market in the country.

Then Gary built the first idea-driven creative boutique in Central California, eventually building it into a full-service agency with over 30 people and two offices. After 26 years, the agency’s strategic & creative reputation proved to be such a valuable asset it was purchased in 2007 by Thielen Partners, forming at the time one of the top 500 independent agencies in the U.S.

Today, with JanzenBrands, Gary offers a rare combination of expertise in multiple disciplines including technical, managerial, entrepreneurial, and creative. With his body of experience in marketing to different generations in real-time and all kinds of consumers, he brings a deep understanding of any marketing challenge and the steps to solving it for clients of every kind.

Ask Gary. “Regardless of the delivery system, whether it’s in media’s traditional applications or through the power and reach of digital, knowing what moves human beings to change behavior, adopt new behavior, or to like the companies from whom they buy things is still the foundation of success.”

Maybe not choosing a career in law wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

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