2019-Present Associate Creative Director, Checkmark/Nestle Purina Pet Care, St. Louis, Missouri
Currently working on the Purina ONE brand. It’s a pretty sweet gig. And I can bring my dog to work.
2013-2019 Senior Creative DIrector, We Are Alexander, St. Louis, Missouri
Headed up the CPG creative team on Campbell Snacks, Rebel Yell, Treehouse Foods and sometimes AB InBev and Dr Pepper, creating packaging, retail displays, product naming, new business pitches and more.
2012-2013 Associate Creative DIrector/Writer, Advertising Savants, St. Louis, Missouri
Back for another round at the agency above a microbrewery. The beer was still good, the work was better.
2010-Present Freelance Writer/Editor, St. Louis, Missouri
Wrote and edited creative work for a wide variety of clients, from banks to breweries to high-tech security systems and portable vitrectomy machines.
2007-2010 Executive Creative DIrector, Adamson, St. Louis, Missouri
Guided creative efforts and wrote copy for the Missouri Lottery, Shoe Carnival, Laclede Gas, St. Luke’s Hospital, Logan’s Roadhouse, Rawlings, Mobil On the Run, Save-A-Lot and the St. Louis Cardinals.
2001-2007 Creative DIrector/Writer, Advertising Savants, St. Louis, Missouri
Managed and created print, outdoor, transit, TV, radio, collateral, promotional materials, digital for such clients as the Saint Louis Zoo, Fontbonne University, Cape Radiology Group, SLUCare and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
1994-2001 Creative Director/Writer, Arnold Worldwide, St. Louis, Missouri
More managing, mentoring, writing and new biz. Worked primarily on Jack Daniel’s print, TV and cinema campaign for US, European and Asian markets. Spent lots of time in Lynchburg, Tennessee. And sipped a little Jack now and again.
1990-1994 Associate Creative Director/Writer, D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, St. Louis, Missouri
Worked primarily on Budweiser. Conceived/wrote Bud Bowl campaigns for two Super Bowls (that was fun). Bud “Classic” commercials directed by David Fincher named one of ADWEEK’s Best Campaigns of the Year.
1985-1989 Senior Writer, Gardner Advertising, St. Louis, Missouri
Moved to St. Louis to work on Ralston-Purina pet foods, Energizer batteries and Southwestern Bell. Remember those Chuck Wagon TV spots with the little dog chasing the wagon? Yeah, I wrote one of those.
1982-1985 Copywriter, Campbell-Ewald, Detroit, Michigan
Everything that wasn’t Chevrolet, so: AC-Delco, GMAC, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, Bridgestone. Lots of car-related stuff, but also Magnavox, Eastern Airlines and new biz.
1980-1982 Copywriter, Witherspoon & Associates, Fort Worth, Texas
First job out of college. Starting salary of $9K. Worked on Texas American Bank, Tarrant County Chevy Dealers, Texas Utilities Company, Pancho’s Mexican Buffets and 15 other accounts, simultaneously. Wore cowboy boots and ate lots of BBQ.
Education
BA in English, Miami University, Oxford, OH. Not that Miami. The other Miami.
Contact
thalp at mac dot com or (314) 623-4504