John Kovacevich
Founder & Creative Director at Agency SOS- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Debbie Carolan Curdy
In my years of working with John, what stands out most (aside from his charm and humor) is that he listens. All creatives say they listen, but I have found it rare, in my career, to find one that truly does listen. He listened to our team and our consumers and then delivered creative that addressed what we/they were asking for AND what was true to our brand.
Kate Guthrie Adams
John is the most strategic and collaborative creative partner I have ever worked with. A true partner to the business who not only delivers best-in-class creative, but passionately works through your business challenges and your creative strategy with you every step of the way. For me, not only did John create our brand’s first-ever equity campaign, but he was a critical driving force in developing our distinctive position in the category and the strategy to bring it to life. His footprint will forever be on Black Forest brand.
Emily Brody
John is everything you could want in a creative director: professional, collaborative, strategic, and always hilarious. I had the pleasure of working with him on a few fast-paced projects, and thanks to his amazing leadership skills we were able to exceed our client's expectations. He's the rare type of creative that delivers engaging work that also responds to the client's business objectives. Not to mention a great presenter and seriously charming. John would be an asset to any team - I cannot recommend him enough!
Debbie Carolan Curdy
In my years of working with John, what stands out most (aside from his charm and humor) is that he listens. All creatives say they listen, but I have found it rare, in my career, to find one that truly does listen. He listened to our team and our consumers and then delivered creative that addressed what we/they were asking for AND what was true to our brand.
Kate Guthrie Adams
John is the most strategic and collaborative creative partner I have ever worked with. A true partner to the business who not only delivers best-in-class creative, but passionately works through your business challenges and your creative strategy with you every step of the way. For me, not only did John create our brand’s first-ever equity campaign, but he was a critical driving force in developing our distinctive position in the category and the strategy to bring it to life. His footprint will forever be on Black Forest brand.
Emily Brody
John is everything you could want in a creative director: professional, collaborative, strategic, and always hilarious. I had the pleasure of working with him on a few fast-paced projects, and thanks to his amazing leadership skills we were able to exceed our client's expectations. He's the rare type of creative that delivers engaging work that also responds to the client's business objectives. Not to mention a great presenter and seriously charming. John would be an asset to any team - I cannot recommend him enough!
Debbie Carolan Curdy
In my years of working with John, what stands out most (aside from his charm and humor) is that he listens. All creatives say they listen, but I have found it rare, in my career, to find one that truly does listen. He listened to our team and our consumers and then delivered creative that addressed what we/they were asking for AND what was true to our brand.
Kate Guthrie Adams
John is the most strategic and collaborative creative partner I have ever worked with. A true partner to the business who not only delivers best-in-class creative, but passionately works through your business challenges and your creative strategy with you every step of the way. For me, not only did John create our brand’s first-ever equity campaign, but he was a critical driving force in developing our distinctive position in the category and the strategy to bring it to life. His footprint will forever be on Black Forest brand.
Emily Brody
John is everything you could want in a creative director: professional, collaborative, strategic, and always hilarious. I had the pleasure of working with him on a few fast-paced projects, and thanks to his amazing leadership skills we were able to exceed our client's expectations. He's the rare type of creative that delivers engaging work that also responds to the client's business objectives. Not to mention a great presenter and seriously charming. John would be an asset to any team - I cannot recommend him enough!
Debbie Carolan Curdy
In my years of working with John, what stands out most (aside from his charm and humor) is that he listens. All creatives say they listen, but I have found it rare, in my career, to find one that truly does listen. He listened to our team and our consumers and then delivered creative that addressed what we/they were asking for AND what was true to our brand.
Kate Guthrie Adams
John is the most strategic and collaborative creative partner I have ever worked with. A true partner to the business who not only delivers best-in-class creative, but passionately works through your business challenges and your creative strategy with you every step of the way. For me, not only did John create our brand’s first-ever equity campaign, but he was a critical driving force in developing our distinctive position in the category and the strategy to bring it to life. His footprint will forever be on Black Forest brand.
Emily Brody
John is everything you could want in a creative director: professional, collaborative, strategic, and always hilarious. I had the pleasure of working with him on a few fast-paced projects, and thanks to his amazing leadership skills we were able to exceed our client's expectations. He's the rare type of creative that delivers engaging work that also responds to the client's business objectives. Not to mention a great presenter and seriously charming. John would be an asset to any team - I cannot recommend him enough!
Experience
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Agency SOS
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United States
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Advertising Services
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1 - 100 Employee
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Founder & Creative Director
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Jun 2021 - Present
We help people who build brands. With our Brand Strategy Bootcamp, Creative Campaign Accelerator, and Campaign Production & Distribution programs, we provide a better, faster way to smart brand strategy and effective creative campaigns. We’re no-nonsense, easy to work with, and our clients have VERY nice things to say about us. If you’re a CMO, marketing director, or brand manager, we want to make your life easier. Clients include Anchor Brewing, Gametime, Glassdoor, Google, Grove Collaborative, Kodak Moments, Omada, Ooma, Somos, Sunbasket, Virtuo (and others that are a little shy.) Show less
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Duncan Channon
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United States
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Advertising Services
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1 - 100 Employee
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Executive Creative Director
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Oct 2018 - Jun 2021
ECD at Duncan Channon, a four-time AdAge agency of the year. Client work included Kona Brewing, SweeTARTS, Black Forest, InnovAsian, Upwork, Sonoma Cutrer, and Knotel. Made great work with great people, sold a lot of candy and chicken, won more new biz pitches than we lost, weathered a global pandemic, and helped a small brand win The Golden Penguin, the Oscars of the frozen food world.
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Freelance Creative Director
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Jul 2018 - Sep 2018
Freelanced with the good people of Duncan Channon on a few pitches and liked it so much, decided to "get hitched" again and go full time.
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Freelance Creative Director
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San Francisco Bay Area
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Creative Director/Copywriter
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Apr 2015 - Oct 2018
An extra hand for creative companies. Helped with creative direction, copywriting, new business pitches, agency communications, PR and award shows. Worked with Duncan Channon, Mekanism (Charles Schwab, Alaska Airlines), 215McCann (Workday), Chemistry Club (LinkedIn, Dolby), Goodby Silverstein & Partners (Xfinity, Frito Lay), Stout (Kiva, Facebook), FCB West (Clorox, Levi's, Dockers), Havas NYC, DDB San Francisco, ARGONAUT, Tippett Studios, and direct-to-client assignments with Facebook, Airbnb, Google, Prosper, and OMGYes. For more information and samples of my work, visit jkovac.com. Show less
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Goodby Silverstein & Partners
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Advertising Services
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300 - 400 Employee
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Director of Communication
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Feb 2013 - Apr 2015
Directed communication programs that shared the agency’s story with the public, press, prospective clients, current employees, and ad-industry leaders. Led new-business efforts, agency PR, social media, company meetings and award-show entries. Voted 2013 Employee of the Year. Directed communication programs that shared the agency’s story with the public, press, prospective clients, current employees, and ad-industry leaders. Led new-business efforts, agency PR, social media, company meetings and award-show entries. Voted 2013 Employee of the Year.
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FCB Global
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United States
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Advertising Services
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700 & Above Employee
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SVP, Group Creative Director
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Sep 2011 - Feb 2013
Group creative director on Dockers, Air New Zealand, Ooma, Meow Mix, Milk Bone, Kibbles ’n Bits, Nature’s Recipe, Milo’s Kitchen, Pup-Peroni, Snausages and PG&E. Led successful pitches for Air New Zealand and Ooma. Group creative director on Dockers, Air New Zealand, Ooma, Meow Mix, Milk Bone, Kibbles ’n Bits, Nature’s Recipe, Milo’s Kitchen, Pup-Peroni, Snausages and PG&E. Led successful pitches for Air New Zealand and Ooma.
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Goodby Silverstein & Partners
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Advertising Services
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300 - 400 Employee
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Associate Creative Director/Copywriter
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Jul 2008 - Aug 2011
Developed, pitched, wrote and produced TV, radio, print and digital ad campaigns. Clients included Chevrolet, Foster Farms, Frito-Lay, Hewlett-Packard, SONIC Drive-In, Emerald Nuts and Dropps. Part of successful pitch teams for Yahoo!, PepsiCo and Dickies. Developed, pitched, wrote and produced TV, radio, print and digital ad campaigns. Clients included Chevrolet, Foster Farms, Frito-Lay, Hewlett-Packard, SONIC Drive-In, Emerald Nuts and Dropps. Part of successful pitch teams for Yahoo!, PepsiCo and Dickies.
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Tendo Communications
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United States
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Advertising Services
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1 - 100 Employee
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VP, Marketing Services
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Apr 2007 - Jun 2008
Developed strategy and produced web, print, video and interactive content for clients such as Hewlett-Packard, Honda, and Cisco. Managed client relationships, editorial and production staff, and agency marketing/new-business pitches. Grew revenue on primary accounts by 60 percent in one year. Developed strategy and produced web, print, video and interactive content for clients such as Hewlett-Packard, Honda, and Cisco. Managed client relationships, editorial and production staff, and agency marketing/new-business pitches. Grew revenue on primary accounts by 60 percent in one year.
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BATS Improv
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United States
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Performing Arts
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1 - 100 Employee
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Executive Director
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Jun 2002 - Jan 2007
Transformational leader for the West Coast’s largest improv-theater company. Responsible for strategic planning, financial oversight, theater management, administration, fundraising, grant writing, marketing, public relations and board development. Grew revenue by 40 percent over four years. Transformational leader for the West Coast’s largest improv-theater company. Responsible for strategic planning, financial oversight, theater management, administration, fundraising, grant writing, marketing, public relations and board development. Grew revenue by 40 percent over four years.
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Tendo Communications
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United States
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Advertising Services
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1 - 100 Employee
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Editorial Director
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2000 - 2002
Managed content development for high-tech, financial services, educational, insurance and B2C clients. Developed project budgets, editorial lineups, and new-business pitches. Managed six staff members plus freelance writers, editors, art directors and designers. Managed content development for high-tech, financial services, educational, insurance and B2C clients. Developed project budgets, editorial lineups, and new-business pitches. Managed six staff members plus freelance writers, editors, art directors and designers.
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Santa Clara University
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United States
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Higher Education
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700 & Above Employee
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Acting Director of University Marketing Communications
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1998 - 2000
Managed comprehensive marketing communications program, including public and media relations, publication production, and graphic and web design. Provided strategic and creative direction. Managed a $1.3 million budget and 14-member staff. Led two-year transformation of office to manage campus-wide integrated marketing effort.
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Associate Director of Major Gifts
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1997 - 1998
Managed 75 major gift prospects through stages of identification, cultivation and ask. Wrote client prospect plans and strategies. Served as chief fund raising officer for the Center of Distinction and coordinated board-development programs. After 10 months in development, was promoted to lead the marcom operation.
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Garces Memorial High School
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United States
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Education Administration Programs
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1 - 100 Employee
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Director of Development
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1994 - 1997
Designed, built support for and implemented a comprehensive development and alumni-relations program. Managed the $1.3M design and construction of a new administration building and a an new library. Instituted inaugural annual fund drive that doubled unrestricted donations. Increased net fund raising by 54% in two years; cut fund raising costs by 14%. Designed, built support for and implemented a comprehensive development and alumni-relations program. Managed the $1.3M design and construction of a new administration building and a an new library. Instituted inaugural annual fund drive that doubled unrestricted donations. Increased net fund raising by 54% in two years; cut fund raising costs by 14%.
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Education
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Loyola Marymount University
B.A., Communications/Film, Business Administration
Community
